Drove most types now, prefer autos because I’m lazy.
Also, drive an auto car 
hitch:
have you noticed how those who enthuse
over manual boxes
really mean
whoossy ZF synchro [zb]
and not Eaton TS or Fulller RTO boxes
Far from it, Eaton TS and proper boxes like Fodens 12 speed 3 range should still be the standard fitment in all trucks.
Be a good shortage of drivers then, half the sods wouldn’t get them out the gate= good pay for those who could… 
Daf auto without manual override.Getting volvo i-shift in next 4-6weeks.First lorry i had was seddon atkinson strato with the eaton twin splitter,great box once you got the hang of it.
I’m old school, got an 18spd Eaton Fuller - Roadranger, may as well be auto though as the clutch is only used to pull away 
This must be the first time I’ve ever come across drivers moaning cos they have to do LESS work!
I drive a Volvo FM9 with i-shift, often on roads some of you wouldn’t take a Land-Rover on; it’s a doddle, if it gets sticky I just slip it into manual, but normally I just leave it in drive and forget about it.
During the 20-odd years I’ve deen driving lorries I’ve used boxes from 4-speed synchros on puddle-jumpers through to 16-speed ZF’s, 6-speed David Browns with 2-speed Eaton axle, Eaton Twin-splits, the bloody lot.I’ll take the easiest thank you very much. I don’t get paid any less for driving an auto, and it don’t make me any better or worse a driver. It’s called progress; deal with it.
Some of you lot sound like the old railway enthusiasts banging on about bringing back steam engines; the more realistic locomen were glad to see the back of them. While you’re sitting on your butts in the pub nursing a knackered left hip and knee from ■■■■■■■ a clutch pedal all day, I’ll be stood at the bar smiling.
3 pedal Opticruise, bit dubious to start but I get some crap places to go with slop and ■■■■ everywhere and it’s never got in such a muddle that it couldn’t get out of.
I used to be a big fan of the 3 over 3 Scania box but since getting the Opti I wasn’t so keen when I had to drive one again.
During the week its a Scania 9 speed range change,on a Sunday it’s whatever I get allocated at the RDC,manual,I-shift,opticruise,zf(daf or iveco).The auto’s are mostly ok,but the iveco’s are a pain to reverse uphill smoothly.
Scania 94d rigid 4over4 split box
xf95 430 manual
hitch:
have you noticed how those who enthuse
over manual boxes
really mean
whoossy ZF synchro [zb]
and not Eaton TS or Fulller RTO boxes
ive played some lovely tunes on an eaton
mines a zf 4 over 4 with a splitter
love it…pity its in a daf
gnasty gnome:
During the 20-odd years I’ve deen driving lorries I’ve used boxes from 4-speed synchros on puddle-jumpers through to 16-speed ZF’s, 6-speed David Browns with 2-speed Eaton axle, Eaton Twin-splits, the bloody lot.I’ll take the easiest thank you very much. I don’t get paid any less for driving an auto, and it don’t make me any better or worse a driver. It’s called progress; deal with it.
Spot on mate, I like my Fuller box, but only because it’s the one that’s fitted to my lorry, given the choice I’d have an I-shift or similar
Drive an 11 plate Premium with auto now and its faultless. Had a Stralis for about 2 yrs before that and it also had a good autobox in it. You soon got the hang of how to reverse it smoothly and you can manage to get onto roundabouts without the truck being confused about what gear it should be in. Most autos work slightly differently but need a little bit of driver input to get the best out of them but the Renault doesn’t. Its rarely caught out. I don’t fancy going back to a stick shift anymore.
I like auto great in traffic and you still have to know what your doing as you have to use manual to get the best from it in certain situations.
Given the choice of any manual it would be a 13 speed fuller.
Saaamon:
How many of you lot drive a lorry with a proper manual box (i.e with a range change and split etc)?I personally hate autos, they make for a very boring experience and there a [zb] pain to reverse with.
Eaton 12 speed range/split. I miss my old Foden with 9 spd range change; Crash box was great fun…
we have in our yard an iveco cursor auto (bloody awful)
A volvo 4 over 4 (quite stiff to change)
my daf (quite good )
volvo 3over 3(too wide range for the power)
volvo i shift (very good)
man 58 plate tga (crap)
man tga 61 plate(better than the older one)
and man 4 over 4 with split and comfort button(fantastic)
in my opinion obviously
sorry should have pointed out that the mans were autos
dew:
DAF Manual. 4 Speed and twin range.Auto’s haven’t really taken off in the tipper sector yet.
We’ve got Daf autos and they’re crap off road. The Mans are good but then they’ve always built a good tipper.
Im running a 12 speed manual, 3 over 3 with splitters on me Scania, not too bad but not as good as my previous truck which had slightly better gear ratios, I’m having to drop down one extra gear on the hills.
My only experience of autos has been Iveco (rubbish) and Volvo ishift (very impressed). Think the best thing about the ishift to me is the fact the selector is situated in the classic gearstick position, and easy to switch between manual and auto when needed, whereas most autos are column change or a button on the dash and I find them awkward.
I drive all sorts, manual and auto, but mostly manual these days.
Volvo has to be the best auto, Scania manual box is a peice of ■■■■…DAF manual…Less said about that the better 
My Mack has two gear levers…That takes some adjusting to, especially with no synchros Proper box and a clutch that has two positions…That would mess up most people.
tyler4164:
Don’t see what the problem is, i’ve driven manuals & autos & never had a problem with reversing in either. Autos just have to be driven in a different way to manuals & a good driver should be able to drive both without problems
+6
I’ve drive a lot of different boxes over the years, the favourite without a doubt was the Eaton Twin splitter, I had one in an MAN unit & another in a DAF 8 wheeler I once had & they were lovely boxes to live with. The last twin splitter I had was in my DAF was a £430 option which has to be the best £430 I’ve ever spent. However, I bought a new Volvo with a 460 & ishift in it last year & it’s a very clever gearbox in my opinion. I won’t be rushing back to a manual box in a hurry unless they make the twin splitter available as an option in the future.
Go on Youtube & watch the Volvo demonstration driver putting an ishift through its paces in a new FMX 8 wheeler, it’s a very good box & well up to the job.
BB
merc actros so technically im somwhere inbetween with the telligent gearbox