Scania Opticruise 3-pedal

UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUMS OWNER AND FLEET OPERATORS FORUM (INTERACTIVE)
1

Hello all…

I’m currently an owner driver but the time has come to get a second truck and take on a driver.

My current truck is a 26T Scania R270 with a manual gear box (2008). I spend my days doing deliveries with a HIAB in London. I don’t do ridiculous miles but have to get into tight spaces pretty much every day, on building sites, reversing into peoples driveways often with a wall an inch on either side and general London congestion so control at slow speed is vitally important. This is the reason I wanted a manual. I am more than happy with this truck and so far (touch wood) I have only had some minor problems. Working for my previous firm I was in a Iveco Stralis for a while with a automatic gearbox. Maybe I just don’t know how to drive them properly but I did not like them at all. Well I did but I really did not like the slow speed control, especially in reverse. I know you can put it on extra slow by holding down the button but I found it difficult not to jerk especially on a slope or going up a curb. I put my foot on the accelerator and then I had time to get a book out and read a couple of chapters before it decided to do anything. This whole experience has put me off automatics.

I went back to the same guy I bought my truck from for another one (with a manual gear box) and he said one is coming in a few weeks. It has now come in the guy phoned me yesterday to say it is ready for me to come and view. He listed all the things on it and then I stopped him when he said ‘opticruise gear box’ and I voiced my concerns…

Now the salesman obviously gave all the spiel about how wonderful this gearbox is but I would love to hear from those of you that drive these day to day. The truck is 2008 and it is of the 3 pedal variety. Will the clutch give me as much control as a normal manual bearing in mind the type of work I do? What are the gear changes like? Would you buy one?

I am going for a test drive next week but that will probably be only half an hour or so and it may take longer than that to get properly used to it. Any thoughts and advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!..

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I’ve driven the opti pain and really cant see the point.
Fully auto or manual + there have been issues with the opti I believe.
as for low speed manoeuvrability etc an auto is just as good as a manual and I would think round London you’d be more relaxed In an auto with less pressure on that left leg :wink:

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Guy I drive for occasionally has all three in his fleet: fully manual, 3 pedal Opticruise and the 2 pedal and been put in all three of them, so I can give you my thoughts. :slight_smile:

Fully auto is good for sheer laziness and ease of use, twist the handle and away you go.

3 pedal auto gives you the control for stopping and starting, no different at all compared to the manual.

Manual for if you want a stronger left arm and leg.

Honestly, cannot tell the difference in control between a manual and a 3 pedal auto. Just you finish feeling slightly better off after driving a 3 pedal auto because of not having to change gear yourself and worry about what gear you are in!

As for the repairs, they (honestly) have all given equal amounts of problems over the years, probably just the way that they are driven. Drive them sensibly and not let idiots on board and you will be in for a winner. Drive it like its a go kart and it will give you hassle.

Daft response I know, sorry, but just my thoughts.

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I have a 2008 R series with the 3 pedal opticruise, it is a strange setup to get used to initially as you use the clutch pedal when you set off and then again as you come to a stop, the rest of the time it changes automatically, The gear changes seem slow compared to say the Volvo I shift but I’m a steady Eddie so doesn’t bother me, it will give you the slow speed control you require and the getaway on roundabouts and junctions is as a manual, also you have the added bonus of infinite control in slippy or snowy conditions which is why Scania had always retained the clutch pedal until recently.

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My Scania has got the 3 pedal opticrap set up, it was the only gearbox available in the used tractor unit spec I could find, it is painfully slow in auto mode, but it is as good as a manual for slow speed manoeuvring, I normally drive in MH mode, which has a fairly responsive gear change.

On a positive note, it has done nearly 900,000 clicks on the original clutch, and all its original gearbox synchro’s! :grimacing:

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Thanks guys for your helpful replies. Just what I was looking for. Test drive is booked for Monday so I will get to try it out for myself. :slight_smile:

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I had a 3 pedal jobbie for 4 or possibly 5 years, only breakdown happened fortunately when i was on holiday :sunglasses: , some control box melted on the box, must be a regular problem as the breakdown mechanic apparently had one with him.

At first i hated it, i was driving it in auto and frustrating doesn’t begin to describe.

Then one day after about three weeks the thing stalled on me when on a tight turn as it changed up (taking forever as usual) and it all came to a shuddering halt.
Spat me dummy out and from that moment drove it in manual override, never looked back.

My humble opinion is this, the Scani box responds better to manual input than any other, left in auto its crap as bad at junctions as the ZF thing, but in manual it comes into its own, and IMO better as a 3 pedal than a 2.
You have total manual clutch control at junctions and when manoeuvering, the two pedal is as crap as AS Chronic for tight reversing.
You should find extra low gears for really close manouevering once you suss out the box fully.

Once moving you forget the clutch until you come to rest again, for open road work select MH mode, gearchanges are faster in MH than M, and by using the flick switch on the right simply click it the number of changes you wish to make, it responds instantly and precisely, steep hill climbing especially needs manual input anyway so best to learn the ratios even if you don’t drive in manual continually.

Thing is by using manual i achieved better open road progress by already being in the appropriate gear, also slightly less brake use due to getting something more than a bit of noise out of the almost pointless exhaust brake, but most importantly by keeping the revs under control (coupled with maintaining progess and using terrain) got the best mpg in the depot…i was the only one using manual.

On your test drive you will probably drive it in auto, but i would check that the manual override is working correctly, you may not like the default start gear pre set, but you can change that by a sequence of button presses on the gear selector, have to consult the drivers manual though cos i’ve forgotten what the sequence is… :blush:

8

The 3 pedal is as good as a manual for slow manoevering as you have the clutch.

Full auto not specifically Scania 2 pedal as I haven’t used this is not as good as manual at slow manoevering so would be a bust for what you describe.

The 3 pedal Scania auto is fine but as has been said will require over riding at various stages.

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mattgump:
Thanks guys for your helpful replies. Just what I was looking for. Test drive is booked for Monday so I will get to try it out for myself. :slight_smile:

Takes a bit of getting used to, for me is no better or worse than a manual, works better loaded than empty for me, gets lost in itself from a standing start when empty if you change foot throttle position mid change :open_mouth:

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Driven 3 and 2 - pedal opticruise, cannot see the advantage with the 3 pedal - 'tis neither one thing nor the other

3 pedal is sold on the basis of better low speed control, manouverability, etc. I’ve never been in a situation where I’ve thought “if I had a clutch pedal, I would have gotten in there”…

Premier auto is of course the I-shift.

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“If I had a clutch pedal I’d of gotten in there” isn’t the point though it’s how easy it is to do with or without a clutch pedal.