Get Yourself in Gear – Automatically
Get Yourself in Gear – Automatically
The future is here – automated manual and automatic transmissions have captured a firm hold in the world of Class 8 trucks. With benefits such as improved fuel economy and easier recruiting of new drivers, it’s not hard to see why.
Automatic transmissions such as the Allison are similar to the automatic transmission in your family car. A torque convertor hydraulically transmits power from the engine to the clutches and gears within the transmission.
Automated manual transmissions come in two varieties – three pedal and two pedal systems. For example, the Eaton AutoShift incorporates a self-adjusting clutch which is used only for starting and stopping the truck. Once the truck is moving, the transmission operates similar to an automatic transmission.
From the driver’s standpoint, two-pedal automated manual transmissions operate much like an automatic transmission. There is no clutch pedal to depress. Instead, the clutch is controlled electronically or centrifugally.
Automated manual and automatic transmissions have unique service and diagnostic procedures due to their sophisticated design. Repair information for these transmissions can be found in TruckSeries, our repair information product for heavy-duty trucks.