AutoShift Reliability

AutoShift Reliability

AutoShift Reliability

VADER
04 July 2010
04:34 PM
I'm still looking for my HDT and was all in on auto shifts but lately seeing more and more posts with people having issues with this trans even with relatively low mileage .  I'd be interested to hear from the many auto shift owners on the forum to see if this rash of problems is common and are the repairs expensive ?  It appears the problems are minor and inexpensive to fix ( if you know what your doing).  Generally, are the auto shifts reliable or should I be looking for a 10 speed?  I'm not a fan of shifting in traffic jams but I'm less of a fan of spending big money for
repairs right out of the box after purchase of the truck .  All comments are appreciated. Thanks for your help.
Vader
Wild Bill
04 July 2010
07:21 PM
I don't own an AutoShift, and would not want to - I have many friends in the trucking industry, where I owned a company.  The auto shift has been troublesome since it first saw light of day - when it works it is marginal, when it doesn't work it is expensive.  Many commercial drivers hate the auto shift, which is why so many of them are on the market with low mileage - I don't know one fleet manager that likes them.  I know there are many folk on this board that have them, and wouldn't own an HDT without one, and that is their decision - Hopefully they will never experience a catastrophic failure of the shifter, leaving them without transmission when moving - that has happened a few times.

I am an old school driver, having driven for many years - in the military I spent a lot of time behind the wheel, my family in Europe own many trucks, that I would drive, on leave, and I owned a trucking company in the US from '97 to '07 when I officially retired - unofficial retirement was in 98, but that is another story.

Jack Mayer
04 July 2010
08:07 PM
I've owned an AutoShift for 7+ years with never a problem.  As a daily driver I would have nothing else.  If you don't mind the aggravation of shifting driving around town and your wife also agrees then a manual is fine.  For my purposes I'll stick with an AutoShift.

Mine shifts far better than almost any driver.  I would say ANY driver, but nothing is absolute.  The only time I manually control the trans is on hills.  It shifts flawlessly every time.

Consider that you will only see problems posted here, no one is going to post that they have something that is working fine.

Can you get a bad one?  Of course.   And you can also have other problems with the truck.  Even the AC can go bad...are you going to buy a truck without it?  Simply to avoid a "potential" problem?  That is a personal decision, for me - if and when mine breaks I will simply fix it - like anything else on the truck.

Ray H
04 July 2010
08:35 PM
I had a problem when I first purchased the truck 2 1/2 years ago with 464,000 miles on the clock.  A new XY Shifter and TCM took care of the issue and it has been trouble free ever since. I'd do it again.
Ray
Hogrydr
04 July 2010
10:05 PM
A Eaton 10 speed Autoshift Is not something magic.  Its just a standard 10 speed that's computer shifted by a series of sensors tied together in concert with the engine brake and the computer.  They are some large trucking companies, OTR, that have complete fleets spec-ed with AutoShifts and others with two pedal autos, and not to mention all the vocational trucks that use AutoShifts and full automatics in everyday stop and go service with very little trouble.  Hey its mechanical !!!  And will break like everything mechanical in life.  But they are designed to be driven a million miles and have from the OEM a 750K mile warranty, somebody believes in them besides us !!!!!!!  And I have heard war stories from old school truckers that are nay Sayers, usually they have heard of trouble but no actual first hand experience with any auto shifts, and most of the ones that have had a problem here are related to corroded connectors, worn out shifter motors or tranny adjustment including clutch brake adjustment, just maintenance, that should be done as a matter of a Preventative nature....JMHO
Jim
L'iil Black Dog
04 July 2010
11:18 PM
Wildbill,
Faulting an AutoShift transmission is like saying, you would never drive any vehicle with an automatic transmission!  The AutoShift has been around longer than you owned your trucking biz, and was the forerunner of the fully automated transmissions that are out today!  They are an option that was offered, some folks like to shift some do not.  My buddy has a Dodge dually CC Cummins w/stick and loves it says it is easier to control the load.  When I had my CC that was the last thing I wanted was a manual transmission.  I love shifting my little Honda, my HDT how is that fun? (in city!)  So Wildbill to sum it up an AutoShift is just a computer controlled servo shifted manual transmission that has a firm market in the trucking industry, and I am sure you own or have driven some sort of vehicle with an automatic transmission.
Curt
Bob Speckman
05 July 2010
09:21 AM
I had 4 different AutoShifts when working as OTR driver.  One of them was ok, the others were nothing but problems.  I had one that was nearly uncontrollable when backing, it would sometimes leap 3-4 feet, a very scary event when backing in a truck stop.  No AutoShift for me in a personal truck, although I love the Allison in the motorhome.
Hdonlybob
08 July 2010
09:28 AM
I usually try to stay away from these AutoShift discussions, as I have only driven a few, and don't have any real personal knowledge,

But.... (Yah, here goes my opinion anyway) I think what a lot of folks are missing is the old old practice of "Maintenance, Maintenance, Maintenance."  While as stated, these are not complicated transmissions, just standards with several electronic sensors, the key word here is electronic.  And anything electronic is going to give you problems sooner or later without impeccable maintenance.  While my Volvo is not an auto shift, anything that even appears to be not working (electronic or otherwise) gets checked out/replaced immediately.  If there are (6?) sensors in these auto's, that means to me that there is a potential of six times the problems that can occur over a standard.  I retired as a maintenance manager (gee does it show) from a large Government Contactor that made among other things Hand Grenades for the Government, producing one complete unit every three seconds, 24/7, in a fully automated line, so I do know the strange things electronics can do.
Sorry about rambling on....not meant to recommend or not recommend autos, just really trying to make a point about these gentle giants we drive. Maintenance is everything, whether 250,000 miles or 1,250,000 miles.
Cheers,
Bob

Motor31
10 July 2010
07:14 PM
I have had an AutoShift for over 6 years.  No issues, not a single one and the toter has over 500k miles on it.  I wouldn't be without one.
Jack Mayer
10 July 2010
09:13 PM
I'm over 7 years on mine with out a single issue. Nothing.
rverdlm
11 July 2010
04:38 PM
I've had my auto shift for 6 years without a single problem.  In talking with several trucking co owners/managers that have gone to total auto shift fleets they say it's because they eliminate clutch problems (that were previously their most costly maintenance issue) and reduced the number of slow speed accidents caused by drivers loosing attention while trying to shift and turn corners at the same time.  I'll stick with my auto shift and if I was buying a replacement truck it would have a FreedomLine!
Margie & The Chef
12 July 2010
07:09 PM
We are currently in North Pole, AK.  Once we are moving, N O FireDog shifts flawlessly.  Problem is when I first start in the day, with everything cool, it all works fine.

After driving a few hours, and I shift out of gear, or say stop for a break, it takes a few minutes to shift out of "N" to any gear.

I have even tried to shift to the "H of L" position, but it takes time to go into gear.

Any ideas, or place where I can start solving this little problem.
Great Driving to all.

Rif
12 July 2010
07:29 PM
Sounds like your clutch brake needs adjusting.  Any truck service place ought to be able to do that for you.  Of course, it's possible it needs to be replace, but that's fairly easy and inexpensive too.
geodog
12 July 2010
08:03 PM
This sounds like a clutch adjustment problem to me.  I had the same problem with my AutoShift after a clutch replacement.  By the way, if any of you have Toters which came from the Northeast should check the transmission oil cooler for salt induced rusting.  I lost a transmission due to the oil cooler rusting out and spreading transmission oil on the road.
J.W. Morgan
13 July 2010
10:27 PM
My two cents worth, they work just like they are supposed too with proper maintenance and care.  They seem prone to  electrical/shifter/ sensor issues and all are easily repaired.  I would not have one myself, but I am not too old to shift gears either!  I can still do a better job at it, at
least to suit me anyway.

As far as the comparison between automatics in LDT's and HDT's, there is none, hydraulically actuated vs. electric/air over mechanical are not even close.

army
14 July 2010
12:09 PM
Looked long and hard for a FreedomLine, now just months after getting it and very little use of the truck yet I've already had the situation occurring where it wouldn't go into gear at times.  Now, touch wood, I think I have that cured but I still think a gen 1 with a clutch or a 10 speed would be a better choice for me.  It's tough to be dainty with this thing hooking up and also maneuvering in tight areas.  May have it for sale before too long. That's my 2 cents.........
Darryl&Rita
14 July 2010
12:40 PM
Do tell Army.  Details, details.
Ray H
14 July 2010
10:36 PM
Army
That was the exact reason I went with a Gen II Autoshift instead of a FreedomLine.  More positive control at low critical speeds.  If you don't do a lot of town/traffic driving, there is not much clutch action with the Autoshift.  After all, isn't that the excuse we use to carry a Smart Car?
Ray
Louh
15 July 2010
10:55 AM
My vote is for manual trans.

I've driven a few trucks with AutoShifts that had hiccups.  One even stranded me with less than 2000 miles on it.  It turned out just to be a connection that wasn't plugged all the way in and was fixed on the side of the road, but either way, a manual wouldn't have had that problem.

I've never had a manual trans leave me anywhere or not get me home. The closest I had was a truck that the range selector knob/switch on the front of the shifter broke off in my hand.  No biggie, you could still shift it but it was just a little harder to flip the switch.

I agree that the AutoShift can work really good and for a long time.  There is more room for failure without a doubt.  I enjoy shifting and really don't even notice it when driving.  It doesn't take long before you don't even think about.  Your arm just moves when it needs to.  I always figure that the less things to go wrong the better.  I figure the gains and extra potential for failure along with maintenance aren't worth it to me when it's so easy to drive the manual anyway.

Not that it's not a good trans., it's just not for me.