remoandiris Posted September 13, 2015 Report Share Posted September 13, 2015 Did some searching for trans comparisons. Not much out there. For you experienced RV haulers, is there much of a difference between the 2 transmissions? Ease of use, reliability, cost of repair, etc. Read that the Ultra runs thru all the gears going and slowing, and some pro drivers don't care for that. Saw one pic of an Ultra touchpad adjacent to the drivers seat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlennWest Posted September 13, 2015 Report Share Posted September 13, 2015 UltraShift is a manual with the computer controlling the clutch. Have read it is a centrifugal clutch??? Understand there are 2 versions also.IShift is a true auto. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darryl&Rita Posted September 13, 2015 Report Share Posted September 13, 2015 UltraShift is a manual with the computer controlling the clutch. Have read it is a centrifugal clutch??? Understand there are 2 versions also.IShift is a true auto. iShift is still an automated manual box, just with newer software and hardware. Volvo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlennWest Posted September 13, 2015 Report Share Posted September 13, 2015 ok. Thought that was what I had read on here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoDirectionHome Posted September 13, 2015 Report Share Posted September 13, 2015 Ultrashift has not had a centrifugal clutch for a very long time. (not sure what year the change was) Both I-shift and Ultrashift are automated manual transmissions. They both have identical features. I-shift is .78 overdrive, Ultrashift is .73 overdrive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlennWest Posted September 13, 2015 Report Share Posted September 13, 2015 I would love to know the year they used the centrifugal clutch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoDirectionHome Posted September 13, 2015 Report Share Posted September 13, 2015 Ok, found it. 2009 double disk was implemented Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlennWest Posted September 13, 2015 Report Share Posted September 13, 2015 For rvers that a fairly new truck. so what most of us will buy it will be centrifugal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Star Dreamer Posted September 13, 2015 Report Share Posted September 13, 2015 Ultra shift, I shift, and Freedomline are all automated manual transmissions by different manufacturers. They are typically called 2 pedal transmissions as you only have a brake and throttle pedal, no clutch pedal. The Ultra comes in either a 10 speed or 18 speed version. I believe both the I shift and Freedomline are 12 speeds. We have a 10 speed ultrashift in our 2005 Freightliner. We typically use 2nd gear start with the trailer and 3rd gear bobtailing. You can only get an Ishift in a Volvo and only with a Volvo engine. Freedomlines are no longer used in the states on new trucks. I forget which year they stopped using them. The early Ultras can be set to start in either 1st, 2nd, or 3rd and do not skip gears based on load. Ishifts can be set to start in as high a gear as 5th and will skip gears. Newer versions of both have things like hill start assist and load sensing. I also think that in new ones you can get the road gradient sensing. So the biggest difference is I shifts are only in Volvos and the early ultras do not skip gears so it takes a little longer to get to 7th where the real power comes in for a longer period before shifting. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuiteSuccess Posted September 13, 2015 Report Share Posted September 13, 2015 Hmm! When I had my 2006 Ultrashift hooked to the computer at the dealer, they said my start gear could only be raised from 1st to 2nd which is what I did. Are you using manual to start in 3rd bob tailing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dollytrolley Posted September 13, 2015 Report Share Posted September 13, 2015 Those darn "Tranny-computers" are so fickle.........some days my Eaton-Road-Rager computer goes "brain-dead" often after 200 miles of no traffic desert driving so....... I will pull up to a small town traffic red lite drift down to 2nd gear WITHOUT flipping the range lever down (6th gear)and.........then the light turns green and............no those 6th gear starts are...........non-starts...........another computer failure........Reboot (left foot down) and then flip the range lever DOWN and then creep across the intersection with a red-faced-computer.......... Be careful what you wish for in tranny- computer programming...............too many options........are.......too many options...... Drive on............(Duh.....what gear am in) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Star Dreamer Posted September 13, 2015 Report Share Posted September 13, 2015 When we first start up the truck and put it in drive, the default gear is 2nd. We the hit the Paddle shifter to shift in 3rd while we are stopped and it will remember that starting gear until we turn off the truck or manually select a lower gear when stopped. Freightliners have a paddle shifter on the column, Volvo's I believe use a seat mounted shifter so not sure how you select it then. We did the same thing once when we had to go down to 1st gear to pull us out of a deep hole at a truck stop. (Hole was filled with water and we could not see how deep it was and trailer went down to the skid bars in the middle, to the frame rollers at the rear and actually raised the air hitch up to its upper limit stops). Had to remember to shift back to 2nd gear starting once we were out of the hole. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrSeas Posted September 13, 2015 Report Share Posted September 13, 2015 I have a 2005 Volvo with an Ultrashift and I did reprogram it to start out in 5th gear. It can be done with the right software. The default is still 2nd gear until I select otherwise and as mentioned it will "remember" the new starting gear until a new key start. My ISX doesn't like starting in 5th even bob tailing so I usually use 4th to start out. I also reprogrammed the "weight sensing" function to use 1500 rpm instead of the 1800 rpm setting. So far it has worked out nicely. As stated the earlier Ultrashifts could not skip shift and mine cannot be reprogrammed without a firmware update. From what I gather my truck being a fleet truck was spec'd with the "basic" programming for company drivers so no bells and whistles! Don't know if this reprogramming can be done on other trucks but I also was told "it couldn't be done" but I found out otherwise! As always your mileage may vary..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whatsnext Posted September 13, 2015 Report Share Posted September 13, 2015 Our ishift will start in 5th gear when bobtailing. It senses the load and will start in the appropriate gear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgiaHybrid Posted September 14, 2015 Report Share Posted September 14, 2015 Don't forget Freightliner and Western Star with a DT12 automated manual behind a DD13 or DD15 Detroit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sclord2002 Posted September 14, 2015 Report Share Posted September 14, 2015 My ultrashift in a 2006 Volvo will start in 2nd unless I press LOW. It will not skip shift up or down but on down shifting w/o throttle applied it will stop downshifting at 5th and freewheel. ....with slight throttle applied, it will downshift all the way to 2nd unless I press low and it will downshift to 1st. I really dislike the high gear ratios in reverse. I would like for R1 to be twice as low as it is. In 2 years, I have never used R2 except to see if it was functional. You could drive backwards at freeway speeds in R2. Downshifts under power are silky smooth...upshifts, not so much. It seems to shift smoother under full power than when being easy on the throttle. Don't know if this is common or not. Be safe, Charlie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jemstone Posted September 23, 2015 Report Share Posted September 23, 2015 I have a 2010 Volvo 730 with I shift. Volvo has set the shift change RPMs fairly low and I'm told the computer can't be changed by my local Volvo shop. While I'd like to reach higher RPMs before up shifting, the truck I had till last March was a Freightliner with an Eaton automated transmission. The clutch had no assist and, during hitching maneuvers, could turn my left leg to jelly. I love I shift. What I can't figure out is how the manual setting on the I shift works (at least I think that's what the M means on the gear selection box). I must be missing the manual that describes the feature. I'm hesitant to experiment as most of my visits to Volvo shops have been painful in a money kind of way. I sure don't want to listen to a service advisor say "it's too bad you did that as it caused the transmission to eat itself." I'd appreciate any advice on where to look for the info. Thanks, John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrSeas Posted September 23, 2015 Report Share Posted September 23, 2015 I found this.... It may help. http://www.westsidemotorcoach.com/PDF%20Files/Volvo%20I-Shift%20Manual.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jemstone Posted September 23, 2015 Report Share Posted September 23, 2015 Many thanks MrSeas. That answered my question about the "M" on the I shift. For anyone curious, M will start the truck in first gear and if selected when underway will hold the vehicle in the gear it's using. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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