Need information concering, 3 pedal 18 speed Auto Shift

[mr. cob]

4 hours ago, Sculptor said:

Skip the frilly moto mirrors, you will have to start all over with your chrome skulls and bullets theme.  A budget for about 20 pounds of chrome per month ought to bring the interior up to snuff in reasonable time for the rally.     😎😉

Howdy Kevin,

Well, "IF" I end up with this thing even thou I live in the Great Nor-Wet, to drive it I may have to invest in a good pair of sunglasses.

Dave

[mr. cob]

1 hour ago, Scrap said:

If you don't mind autos, buy it, try it, and if it screws up you can always put a manual in it fairly easy.

Howdy Scrap,

I have the 10 speed auto shift in my Freightliner, its the first transmission of it type I had ever driven.  At first I didn't like it as I didn't feel in control of the truck however after driving it and learning how to trick the darn thing into doing what I want it to do as long as its within the programing parameters I have to admit I now like it.

I have heard that one can take the XY motor shift system off, take the auto shift wiring cable off and install a regular gear shifter and its associated wiring and turn the transmission back into a standard transmission as the clutch assembly is already in place.  Is this true, do you have an estimated cost, do you know of a shop that could do such a job if it were needed?

Again, thanks for any information you can share.

Dave

[Off2YNP]

12 hours ago, mr. cob said:

I was going to say skip it if it doesn't have a WDW ----- Weiner Dog Window ----- but it looks like it does. BUY IT!!!

Add a few more gauges. There aren't enough!

Oh, and I like buttons and switches, you need a few more of those too...

[mr. cob]

4 minutes ago, Off2YNP said:

I was going to say skip it if it doesn't have a WDW ----- Weiner Dog Window ----- but it looks like it does. BUY IT!!!

Add a few more gauges. There aren't enough!

Oh, and I like buttons and switches, you need a few more of those too...

Howdy Alisha,

I do hope I sqeled your name correctly.  YES, it has a WDW, if not Newt would tear my leg off, mean little bugger that he is. 

I'll admit this particular truck seems to be lacking in instrumentation, buttons and switches,  however if I end up bringing this thing home it's a cross I'll have to bear as best I can.

Dave

[rickeieio]

Thar dash would look right at home in a Beechcraft..............

[Off2YNP]

35 minutes ago, mr. cob said:

Howdy Alisha,

I do hope I sqeled your name correctly.  YES, it has a WDW, if not Newt would tear my leg off, mean little bugger that he is. 

I'll admit this particular truck seems to be lacking in instrumentation, buttons and switches,  however if I end up bringing this thing home it's a cross I'll have to bear as best I can.

Dave

Just come back to our shop and we'll get you set up with some more gadgets. HUGS to you and Newt! 

Alicia

[mr. cob]

33 minutes ago, rickeieio said:

Thar dash would look right at home in a Beechcraft..............

Howdy rickeieio,

There probably is an altimeter there, somewhere, if not one could be squeezed in.

Dave

[mr. cob]

6 minutes ago, Off2YNP said:

Just come back to our shop and we'll get you set up with some more gadgets. HUGS to you and Newt! 

Alicia

Howdy Alicia,

Newt, and I sure have enjoyed you and Rick's, hospitality the last couple of years we look forward to doing it again.  Be sure to let Rick know I'll bring my chain saw along in case you need any more of those fence posts y'all call trees need felling.

Dave and Newt

[Av8r3400]

How about some pics of the rest of it?

[Buscrusher]

3 hours ago, mr. cob said:

Howdy Scrap,

I have the 10 speed auto shift in my Freightliner, its the first transmission of it type I had ever driven.  At first I didn't like it as I didn't feel in control of the truck however after driving it and learning how to trick the darn thing into doing what I want it to do as long as its within the programing parameters I have to admit I now like it.

I have heard that one can take the XY motor shift system off, take the auto shift wiring cable off and install a regular gear shifter and its associated wiring and turn the transmission back into a standard transmission as the clutch assembly is already in place.  Is this true, do you have an estimated cost, do you know of a shop that could do such a job if it were needed?

Again, thanks for any information you can share.

Dave

I ran across this thread in another forum:   http://www.thedieselgarage.com/forums/64-medium-heavy-duty/105804-autoshift-clutch-back-manual.html#/topics/105804

The short version is, this discussion points to the tranny cases being different, so you may not be able to just pop the tower off and put in the manual stick. I think I read somewhere that the clearances in the gear pack are different also...

[mr. cob]

8 minutes ago, Av8r3400 said:

How about some pics of the rest of it?

Howdy Av8r3400,

Please understand I have been looking for such a truck for over a year so I really don't want to give to much information on it at this time.  "IF" this deal goes down, I'll post photos, if it doesn't I'll post up where it is as others may be looking for such a truck. 

If everything I have heard from the previous owner is true and it looks as good in real life as it does in the photos I don't want to take the chance of losing it to another buyer before I have a chance to see it for myself.

Dave

[Scrap]

I was thinking more along the lines of stuffing in a reman.  But I suppose a guy could go that way, but I've never done it.  I roughed out a part list you can price from.  You also have to blind tap the four holes in the case so the slave valve can hold itself on.  Luckily they already give you a hole for the neutral pin to go through.  It is this flat spot where the Autoshifters don't have the slave valve:

Bring it down and we'll make a science project out of it.  It'll either work great or be totally destroyed!

[mr. cob]

4 minutes ago, Scrap said:

I was thinking more along the lines of stuffing in a reman.  But I suppose a guy could go that way, but I've never done it.  I roughed out a part list you can price from.  You also have to blind tap the four holes in the case so the slave valve can hold itself on.  Luckily they already give you a hole for the neutral pin to go through.  It is this flat spot where the Autoshifters don't have the slave valve:

Bring it down and we'll make a science project out of it.  It'll either work great or be totally destroyed!

Howdy Scrap,

"IF" I get this truck I'll just use it as if and until it breaks, at that point I'll have to consider what would be most cost effective way to repair it.  Thanks for doing the leg work on parts needed.

Dave

[peety3]

On 11/27/2017 at 9:07 PM, porky69 said:

The 18speed version is pretty much identical to the 13speed version, just more gears.

The "detail-oriented" feature in me wants to point out that they're the same gears. It's a five-speed transmission (L/1/2/3/4) with a two-speed range set and a two-speed splitter set. 5x2x2=20 possible gears, however L is either not possible or not recommended in high range (so 5x2 + 4x2 = 18), and on the 13-speed the splitter is disabled in low range (5 +4x2 = 13). For comparison, the iShift is a three-speed with two-speed range and two-speed splitter, all gears always enabled (3x2x2 = 12).

[Scrap]

4th over makes it all worth it.  Never really kept track but its gotta be one of my most used gears.  

[Rick & Alana]

Mr. Cobb I have a 18 speed auto shift with a 600hp Cummins in my Volvo. It is a gen 1 with the tall stick, which does get in the way moving between the drivers seat and cab  

My trailer is 18,500 lbs.  I start off 4th gear and let it run. We have been to Alaska and back with no problems in the mountains. 

[mr. cob]

2 minutes ago, Rick & Alana said:

Mr. Cobb I have a 18 speed auto shift with a 600hp Cummins in my Volvo. It is a gen 1 with the tall stick, which does get in the way moving between the drivers seat and cab  

My trailer is 18,500 lbs.  I start off 4th gear and let it run. We have been to Alaska and back with no problems in the mountains. 

Howdy Rick,

Thanks for your post.  With the 10 speed auto shift in my Freightliner, if I hit a grade fast enough and don't have to slow down for slower traffic of to sharp of a curve I can easily top the grade in high gear.  However if I have to slow down and end up in 9th gear so there is so much of a spread between 9th and 10th I rarely can get back into 10th whilst climbing the grade.  If "I" or the transmission can split top gear it would make me a very happy camper.

Dave

[Rick & Alana]

47 minutes ago, mr. cob said:

Howdy Rick,

Thanks for your post.  With the 10 speed auto shift in my Freightliner, if I hit a grade fast enough and don't have to slow down for slower traffic of to sharp of a curve I can easily top the grade in high gear.  However if I have to slow down and end up in 9th gear so there is so much of a spread between 9th and 10th I rarely can get back into 10th whilst climbing the grade.  If "I" or the transmission can split top gear it would make me a very happy camper.

Dave

You shouldnt have that problem with the 18.  if I get trapped behind slow traffic, going up a hill when I can get in the passing lane and hammer down it will downshift and up the hill we go. 

I've actually had a few truckers in the CB ask what rocket I have under the hood. 

[mr. cob]

19 minutes ago, Rick & Alana said:

You shouldnt have that problem with the 18.  if I get trapped behind slow traffic, going up a hill when I can get in the passing lane and hammer down it will downshift and up the hill we go. 

I've actually had a few truckers in the CB ask what rocket I have under the hood. 

Howdy Rick,

That is good new and what I expected to hear about being able to split gears.  I know back in the day when I drove 13-18 speed manuals that being able to split gears kept the engine in the sweet spot while losing very little speed and allowed acceleration when needed.  My friend is looking at the truck this coming Saturday I am hoping he gives me a good report, if so then its up to me to get off my butt and see if I can make a deal on it.

Dave

[CDR]

On 11/28/2017 at 8:25 PM, Scrap said:

It is going to be a gen 1 Autoshift in that truck.  They didn't get gen 2 until all of the datalink wiring got incorporated in the new (fall) 2002 harnesses.  The aero trucks got that stuff before 2002 but that is because they were actually bought with Autoshifts.  Any self respecting long hooder would never bring home an automatic to mama so they were few and far between back then and were the very last to get 1939 in them.  So it probably has the Autoshift part wired over and above, which isn't a big deal but it probably has two diagnostic plugs and you'll be searching for hidden relays forever.  That makes it even tougher to fix being a gen 1 that ServiceRanger can't talk to anymore. 

It also means that it'll have the monster sheet metal tower between the seats.  Ordinarily that's not too big a deal but you only have a foot between the seats as it is and a few feet of Unibilt sleeper opening so it might get kind of annoying.  It'll be placed right where you and the Mrs have to do the sleeper dance when moving around.  Don't accidentally hit that shifter and break it because you can't get them anymore!  Does the truck have the large Peterbilt side exit door?  That will alleviate some of the loading frustration if it does.  They are pretty nice.  And start saving up for some Moto Mirrors.......you'll miss not having them!  They were suprisingly rare back in the day.

I got truck parking down here in Maple Valley if needed for a bit.  Well, not for Freightliners though....

Ouch! 😦

[NoDirectionHome]

With my 18 spd manual, I was a little intimidated starting out.  With these big  engines, I start in 4th, jump to 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th then 9th split for the second overdrive.  So I'm driving it like a 6 spd. with a simple flick and lift for a hill.  Love it!