Larkbill question for you Buddy.

[winchester1886]

What is a DT12 transmission, never heard of that one before, most big American type trucks out here. run 18 speed Road Rangers, enlighten please good Buddy, feel like I am in the dark.

[plowboy 45]

Its a 12 speed automatic
They are very aggravating if the computer is not set right
You can shift manual thru 8th easy, but then you go to drive and back to manual to get 10th same thing to 11th again to 12th, if its not set up right it won't down shift until 1250 rpm, it's all in the computer set up
I HATE THEM

[plowboy 45]

The one I took a trip or two in would skip to many cogs if you over rev
Nothin like goin from 4th to 7th to 10th then 12th, just like dead in the water

[Larkbill]

What plowboy said.

Actually an autoshift, it's a 12 speed manual that has a clutch but no pedal. The computer controls everything.

Our fleet manager was sold on it for fuel mileage, I'm sure Penske encouraged it for resale purposes since they're leased trucks. They already forced us out of our mid-roofs for just that reason. Luckily we got some of the payload back with the DT12. It weighs less than the old 10 sp. that most fleets run.

After 36K miles I'm getting fairly comfortable with it. It does more gear skipping in econ mode, I bump the switch to perf after it shifts into 6th, and run on the highway in manual to better control speeds on downhills. What's one of the first rules of driving a truck? Don't coast out of gear, well this lash up does exactly that in econ until you touch the brake or foot feed, or it exceeds the set mileage by 5 mph. No thanks. Engine brake is controlled by the lever (rh side) that has the shift controls on it, 3 levels as usual, but in econ it immediately starts downshifting too. Very annoying. In manual it's more like normal engine brake, plus you can use it while on cruise and when you come off it it goes back to cruise.

I'd rather have my 10 sp back, but that wasn't one of the options I was offered. Adapt and overcome.

[winchester1886]

Thanks for the info boys, they sound like fun, like most of this new age junk we get today. Autoshifts were popular out here a few years ago, but don't seem to hear as much of them of late.
I know KENWORTH out here didn't recommend them, if you were going out side the big smoke, to unreliable and no fun being stuck in the middle of no where.

[Larkbill]

If I was buying it myself there is no way I would put up with this. But, it's a great and great paying job so if they don't mind sending the wrecker for me when (not if) this critter pulls up lame then I'll keep drawing my salary and perdiem as long as they'll keep me in the family.

[plowboy 45]

When I looked at this, I was wondering, what is a larkbill question, well now I feel kinda dumb seeing there's one of us called larkbill, sorry I answered out of line

PLOWBOY

[Larkbill]

If I haven't learned anything else here it's that all are welcome at the fire.