october2021 - 11

Johnson, director of vehicle integration, Paccar
Technical Center. " This also reduces wear and tear
on the vehicle because shifting is done smoothly
and consistently. "
For better driver satisfaction and efficiency,
OEMs have added features such as hill start aid,
engine overspeed protection, and predictive shifting,
Saholsky explained.
Along with easing a driver's job, the rise of
AMTs allowed for a more perfect union between
the engine and transmission. " The need for the
engine and transmission to work better and smarter
together-powertrain integration-was also
key, " Saholsky continued. " This enabled improved
fuel economy and better safety features for drivers
and those around the truck. "
One such benefit was engine downspeeding, or
the speeding up of the rear gear ratio to lower the
engine speed. This alone could create a 3% reduction
in a truck's fuel cost, according to the North
American Council for Freight Efficiency.
With the overwhelming benefits, AMTs took over.
" Once truck manufacturers were able to show
how AMTs improved the truck and driving experience,
fleets just needed to do their payback analysis
in order to justify the increased price of the
truck, " Saholsky said.
Of course, AMTs continue to further develop.
" AMTs are mature products, so improvements
in performance and comfort are mainly handled
through software algorithms and electrical diagnostic
features, " Agebrand said. " When it comes
to developments on AMTs, there is still a demand
for faster shifts that cannot physically be done by
a driver. Today, we are almost at a speed where
AMTs actually perform 'close enough' to an automated
transmission level with power delivery that
there are very few applications left where an automated
transmission, from a technical perspective,
is needed. "
And the improvements are ramping up.
" We're really excited about the upcoming
Endurant XD series, " Saholsky said. " They are
purpose-built, high-performance 18-speed automated
transmissions that combine the efficiency,
light weight, and low total-cost-of-ownership
DNA of the Endurant platform and the reliability
and toughness of the 13- and 18- speed manual
transmissions that are popular in trucks of all
types and a wide variety of applications. They
have high-capacity bottom 8-bolt and rear PTO
openings standard. "
These design changes are set to further improve
fuel economy, performance, and extend service
intervals, adding to a better TCO, Saholsky added.
Best practices for service
Though AMTs offer numerous advantages for a
fleet's operation, those advantages are not fully
realized without attentive and adequate maintenance.
It starts with technician training.
" I
think the biggest
thing is making sure
they are educated on the product, " said Jason
Lucero, service director for the Western region
at TranSource, which maintains Mack, Volvo,
Hino, and Isuzu trucks. " I think there were some
people that were late to get into the game on the
training for [AMTs], because people didn't expect
» TranSource uses full truck lifts in their facilities
to assist in AMT services and inspection.
TranSource
The extended service intervals can, in part, be
attributed to the automated aspects of the system.
" As far as the maintenance side of it, we've
" As far as the
maintenance side
of it, we've actually
seen a huge decrease
in failure. "
Jason Lucero, TranSource
them to take off. Whereas the majority of our
trucks that we sell now have automated manual
transmissions. But the biggest thing, above and
beyond anything, is the understanding of the
product itself; and the training certainly is the
most important. "
Lucero explained that TranSource leverages OEM
web-based training for initial certifications for their
technicians, followed by instructor-led training for
component-specific certifications. TranSource also
has a certified technical trainer within the organization
that teaches courses on-site at their training
facility where technicians attend two- to three-day
classes featuring hands-on training.
" When it comes to best practices and servicing,
you should follow the truck OEM's maintenance
intervals and instructions, as well
as using the correct tools and original parts, "
Agebrand recommended.
The smooth operation of an AMT on the road
lends to their extended service intervals.
" The maintenance intervals are a lot more efficient
now with this equipment, " Lucero pointed
out. " For the Mack and Volvo side of things, there
are 500,000 miles between service intervals. Right
off the bat, you're at half a million miles before you
even service one of these, which is incredible when
it comes down to cost of ownership. "
actually seen a huge decrease in failure, " Lucero
said. " Now, that's a little bit convoluted, because
there were some bugs to work out in the first
couple years. " After that initial learning curve,
he said AMTs typically run longer before failure
than manuals.
" You're taking the human error out of it, " Lucero
continued. " These trucks have changed so much
with downspeeding technology. And the transmission
plays such an integral role in that. "
And downspeeding benefits overall fleet TCO by
allowing the engine to burn fuel more efficiently
at lower RPMs, Lucero explained.
Staying ahead of system issues through preventive
maintenance is always a best practice, and
AMTs are no exception, though vehicle software
lends its hand in accurately understanding the
system's health.
" Preventive maintenance is very similar [in
comparison to manual transmissions] in that you
need to inspect things like the clutch, " Agebrand
stated. " However, the way you do this is very
different between AMTs and manual transmissions.
On manual transmissions, you have to actually
de-couple the transmission from the engine
and visually inspect. For AMTs, the vehicle and
software do this and can alert the service technician
through the OEM service tool on the status
of the clutch. "
Should PMs be missed, or proper vehicle operation
is not upheld, expect clutch issues.
" One of the main issues fleets can expect from
not properly maintaining or operating the vehicle
is that the clutch will break through by wearing
down. " Agebrand continued, stating this is
intentional in the system's design. " Otherwise,
the actual gearing shafts and gears inside the
transmission will break. This is the same for both
AMTs and manuals. "
If the truck is in the bay, it is always useful to
conduct a visual inspection.
" We're looking for things like leaks, " Lucero said
of TranSource's inspection routine. " We're looking
at U-joints and drive lines for any kind of wear and
October 2021 | FleetMaintenance.com
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