Thread: Manual lover wins the auto/manual fight...(rant posting)

Originally Posted by Brian Hjelm

John, the big mining trucks, except the electric drives, are mostly Allison autos. and have been for more than thirty years.A few other brands are used but Allison generally has the business. Powershift are usually used in earthmovers in cyclic service ( forward/reverse cycles) like loaders, dozers, graders, rollers. Motor scrapers may have either but if being used properly, in hauls in excess of say 200 meters, should be better with an auto. (skid steer loaders & excavators for example). I hope the continuously variable belt drives have been improved since the days they were used in skid steer loaders in the sixties and seventies.

I must admit I am not familiar with mining trucks - more familiar with the the second lot you quote.
Interestingly in view of the "Plant that sits and works, or does not travel much in use are nowadays mostly hydrostatic drive", most modern harvesters seem to be hydrostatic drive - and these not only travel continuously while working but are driven on road often for long distances. This came up with a recent change to NSW rules requiring them to have brake lights - a significant problem since they do not use brakes as such, using the hydrostatic drive for braking.
John

Originally Posted by aquarangie

Nothing worse than being stuck in traffic with a manual.
Trav

You're right there mate.

Trust me it's much better to be stuck in traffic in an auto Rangie than in a manual Defender !!!

It's incredibly better to not be stuck in traffic at all, but instead to be cruising some bush track or Fraser Island beach !

Originally Posted by VladTepes

As to the manual vs auto debate - I know of a 130 fitted with an auto.

Edd's (George130) ?

Ron

Nup. But there is his too. The one I;m thinking of is in Brissie and is a TD5

Originally Posted by JDNSW

I must admit I am not familiar with mining trucks - more familiar with the the second lot you quote.
Interestingly in view of the "Plant that sits and works, or does not travel much in use are nowadays mostly hydrostatic drive", most modern harvesters seem to be hydrostatic drive - and these not only travel continuously while working but are driven on road often for long distances. This came up with a recent change to NSW rules requiring them to have brake lights - a significant problem since they do not use brakes as such, using the hydrostatic drive for braking.
John

Never had anything at all to do with harvesters but surprised to hear they travel them distances with hydrostatic drive. They must have super good oil cooling systems. The problems with continuous travel & hydrostatic drive were (1) keeping the stuff cool. This is a high friction drive system and heat is also generated by the forcing of the high pressure oil through the small orifices in the motors. (2) It is a relatively inefficient transmission and for travel purposes uses excessive fuel. (3) Being used for travel wears them out rapidly. The pumps and motors are expensive to rebuild. It is a very convenient, easy to use, has fine controllability, and is a highly maneuverable system. Hydrostatic transmission is what made skid steer loaders a howling success from the mid-70's on. IHC had a few farm tractors (1970's-80's) with hydraulic drive but not a success. A major application problem with torque convertor/powershift transmissions used on dozers was in land clearing, & stick raking, and ploughing where the machine operates continuously under load and overheats the transmission oil. In cyclic operation, the reverse part of the cycle is unladen and the oil temp. does not build up. Contractors in this type of work usually had direct drive (clutch) transmissions. Fiat-Allis had a magic combination of an automatic oil-filled multi-disc clutch and a powershift transmission which could be used without problems in continuous work. Pity Fiat don't make cars as good as their construction equipment.

Originally Posted by JDNSW

I must admit I am not familiar with mining trucks - more familiar with the the second lot you quote.
Interestingly in view of the "Plant that sits and works, or does not travel much in use are nowadays mostly hydrostatic drive", most modern harvesters seem to be hydrostatic drive - and these not only travel continuously while working but are driven on road often for long distances. This came up with a recent change to NSW rules requiring them to have brake lights - a significant problem since they do not use brakes as such, using the hydrostatic drive for braking.
John

In the end, brake lights were not required due to the existing requirement for escort vehicles, warning lights and their slow speed (max about 40kph).

The headers only move slowly whilst working but not due to pulling a heavy load, rather, limited by their ability to take in and seperate the grain. They also have several gear ratios (mine has 3 and a 2 speed motor as well), so the hydrostatic drive is only working over a small speed range.

Originally Posted by VladTepes

You're right there mate.

Trust me it's much better to be stuck in traffic in an auto Rangie than in a manual Defender !!!

ahh but manual Deefers dont get stuck in traffic, we just do the red neck hick thing, pick first low and drive over the mobile crumple zone in front as a bonus you get to see further up there so you can pick the best route

It would have been alright anyway Blknight, the tanks have got autos too...