UltraShift vs. Manual, the 18 speed review for 2019

Do you love rowing through 18 speeds of glory? Would you rather let the truck do the rowing so you can concentrate on the road while getting better fuel mileage? These are some of the biggest questions in the trucking industry right now. To shift, or not to shift....that is the question....and we answer it.

[darkhorsereign]

Seems like there would be less driver fatigue. I understand the macho thing but more energy and focus will allow a driver to focus on his surroundings and leaves more energy for when he climbs out of the truck and not be so exhausted. I enjoyed the manual in CDL-A training but I learned how to time and control the automatic transmission with my foot pressure, and timing on the diesel pedal and service brake while in tow/haul with full exhaust brakes. Works almost as well as a manual for control.

[earlharman]

I’d like to see the same comparison under a load.

[chrisross]

Love how they park those dumps almost as close together as 2 swift drivers in a flyingJ lot

[sal]

After 30 years of driving all kinds of stick transmissions, I’ve really learned to appreciate the luxury of the automatic transmissions.

[chrisbelcher]

It’s not always about power, it’s being comfortable behind the wheel for hrs on end. Every truck has its purpose, remember when there were no autos what so ever, hauling aggregate everyday, shift after shift..clutch in clutch out..! Time to enjoy the drive!

[theodoreisthebest]

myself, i find the shifting therapeutic. Its a calm for alot of us that you miss out on with an auto. Really it is more a matter of preference.

[Tyler-xees]

Shifting after a while is second nature, Eventually you dont even look or think about it it just becomes part of you

[mojorisin]

I've been driving 21 years CDL A and 10 of those years have been in automatics in The Cascadia and Peterbuilt and Kenworth models and they have not only performed without any real issue but have been surprisingly reliable. I do sometimes miss shifting at times but remember the chore it can be in tight spots on hills in traffic vs the automatic. Either one is fine for me so it's just a convenience to have the automatic. I think they have come a long way and if proven reliable a decent alternative to a standard transmission.

[saads]

I drive a 2018 T800 18 speed ultra shift. Ive driven manual 18 as well but to be honest the ultra shift has grown on me a lot. I can tell you that i discovered whenever you’re empty and come to a red light. You can put it in M and upshift to 5th or 6th gear and when you take off you have two options which are to continue using the manual mode and shift up or just before your RPM gets to 1800 you can put it in D and the gears will shift up by 2-4 gears depending on how levelled the road is. This has helped me take off faster than a lot of standard trucks.

[highjix]

To me, the most impressive thing about this video was how close you parked those trucks to each other. I know people who can't park a car between the lines in a parking space let alone what you did.
Also, am I the only one who was wondering what that red flashing light was in the speedometer? It took me a minute but I figured it out....

[petert]

As others have said, the test for these is NOT tooling around bobtail on flat ground.
The real test is 90% max load, on 10% grades up and down. That is where the true test is.

[dmb]

The issue is not acceleration with empty trucks, what matters is control of the truck when loaded. With a manual I know exactly what the truck is doing and going to do, which is extremely important in adverse road conditions.

Now personally I like autos for city work, but that’s it.

[northwestmotoadventures]

The real test is how many miles can each trans get under load and how much does it cost to replace or repair them.

[ScottyGMusic]

I think you did a fine job shifting the manual...not that you need my approval.

[darrellwright]

Been driving automatics for three years now! They are less fatigueing and operate great!

[tyvekhomewrap]

The proximity of those mirrors to each other is giving me anxiety.

[pierredelecto]

I'm going for my CDL this week and the fact that automatics exist makes me so happy lol. Respect to the guys that can bang gears.

[truckerbaty]

I like manuals better in the snow and ice

[t.s.racing]

Just my humble opinion on the matter, Automatic for the COMPANY, and Manual for OWNER OPERATOR. The company may have 5 - 500 rigs out there with a variety of drivers and skills, but a O.O. is responsible for his or her rig SOLELY including all the maintenance and repair costs. When those Autoshifts stop shifting you're HELPLESS without dealer support. Again just my humble opinion. Any reputable repair shop can fix/rebuild/maintain a 9-10-13-18, 5×4 etc. trans.

Secondly, especially in the on/off road market as I drove for decades, I feel that you will always have a better level of drivers and driver skills with the stick shift operators when running off road.

I'll probably get a lot of haters here but I feel that NOTHING can or will ever replace the feeling of a direct Mechanical connection between engine and drive wheels, especially off road.

The video and comparison is of dump trucks which are often used on and off road, hence my input on the subject.

[dhooter]

Been driving since I was 18 hauling grain. I've hauled everything part time to full time and back to part time. The autos are getting better. And in traffic you cant beat them. Especially Atlanta rush hour. But going up a grade like Mount Eagle on I24? Cant beat the 18 manual. So flat ground the auto has its place but in the mountains. The 18 manual rains supreme. Just my experience.