Overdrive

July 2014

Overdrive Magazine | Trucking Business News & Owner Operator Info

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50 | Overdrive | July 2014 Drivetrain offerings • Go online to www.iowa80.com and request your FREE CATALOG of the finest selection in Chrome and Professional Trucking Accessories! • Or Call Toll Free – 866-4-IOWA80 (866-446-9280) • Shop online today! www.iowa80.com Like us on Facebook. Truck Accessories For The Professional Driver GET YOUR FREE CATALOG! OD 2014 IA80com OD 060514_Layout 1 6/5/14 11:31 AM Page 1 Untitled-5 1 6/9/14 1:23 PM Text INFO to 205-289-3555 or visit www.ovdinfo.com our component supplier partners." In addition to the Cummins-Eaton drivetrain, I also would be evaluating Allison's new TC10, a fully automat- ic transmission featuring a torque converter instead of an electronically actuated clutch. Gilligan said Allison designed the TC10 to compete with the new wave of AMTs. First up was the SmartAdvantage- equipped ProStar. Unfortunately, Chicago traffic gave me little oppor- tunity to reach and maintain typical long-haul cruise speeds. But it was clear, even in stop-and-go traffic, that the Cummins ISX15 and the Eaton AMT were deliv- ering smooth, precise shifts and were more than capable of getting a heavily loaded tractor-trailer up to speed in a timely manner. Drivers will enjoy the confidence of knowing the engine performs exactly the way it would with a manual transmission – and hitting perfect shifts every time, to boot. Likewise, my ProStar day- cab with the Allison TC10 and MaxxForce 13 power proved equally capable. I was expecting the Allison to shift smoother than an AMT since that is a prime benefit of a torque converter, and the Allison delivered on that front. But – and this is a credit to today's AMT design – I doubt most drivers would see a noticeable difference. The Allison certainly shined in heavy stop-and-go traffic. It delivered plenty of low-end torque in such a way that made me forget I'd driven the same route with a 15-liter under the hood just a little earlier. It will be interesting to see if Allison adopts an "integrat- ed drivetrain" version of the TC10. For now, it's clear that International is taking the new heavy-duty transmission push seriously. For videos of test drives by Equipment Editor Jack Roberts, see the Drive Tests playlist at youtube.com/ OverdriveMag. TestDrive_0714.indd 50 6/26/14 9:30 PM

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