Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/614640
22 www.FlatbedTruckingJobs.com January 2016 choices in how they spec trucks. "Today's line haul and regional haul fl eets are spec'ing down speed powertrains to maximize fuel effi ciency," he notes. "And only the SmartAdvantage Powertrain offers industry-leading downspeeding in both small-step overdrive and now direct drive transmission ratios, allowing fl eets to choose the best ratio for their application, cruise speed and terrain." Enhanced low-speed control Eaton also announced new electronic control systems for all UltraShift Plus- based AMTs (including SmartAdvantage versions) designed to give drivers more precise vehicle control at low speeds. Tyzbiniski explains that most AMTs on the market today, regardless of brand, are too aggressive at low speeds. Drivers often have a hard time metering throttle inputs and can fi nd it hard to maintain a consistent speed, manageable speed when backing to connect with a fi fth wheel in tractor-trailer confi gurations, or in vocational applications running concrete mixers or dump trucks spreading asphalt. The Blended Pedal system uses a new way of controlling the transmission to counter this problem. Traditionally, when a driver steps on an accelerator pedal, they are boosting the air-fuel mixture into the combustion chamber to increase horsepower. But on new UltraShift Plus AMTs, up to 50 percent of initial throttle input now controls transmission clutch actuation. This gives drivers the ability to fi ne-tune low speeds and easily maintain them to meet specifi c tasks. The system is highly intuitive and works well. I was able to test it out on both SmartAdvantage-equipped trucks, where it was confi gured in reverse gears only, as well as on the VCS, VMS and MXP vocational Ultrashift Plus transmissions. In all instances, I was able to easily, and precisely, control the truck's speed. And the system is so fi nely tuned that even minuscule throttle inputs immediately yielded tightly-controlled RPM and speed adjustments. In low forward gears, all Eaton Ultra- Shift Plus AMTs featured a new "Urge to Move" function. This function integrates with the preexisting "Hill Hold" feature: The transmission holds the truck in place as RPMs and torque increases and then slowly starts the vehicle moving forward at creeping pace. The combined systems are impressive: The UltraShift Plus ef- fortlessly held dump trucks loaded with 65,000 pounds at a dead stop on 8- and 15-percent grades during my evaluation drives and then easily started the truck moving uphill without any throttle input. The system is so robust that the MXP heavy-duty version of the transmission was able to hold and start a Western Star severe-duty tractor loaded to 125,000 pounds on the same 15-percent grade. The system works just as well on down- grades, although gravity, payload and iner- tia will eventually cause the transmission to kick out of Urge to Move mode and require getting on the brake pedal. All of these enhancements confi rm Cummins and Eaton's "continuous im- provement" strategy for SmartAdvantage drivetrains and UltraShift Plus AMTs. All new features and functions will be avail- able in early 2016, although fi rm produc- tion dates have yet to be set. TRUCKING TOOLS