The NEW GMC...

[Chuck Smith]

Was down at a local tavern for dinner. They had 10 TV's with football on. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw "Allison Transmission", it was a GMC commercial, advertising the new diesel. Guess they are available now, at least around here.

After that, it seemed every group of commercials had the GMC one in it. Time will tell just how good they are. I forget the new slogan (shame on me) but it had something to do with it being a "real work truck".

~Chuck

 

[GeoffD]

Time will tell just how good they are. Chuck thats the best advise anyone can give. I belive the allison is a winner for the truck, and your hearing this from a ford guy.

I have read so many rumors on unofficial ford websites about diesels and trans in the past few days it's not even funny.

I have heard the 6.0 and the R500 trans, is only for the F 150 and Expedition. Heard this combo is for the superduty line (2003), which I thought was correct.

Than I heard, for a website and an International Dealership, that for 2002 Ford will use an allison trans behind the powerstroke. It would be kinda foolish, for Ford to only offer this combo for one year.

I think a lot of this is from the arrival of GM's new truck.

BTW I was at an International dealership because I own an International truck.

Geoff

 

[Chuck Smith]

A long time ago, I heard about the Allison trans. I worked for my town, and a friend in public works used to drive a lot of the thrucks, which over the years, they accumulated a bunch. The first one they got with an Allison trans, was an Autocar garbage truck. I think early 80's. It had problems with the trans a lot. Then a few years later, they got a few International trucks, with the Allison trans. Everyone loved them. They had a hard time putting guys in other trucks, because they all wanted the Allison autos.

The Internationals they had with manual transmissions "sucked" (they said) compared to the Allison equipped ones.
So I think the Allison trans has proved itself.

On a side note, they had a single axle Mack. It was the smallest model Mack made, and no one wanted to drive it, because it couldn't get out of it's own way. Top speed was about 40 mph. The truck sat more than it was driven, and still does. It looks brand new, sitting in the garage. The original tires are actually dry rotting on it, and I think it's a 1985 model.

The fleet they have, now is mostly International trucks, and 90% of them have the Allison auto in them. They have roughly 60 trucks (single axle) in the fleet.

 

[plowking35]

As a side point, the allison tranny that is in the new GM,s is a brand new tranny. It was developed just for this line of trucks. Although based on previous designs, it has a slew of new tech in it. One new item is a scuzzy card built in, that "learns" the drivers habits, and can anticipate shifts based on those habits. It also had a grade braking feature that keeps the TC locked when decending a grade, to help aid in deceleration. ANd the tow/haul mode changes the shift points for optimum torque range shifting.
Dino