Driving Volvo’s I-Shift with Crawler Gears

A mixer chassis sometimes needs to creep over uneven surfaces or while pouring concrete sidewalks or curbs. Depending on axle gearing, I-Shift crawler gears allow speeds as low as 0.6 mph. 

Low-low gear ratios have been part of vocational truck equipment for many years, and now customers of Volvo Trucks' VHD can get them with the builder's own automated manual transmission. I-Shift with Crawler Gears is the name, and greater performance and productivity comprise the product's claim.

One or two extra ratios added to the builder's 12-speed I-Shift HD allows easy starting under heavy loads and on steep grades, said Wade Long, director of product marketing, during a recent demonstration at the North American headquarters of Volvo Construction Equipment in Shippensburg, Pa.

The low-low ratios also allow very slow movement for special jobs like concrete and asphalt paving for mixer and dump trucks. With the C-1 gear, a Volvo VHD with the 14-speed version of I-Shift crawled at 0.6 mph, compared to about 2 mph for a 12-speed gearbox in normal 1st gear, he said.

This is especially useful for curb pouring. A local contractor brought in a forming machine whose hopper was fed by a VHD-mounted mixer as the machine and vehicle crept along. Meanwhile, press reporters drove VHD dump trucks on an off-road course that included short but steep grades, where upgrade starts were easy when using C-1 or C-2.

A driver engages the crawler gears by thumbing a switch on the T-handle of an I-Shift's selector. With a 13-speed in the transmission's 1st gear, one click puts it into Crawler. With a 14-speed, the first click gets C-2 and another gets C-1, the lowest (highest numerical) ratio.

The ratio of the lowest gear in a regular 12-speed I-Shift with direct-drive top gear is 15:1. In a 13-speed with one crawler gear, the ratio is 19:1 in a direct-drive transmission or 17:1 in an overdrive model. In direct-drive or overdrive gearboxes with two crawler gears, the lowest ratio is 32:1. The ratio of the lowest reverse gear is 37:1 in a direct-drive I-Shift.

Extreme startability also allows use in tractors pulling extra-heavy combination vehicles, Long said. The transmission will be approved for gross combination weights of up to 220,000 pounds, with prior application approval by Volvo engineers.

With overdrive top gears, a Volvo truck “can go down the highway at 1,330 rpm at 70 mph” depending on axle ratio and tire and wheel size, said Magnus Koeck, vice president, marketing and brand management. This saves fuel, speeds trip times and boosts productivity.

The I-Shift with Crawler Gears goes into production in October and can be ordered now. As with standard I-Shifts, they can only be had with Volvo D-11 or D-13 diesels.

Heavy-duty versions of the I-Shift, whether in 14-, 13- or 12-speed configurations, feature hardened gears and other hardware. The transmission received additional updates to improve shift performance and durability, including improved split synchronizer components, an updated engaging sleeve and main box parts made from reinforced material.

Although I-Shift penetration in highway applications reached 83% in May, only about 25% of construction-truck customers chose automated transmissions, Koeck said. The crawler-gear options are expected to increase that percentage.

Related: [Video] Using Crawler Gears on Volvo's I-Shift Transmission

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Diesel Prices Increase For the First Time in Over 2 Months

Source: EIA

The price of diesel fuel increased for the first time in over 2 months after slowly falling from a high of 2.43 in mid-June, according to the latest numbers from the Energy Department.

The average price of on-highway diesel fuel increased by 6 cents last week, rising to $3.37 per gallon. With steadily rising prices, diesel fuel is still 19.1 cents cheaper than it was in the same week in 2015.

The largest increase in prices was in the Gulf Coast region with a 7-cent increase for the week. The New England region was the least affected by rising prices with a 2.3-cent increase last week.

Gasoline prices were also up for the week, increasing 4.4 cents to $2.183 per gallon. The price is still 44.4 cents cheaper than it was in the same week of 2015. The largest increase in prices by region was in the New England region at 6.2 cents while the smallest increase was in the Rocky Mountain region at 1.5 cents.

Global crude oil prices fell on Monday as a potential decrease in production by OPEC seems unlikely once again, according to a MarketWatch report. Demand for crude oil has been weak for the past year with economic problems in countries like China causing an oil supply glut.

When combined with an increase in oil production by the U.S. and OPEC, oil prices fell significantly over that period. The prospect of a production freeze had been bolstering the market in the past few weeks, causing prices to rise steadily. However it appears that a deal to reduce output is unlikely in the short term.

Related: It's Time to Look at Lower-Viscosity Oils for Fuel Savings

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Peterbilt Offers New Equipment and Safety Tech on Models 579 and 567

Photo: Peterbilt

Peterbilt Motors Company is making available the Bendix Wingman Fusion driver assistance system and a new integrated suspension and axle system from Softek NXT on its Model 579 and 567 trucks.

Bendix Wingman Fusion incorporates such safety solutions as lane departure warning, enhanced colission mitigation and in-lane object recognition to the Peterbilt over-the-road and vocational truck models.

The Wingman Fusion system gathers input from radar, video, multiple sensors and the braking system to create a detailed in-cab picture of the vehicle's environment. Using the data from these active systems, the vehicle is able to alert drivers to potentially dangerous situations and can even react autonomously in certain situations.

The system is currently available for order through Peterbilt dealers.

“Peterbilt is a safety leader and we're pleased to strengthen that position by offering the most effective, comprehensive safety system available, Bendix Wingman Fusion,” said Robert Woodall, Peterbilt assistant general manager of sales and marketing. “Peterbilt trucks come standard with numerous safety features, including front disc brakes and electronic stability control. Additionally, we provide our customers with a strong portfolio of optional safety content and the Wingman Fusion system is a powerful addition to those offerings.”

Softek's integrated monoleaf suspension and steer axle system is designed to save weight compared to traditional two-leaf spring and I-beam axle systems, to benefit fuel-conscious applications such as tankers and bulk haulers.

The Softek NXT system combines the Steertek NXT 12,500-pound rated axle and the monoleaf spring technology with an integrated knuckle design. The design simplifies the kingpin bushing serviceability which can improve uptime.

The 12.5K-rated Hendrickson Softek NXT integrated monoleaf suspension and steer axle system is available now for order through Peterbilt dealers. The 13.2K-rated axle will become available for order by the end of the year.

"Peterbilt is pleased to strengthen our weight-saving leadership by offering this exclusive, lightweight suspension and axle system,” said Woodall. “This is an exciting addition to our portfolio of lightweight options for the vocational and long-haul segments.”

Related: QuickSpin: Peterbilt 567 SFFA

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Hino Trucks Recognizes Data Inc. for On-Time Delivery

Dana Incorporated announced that it was recognized by Hino Motors Manufacturing, Inc. for 100% on-time delivery at the annual Hino supplier conference in July.

Dana currently supplies driveshafts, companion flanges, and yokes to Hino from facilities in North America and Asia. These components are used on a range of Hino medium-duty trucks, as well as Toyota Tundra pickup trucks.

"As a global manufacturer of commercial vehicles, Hino requires the highest levels of quality, service, and reliability from the companies that supply it," said Mark Wallace, president of Dana Commercial Vehicle Driveline Technologies. "This award shows evidence of the operational excellence that Dana continuously drives throughout each of our global facilities and our demonstrated role as a trusted supplier."

Related: Hino Trucks Produces 50,000th Vehicle

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