17 replies to this topic

[Fat Brian]

With all of the semi kits out now and their various engines and transmissions and uses I began to wonder what different combinations could be used for different purposes. Basically I want to make sure that I use parts that would make sense for the intended job. For example, on a long hual OTR truck with a straight six diesel engine should I use a ten speed transmission or a sixteen speed? For the same truck with a Detroit V engine is the same transmission appropriate or should it have more speeds or less speeds, the AMT K100 kit has an 8v92 and an Allison auto which only has five or six speeds I believe. Can the Allison transmission be used with a straight six engine or would you need an auxillary unit to split the gears to make it work. I just want to make something that would be realistic.

[highway]

I'm not really 100% sure Brian, but I don't see why you couldn't use the same transmissions for both the I6 or a V Detroit. As for the speeds in them, I have driven OTR trucks with as little as 9 forward speeds and and many as 13, and many of the "largecar" owner operator rigs go up to 18.

[CDA]

You can get pretty much any engine, I-6 V8, V12 with any engine. CAn even strap a 13spd fuller to a Mack engine. What ever you want, a 7spd, althe way to 18, It's what ever the company/ owner wants. Get really crazy, get an 18 spd, with a 4spd spicer. The posibilities are endless!!!! May need to work with the bolt pattern alittle, but anything is do-able!

[clayton]

And back in the 80'S we had a big cam 350 with a 5X4 I think it was.Can't remember that well.

[Fat Brian]

That is another thing I see a lot especially in regard to Macks is 5x4, what exactly does that mean?

[Longbox55]

5 speed main trans, 4 speed auxillary, 20 total forward gears.

[Longbox55]

[highway]

Thanks for the videos, Bill. I have never had the pleasure to drive a two stick and it also cleared up a mistake I never knew I was making. I did not realize that the auxillary added ranges to the main, I always thought that it was just adding four more speeds to the main's five.

[Fat Brian]

Do any of the Mack kits have this setup in them?

[highway]

I'm not really sure if the R model from AMT has an auxillary transmission or not. If it doesn't, I'm sure you would be able to use the transmissions out of the AMT Kenworth W925 kits. The other Mack kits I have never had any of them.

EDIT: By the way, I forgot about the Italeri Superliner, I know for sure it has the same modern transmission as all (except Peterbilt) the other Italeri trucks with the Cummins engines.

Edited by highway, 21 November 2012 - 07:14 PM.

[CDA]

The Quadruplex (5x4) was all in the same transmission. It was actually only 18 spd's. You couldn't use compund low, or direct in high gear. The newer transmissions replaced the dulex, riplex, and the fore mentioned quad wit the use of the high low switch, and the button to split the high side gears in the 13- 18 spds.
The R model from AMT is a 5spd Maxitourque. You could use the trans from the Ertl Mack DM-600, or DM-800, as I believe they are the Duplex (10 spd). The Other makers, ther used to be a few, had two separate transmissions like mentioned in the KW kits. 5x4, 4x3, an so on. Fuller and spicer are the only ones i am really familiar with.

[Fat Brian]

Even up to the T600A the AMT Kenworths have an auxillary transmission. With the Maixtorque transmission is there any way to split the gears or is it just five speeds? It seems like you would run out of gear with only five speeds.

[mistermodel]

Even up to the T600A the AMT Kenworths have an auxillary transmission. With the Maixtorque transmission is there any way to split the gears or is it just five speeds? It seems like you would run out of gear with only five speeds.

the t600 shouldnt have a 5x4,cant coment on a mack 5

[Fat Brian]

I wasn't saying it had a 5x4 just that it still has an auxillary transmission, it was a statement and an unrelated question.

[CDA]

The AMT T600 is the W925, frame, drive train, enterior, modified for the shape of the T600 molds. It has the 5x4, and 2 sticks. The Mack ias a Maxidyne/ Maxitourqe match up. The maxidyne was state of the art. You could get max hp, in any gear at around 1200rpm. They developed the Maxitorque, with only 5 speeds, because the engine was so efficient. (in a nutshell) NOW, my Dad drove an old DM that had a Maxitorque 5x2. Was for heavy duty work, Had low Direct, and reverse. If on the low side, you could get out and walk faster than the truck would go. Couldn't use it like a normal 10spd. Making any sense!?

[Fat Brian]

I was reading some threads at Big Mack Trucks that kind of cleared up their particular transmission setups.

[Aaronw]

Even up to the T600A the AMT Kenworths have an auxillary transmission. With the Maixtorque transmission is there any way to split the gears or is it just five speeds? It seems like you would run out of gear with only five speeds.

A 2 speed rear axle is another option for additional gearing. The ones I've seen have an up/down knob added to the shifter, similar to how some auxilliary transmissions work.

[Fat Brian]

I've seen on some youtube videos where the gear shift has a knurled twist knob at the top, I'm guessing that is for an air shifted setup.