Test Drive: Allison’s TC10 Automatic Transmission
A Demonstration of The Allison TC10 Automatic Transmission
Here we will review the Allison TC10 automatic transmission. At Allison's factory in Indiana, a ground-breaking product that has undergone extensive research and development is being made. During the time it took to perfect, rivals were able to introduce fresh or enhanced automatic transmissions, but the TC10 stands out as a true multi-speed heavy-duty automatic.
As of now, the TC10 is exclusively available from Navistar as a manufacturer. For short- and regional-haul tractors that run on highways but frequently change gears, as well as some vocational tractors that don't travel off road, the International ProStar has a TC10 gearbox. Its reported 5% fuel efficiency improvement over manual and even certain automated gears would be helpful for long-haul tractors.
The product has a torque converter and a twin-countershaft gearbox, as indicated by the "TC" suffix. In comparison to fully automatic Allisons and other lighter-duty vehicle goods, the combination provides very smooth start-ups and quick shifting carried out under continual power flow, or "power shifting." According to Allison officials, power flow alternates between the counter- and main shafts depending on the gear that the TC10 is in. Wet clutches are used in place of dry clutches in the TC10, five in the main 5-speed gearbox and two in the 2-speed range box. It lacks a dry clutch that makes contact with the flywheel. Also included in the range box is u10-49.
Because of this, there is significantly less "slush," and the transmission seems more automated. Automated manual equipment from rivals can't quite match this product's inherent smoothness, despite technical advancements. They are never able to match the Allison's consistent power flow since every gear change results in a delay in engine output. Allison claims that pauses need an engine to work a little more each time to regain momentum, which burns more gasoline.
Actual customer operations will decide if this difference translates into better tank mileage even though it causes quick acceleration. When power, weight, and other factors are equal, TC10-equipped trucks will outperform automated manual trucks and will be significantly faster than trucks with manual gearboxes.
In a fair evaluation, drivers can unquestionably detect the TC10's improved acceleration and smoothness. Drivers observed that the three rigs' gross combined weights, which ranged from mid to high 70,000 pounds, were equivalent when the Eaton products—one a 16-speed UltraShift and the other Advantage automated 10-speed—were compared with another tractor fitted with a TC10. Although the Eaton automatically changed gears easily, the Allison was smoother. Particularly in the higher levels, there are quiet, occasionally imperceptible gear transitions.
The keypad of the Allison contains a display that shows the driver the status of the transmission. 10/1, for instance, shows that there are 10 gears available and that the car is ready to shift into first, whereas 10/9, on the other hand, indicates that the vehicle is currently in ninth-direct and that an upshift to tenth-overdrive is about to occur.
The "shift-it-yourself" driver will enjoy the satisfaction of making those shifts on their own and will enjoy the thrill of feeling the power flow through each gear if they do it correctly each time. However, very few drivers can, especially once they become exhausted and begin skipping gears, revving the engine too much, and wasting fuel. Although automatic gearboxes are becoming more common in heavy vehicles, most still transfer power mechanically.
A Closer Investigation
A few weeks previously, we traveled farther into the countryside in a ProStar equipped with a TC10. The chance to test an engine's power and a self-shifting transmission's ability to select the optimal gear for the situation while driving throughout {{location.state}} was fantastic.
Thanks to load and incline sensors on the chassis, its Generation 5 electronic controls, and accurate matching to those of a 12.4-liter, 475-horsepower Navistar MaxxForce 13, the TC10 simply seemed to know what to do and did it well. I played about with the up- and down-arrow buttons on the selection to make up- and downshifts, but otherwise I didn't get in the way.
The pull wasn't very powerful because the little Vanguard sample clip wasn't very heavy. Even though our GCW was about 56,000 pounds, occasionally sloppy equipment won't work effectively under light loads. However, this engine's parts functioned effectively together. While driving with a lot of gas, there were a few thumps, but otherwise the shifts were smooth. Although it wasn't unpleasant, further tuning could have been necessary given that I didn't hear any thumping in the other ProStar up in a suburb of {{location.city}}.
Purchasing the TC10
The TC10 will not take the place of the regular Allison 6-speed 4000 and 4500 RDS (rugged duty series) automatics, which are employed in on- and off-road operations in straight trucks. The Allison team is aware that while the 4000 HS (highway series) works well for some heavy on-highway applications, it isn't really a good fit for long-haul road tractors. In this circumstance, the TC10 automatic may be beneficial.
At the moment, only Navistar offers the TC10. Since it lacks a proprietary automated gearbox, the TC10 fits in perfectly, and it also offers Eaton automated and manual gears in addition to Allison's traditional automatics. Steve Gilligan, Navistar's vice president of product and vocational marketing, claims that the Eaton UltraShift devices, which cost between $4,500 and $6,000 more than equivalent manuals, are comparable to the Eaton TC10 in price but are between 15% and 20% more expensive. According to Allison representatives, negotiations are underway with other homebuilders about incorporating the TC10 on their option lists. Because Paccar does not have a patented automated or automatic transmission, it is a potential alternative and owns Kenworth and Peterbilt. The addition of the TC10 may be a sensible move given that Paccar works with Eaton and Cummins on a variety of products and already provides 5- and 6-speed Allisons in its medium-duty and heavy vocational truck designs.
The TC10 is much less likely to be used by Volvo and Mack, both of which have their own I-Shift and mDrive automated gears (however they do provide traditional Allison automatics). Volvo uses UltraShifts to a limited extent as well, however both companies market and sell their own range of engine parts. Daimler provides UltraShift and its own DT12 automated gearboxes; but, Freightliner, the company's volume brand, has shown a willingness to accept vendor parts; perhaps this Allison product will be accepted.
