Community Forums

JOC1212 · 07-26-2008, 10:26 AM

Can I down shift on steep down hills simply by pushing the down arrow?

Can the retatder be reprogrammed to downshift to second gear instead of fourth gear?

JOC1212 · 07-26-2008, 10:26 AM

Can I down shift on steep down hills simply by pushing the down arrow?

Can the retatder be reprogrammed to downshift to second gear instead of fourth gear?

Route 66 · 07-26-2008, 10:41 AM

You can press the down button, but the transmission will not downshift if your speed is excessive for the gear you have selected.

I believe you have an exhaust brake, and I also believe the transmission can be reprogrammed to select 2nd gear upon the activation of the exhaust brake,

I know the newer transmissions can be reprogrammed.

samert111 · 07-26-2008, 04:45 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Amy Ann:
Can I down shift on steep down hills simply by pushing the down arrow?

Can the retatder be reprogrammed to downshift to second gear instead of fourth gear? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yes you can manually downshift, but like Route 66 said the transmission will not downshift until the engine RPM's are safe. You may have to use the service brakes to slow it down some before it downshifts.

Yes you can get it reprogrammed, but you may not like it going down to 2nd. Many with this program have changed it to only go to 4th instead.

The way you are setup now if you want additional exhaust braking you can always manually downshift to 3rd or 2nd.

BZam · 07-26-2008, 07:02 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Amy Ann:
Can I down shift on steep down hills simply by pushing the down arrow?

</div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I used to do a lot of manual downshifting on big grades and then I installed VSpc where I can see what gear the transmission is actually in. I found that the transmission is very smart and since I rarely manually mess with the gears. Main thing is to have a lot of RPMs.

On a separate note in going to these Allison seminars years back we were told that the transmission has a memory and adapts to your driving style. Well I have been in storage a lot and only on short trips but I went out on a long trip for 10 days and when I started my shifting was very rough to the point I said I need to get this thing into Allison and get it checked out before a big trip this fall.

Well after a couple of days the rough shifting went away and coming home yesterday it was shifting very smooth as I pulled the Grapevine and then down into Los Angeles. Never touched the key pad once to manually shift.

So maybe this thing is 'smart'!!!!

32vSouthwind · 11-01-2008, 06:33 PM

Coming down a grade with OD in the off position. Gear selector in D is 4th with the Allison 1000. Yet when I pull the selector into 3rd nothing happens. If you go to 2nd the trans down shifts to 3rd for a second and goes for 2nd.
Same thing going up hill but you can hold third using throttle pressure.
Can the trans be reprogramed so each position holds the gear as needed?
Chris