Originally Posted By: supton
Originally Posted By: demarpaint
Originally Posted By: DaRider34
Originally Posted By: demarpaint
I like them too, but not with the ZF 9 speed in it.
Seems like way too many gears for their vehicles that have less than 250hp. Seem like a good ole 6 auto or maybe a 7 speed dual clutch would be more efficient.
I think so, maybe a nice 5 or 6 speed AT. You need a lot of torque in the low rpm range to run all those gears w/o constant up and downshifting, hunting, skipping gears etc.
I'll disagree. "lots" of gears means it can idle going down hills and rev to the moon off the line; and hit any rpm at any speed between. It's the high power motors which can better tolerate less gears.
Yeah it's annoying to hear something constantly shifting. That's why you always get the bigger motor.
Or take a page from those manual transmission Luddites and... lock out some of the upper gears.
IIRC the ZF units can skip shifts--go from 9th down to 2nd, if need be. I wonder how many of the 6+ speed transmissions also can do likewise.
OK. The problem isn't off the line or coasting down hill. What I didn't like is at the first headwind they're dropping gears, or the slightest of inclines. With adequate torque in the lower rpm range it won't have to do that. These engines make their power in the higher rpm range, not down low. A nice diesel, strong V6 or hemi will do better with all those gears, not an under powered 4 cylinder engine. The stronger engine can get into the higher gears and stay there, not constantly up and downshift to maintain speed. The higher powered engine can tolerate less or more gears better than the smaller under powered engine.
Originally Posted By: demarpaint
Originally Posted By: DaRider34
Originally Posted By: demarpaint
I like them too, but not with the ZF 9 speed in it.
Seems like way too many gears for their vehicles that have less than 250hp. Seem like a good ole 6 auto or maybe a 7 speed dual clutch would be more efficient.
I think so, maybe a nice 5 or 6 speed AT. You need a lot of torque in the low rpm range to run all those gears w/o constant up and downshifting, hunting, skipping gears etc.
I'll disagree. "lots" of gears means it can idle going down hills and rev to the moon off the line; and hit any rpm at any speed between. It's the high power motors which can better tolerate less gears.
Yeah it's annoying to hear something constantly shifting. That's why you always get the bigger motor.
IIRC the ZF units can skip shifts--go from 9th down to 2nd, if need be. I wonder how many of the 6+ speed transmissions also can do likewise.
OK. The problem isn't off the line or coasting down hill. What I didn't like is at the first headwind they're dropping gears, or the slightest of inclines. With adequate torque in the lower rpm range it won't have to do that. These engines make their power in the higher rpm range, not down low. A nice diesel, strong V6 or hemi will do better with all those gears, not an under powered 4 cylinder engine. The stronger engine can get into the higher gears and stay there, not constantly up and downshift to maintain speed. The higher powered engine can tolerate less or more gears better than the smaller under powered engine.
