Modified PACCAR Transmission Finds A New Application Niche

Kenworth has announced that the PACCAR 12-speed automated transmission will feature new PACCAR MX engine-adjusted shift calibrations early next year. This novelty will facilitate to better operating characteristics and will make the unit available for light vocational applications for the Kenworth T880.

Introduced modifications will ensure higher full throttle upshift points to improve general operating characteristics and speed-up, and higher power downshift points to avoid speed reduction on grades and higher resistance surfaces. Improved ramp rates and more rapid gear shifting on grades will facilitate to better speed-up capacity. This transmission is meant for Kenworth T880s that operate normally on asphalt road surfaces (sometimes off-road or on gravel surfaces).

Learn more about the PACCAR transmission

The product has received many favorable reviews from customers since it went on sale in 2017. Drivers appreciate the unit’s operating qualities, intelligent shifting and ease of use, which can facilitate to reduction of driver’s fatigability. Thanks to this solution, fleets can improve fuel economy and can hire drivers without a significant experience in driving manual trucks.

This transmission ensures impressive maneuverability at low speeds, where most automated transmissions run into difficulties trying to manage smooth low-speed shifting. In practice, this transmission frequently skips shifts during the operation, thereby saving some fuel and not harming the performance. This feature proves a perfect interaction between the main powertrain components.

Kenworth T880

There is also an overspeed protection feature integrated in the transmission’s software that will automatically upshift to protect the engine when the RPM rate gets too high. Equipped with creep mode, this 12-speed unit allows convenient operation at low speeds. Moreover, this product turns out to be the lightest heavy-duty automated transmission. It can be coupled with the PACCAR MX-13 engine producing up to 510 hp and 2,508 Nm of torque, as well as MX-11 engine providing 430 hp and 2,237 Nm of torque.