Anyone drive a new one? What is the auto box like on them? Is it as good as the I-Shift auto in the Volvo/Renault? how abou the bed is it comfy etc. How does the truck compare to the likes of the Renault Premium?
We had a demo a few months back , asumming its not been updated since then , the truck was nice very comfy and weel layed out and if u ask lucy she will tell u its the best on the road (altho a lot on the forum still have some concerns about reliability)
As for the auto box i found it slow to change and not a touch on the Ishift from volvo/renualt !
as i say it was a few months ago so if there is a new one out it might have changed !
Had some 58 plate 450’s in over christmas on hire.
The Gearbox was much improved and didn’t stutter at all,about time as well.
A lot better to drive now.
sooooo ditch the high roof reno premium 450 auto and go for the low roof 450 iveco or are they just as bad as each other?
If you,ve got some wieght on and you see a gap in the traffic dont go for it cos it will just sit there doing nowt and then frighten the [zb] out of you .Does ,nt even compare with the Volvo box
if you are thinking of buying or leasing one, buy plenty of gaffer tape
after a short while, the side lockers will keep coming open
it can also be used for taping the side repeaters back on again
lefkasman:
If you,ve got some wieght on and you see a gap in the traffic dont go for it cos it will just sit there doing nowt and then frighten the [zb] out of you .Does ,nt even compare with the Volvo box
No. Don’t. GET CLUTCH BITE FIRST!!!
It’s “true” AMT, unlike the I-Shift. Drive it just like a manual at junctions and roundabouts, just remember YOUR CLUTCH IS ON THE RIGHT PEDAL and you’ll be fine. Funnily enough flooring a manual with no clutch-bite (ie. with the clutch pedal depressed) won’t get you far either!
I’ve posted quite extensively on this subject elsewhere, having driven the Eurotronic version of this gearbox (which is based on AS-Tronic) for the past 5 years. It would take me ages to post it all again, so a search is your best bet.
Bear in mind, however, that you DO have to LEARN to drive these wagons, they are NOT “jump in and go” like I-Shift.
shuttlespanker:
if you are thinking of buying or leasing one, buy plenty of gaffer tape![]()
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after a short while, the side lockers will keep coming open
it can also be used for taping the side repeaters back on again
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Funnily enough one of the wagons on hire I used had gaffer tape on the side lockers
In defence of the box I pull full weight and not once on any roundabout did the stralis box stutter or bounce gears in an attempt to move , it just went and drove very well.So well I asked for one every night.
But I do stress these were all brand spankers and I hadn’t driven one for about 3 years and back then the gearbox was terrible.
Posted on this before best auto out Driven Volvo Merc & Man autos definatly like the Iveco box best.
Is that you changed your mind Paul remember you likeing the I shift
Lucy:
lefkasman:
If you,ve got some wieght on and you see a gap in the traffic dont go for it cos it will just sit there doing nowt and then frighten the [zb] out of you .Does ,nt even compare with the Volvo boxNo. Don’t. GET CLUTCH BITE FIRST!!!
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It’s “true” AMT, unlike the I-Shift. Drive it just like a manual at junctions and roundabouts, just remember YOUR CLUTCH IS ON THE RIGHT PEDAL and you’ll be fine. Funnily enough flooring a manual with no clutch-bite (ie. with the clutch pedal depressed) won’t get you far either!
![]()
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I’ve posted quite extensively on this subject elsewhere, having driven the Eurotronic version of this gearbox (which is based on AS-Tronic) for the past 5 years. It would take me ages to post it all again, so a search is your best bet.
Bear in mind, however, that you DO have to LEARN to drive these wagons, they are NOT “jump in and go” like I-Shift.
Ok Lucy, I have a question for you. You seem to know all about this box. When block shifting does the revs get snatched down to meet the next gear almost instantly like the reno/ovlov box or are you sitting there waiting and watching the rev counter sloooowly go back down to the next gears rpm?
Steve-o:
sooooo ditch the high roof reno premium 450 auto and go for the low roof 450 iveco or are they just as bad as each other?
brand new lorry or not i would stick with the high roof.
we got 4 of the 540 they are not to bad they pull better when you work them at there top weight
greek:
Posted on this before best auto out Driven Volvo Merc & Man autos definatly like the Iveco box best.
Is that you changed your mind Paul remember you likeing the I shift
Volvo I-Shift is still a top box but with the Iveco transmission actually doing the buisness now I would take either wagon down the road without swearing at it on a roundabout or junction
Steve-o:
Lucy:
lefkasman:
If you,ve got some wieght on and you see a gap in the traffic dont go for it cos it will just sit there doing nowt and then frighten the [zb] out of you .Does ,nt even compare with the Volvo boxNo. Don’t. GET CLUTCH BITE FIRST!!!
![]()
![]()
It’s “true” AMT, unlike the I-Shift. Drive it just like a manual at junctions and roundabouts, just remember YOUR CLUTCH IS ON THE RIGHT PEDAL and you’ll be fine. Funnily enough flooring a manual with no clutch-bite (ie. with the clutch pedal depressed) won’t get you far either!
![]()
![]()
I’ve posted quite extensively on this subject elsewhere, having driven the Eurotronic version of this gearbox (which is based on AS-Tronic) for the past 5 years. It would take me ages to post it all again, so a search is your best bet.
Bear in mind, however, that you DO have to LEARN to drive these wagons, they are NOT “jump in and go” like I-Shift.
Ok Lucy, I have a question for you. You seem to know all about this box. When block shifting does the revs get snatched down to meet the next gear almost instantly like the reno/ovlov box or are you sitting there waiting and watching the rev counter sloooowly go back down to the next gears rpm?
Ok, forget I-shift completely or you’ll just confuse yourself. Eurotronic/ASTronic is a proper Automated MANUAL Transmission, and is a constant mesh (“crash”) box.
It’s just like our old friend the twin-splitter, except that there are less control surfaces - ie. the clutch and throttle are on the same pedal - and it does the physical selecting of gears (through the lever/steering column switch in manual, or through a combination of your input through the throttle and the computer in auto) for you. It will do the popping and revving much quicker than any driver could do it manually, but it does still do it, so you need to allow time for that.
To get a well timed change…Start paying attention to where in the rev band it actually achieves the change in relation to when you make the input. This varies depending on the engine, BHP, etc. THAT is the point at which to make the input, just as you would think ahead like that in a manual. It’s usually about 2-3 hundred revs below change point when going up, and the same in reverse going down, but may vary according to what setting you have the exhaust brake on. If you start making the input at the right point, it will change when you want it to…It sounds complicated, but it’s exactly what you would do in a manual, and will become second nature after a very short time.
To encourage it to drop into starting gear when you approach a junction or roundabout, so that you can achieve clutch bite and be ready to pull out, brake into the juction as usual, but give it a tiny “pop” on the throttle just as you come to a halt. This SHOULD serve as an instruction to the box that you are about to pull away again, and it will clunk into starting gear ready.
To learn where your clutch bite is, go right back to basics, put the handbrake on, select a low gear, GENTLY depress the throttle, and see at what point in the pedal travel the cab dips forward. That’s your clutch bite, so that’s the position to hold when you are waiting to pull out, and also the position to use when you manouver.
Please note that I have not yet used the latest version of this box with the hill-hold facility, so don’t know how that works in practice. In trucks without this, don’t forget to use the handbrake as you would when doing a hill start to avoid rollback.
HTH.
cheers lucy. is it in any way similar to the as tronic in the older renault?
Same gearbox, different software. They’re both AS-Tronic, built by ZF.
If AS Tronic is a proper auto manual…What’s I Shift then? I was always led to believe that was an auto manual just like the ZF box but just amazing
In theory it is, or at least it claims to be. In practice - and I’ve been trained on it and done a week’s tramping with one when my motor was poorly - it’s closer to true Automatic. In other words, despite the crap they tell you when you do the training, you just stick your foot on the throttle and go, so any idiot can drive it. Any idiot can’t get the best fuel returns etc. out of it, mind, hence the training.
Had a new 450 for 6wks Lucy Seems to be a bit better than the older ones(which I liked) Seemed to hang on for longer in the gears when pulling with your full whack on & drop sooner when it needed to such as the climb up from j22 to21 M1 Pullimg up M18 from A1 will pull up to 90ks in 11th then stay there till you got over top then go into 12th Execelent
I’m on my 6th stralis in nearly 2 years, and going from my 480bhp 16 speed one with the gearstick (semi-auto one) to my current new one with the 3 buttons on the dash 450 12 speed its not too bad.
Driving in Auto, pulling away at junctions are better, and with the foot to the floor on the kick down keeps it in gear longer, handy for going down slip roads building up speed.
I’m only 34t fully freighted and going up chorley bank etc… i can be in 12th 56mph all the way, my first stralis with the 16 speed box would need to kick down to 15th for the hills.
Comfortable cabs, if you have the big cab, no problems standing up (im 6 foot 3) top bunk folds flat against the bulk head nice and flush, both beds are comfortable and plenty wide enough.
Current one is 6 months old with 95,000k’s on and no problems with anything. Sistership same age with 165,000k’s had to have the adblue injector replaced but that was under warrenty. Sorted no problems.
P.s. i havnt been on these forums in ages! how is everyone?