A new series of Fuller Advantage manual and automated transmissions will cut weight and save fuel, Eaton’s Vehicle Group announced Thursday. The savings will offer a quick payback of the products’ “very small premium” in price over existing models.
 
Key features include precision lubrication that reduces parasitic energy losses from oil churn by 33%, and requires only half the oil of existing Fuller FR-series transmissions. With less generated heat, no cooling pump is needed for most applications, said Jeff Walker, Eaton’s global product director – manual transmissions.
 
Initial fleet and third party test results show up to 1.9% fuel economy improvement versus comparable transmissions due to greater operating efficiency, he said.
 
Aluminum replaces cast iron for the shift bar housing, auxiliary section cover and range cylinder. These changes and elimination of a pump and its attendant fittings and lines together save about 75 pounds, he said.
 
With no cooler, maintenance is reduced. And technicians can quickly check lube levels through a sight glass, while an alert of low oil will be flashed to drivers by a warning light in the instrument panel. Drivers will benefit from a “crisper” shift feel similar to what they now experience in 13- and 18-speed Fuller transmissions, he said.
 
“This initial launch is designed for our linehaul and regional haul customers, and the Fuller Advantage Series transmissions include the most performance, reliability and maintenance savings upgrades,” Walker said.
 
Additional technical aspects of the Fuller Advantage Series include:
 

• Gross Commercial Weight (GCW) ratings up to 80,000 lbs. without an oil cooler and expansion to 110,000 lbs. post product introduction.

• Torque capacities from 950 to 1,850 pound-feet.

• Standard six- and eight-bolt power take-off (PTO) openings.

• Optional through-shaft PTO.

• Ten forward speeds with direct or overdrive top gears, and two reverse.

 
Production of the 10-speed manual is set for September. Additional models will come later. An UltraShift Plus automated version of the 10-speed is scheduled for production in next year’s first quarter.
 
Initial production will include 17 new manual specifications with overall ratios ranging from 15.42 to 17.53. All of the new Fuller Advantage series transmissions come with a standard five-year/750,000-mile warranty for linehaul applications.
 
Like current FR series transmissions, the Advantage series will be backed by the Roadranger network, which includes more than 200 drivetrain professionals throughout North America. More information is at www.eaton.com/roadranger.