Grain truck automatic transmission question

I am thinking about buying a used 1995 international 7600 triaxle, grain truck with a 22 box . I m a little hesitant about it because it has an automatic transmission because I have never driven a grain truck that has automatic transmission for the drivetrain.My wife has been hounding me get a truck with automatic drive so she can operate it!! Can t anyone tell me the good,and the bad things about this transmission?Just don t want to make a big mistake!! Thanks In advance!!

There?s lots of 5 speed automatic tandem trucks in this area
and if you treat them right they last a long time.

Just like driving a car. Very
reliable and deliver a lot of
power to the wheels, which is
why they are in a lot of
cement trucks. Expensive to
fix when they go bad tho. Not
efficient for road driving
tho, so not a long haul trany.

Depending on the type if it?s an Alison which is a
true automatic or if it?s a meteor Type they operate
a lot a powershift transmission in a big tractor . The
dairy had a grain truck with an Alison just stick it in
drive and go the only had thing is it won?t hold you
back like a gear transmission

Milk, The cement trucks that we had show up to our jobs were
automatics. They were all wheel drive and heavy front
unloaders. Never had one broke down on our jobs with
transmission problems.

My FIL has a tandem axle GMC Topkick with a 5-speed Allison and 250hp Cat diesel. I too was hesitant at first but after getting used to it I don't mind it. The first gear of this 653
transmission is sort of a "granny low" and isn't used in the normal automatic shifting sequence - it has to be selected manually. Even with 600 bushels of wheat on board there is plenty
of axle torque to move in soft ground and climb out of fields up onto the road. In low gear the truck basically starts moving as soon as the brake is released, even when loaded in the
field. If left in auto mode the truck will start out in second gear and it takes a lot of engine revs and torque converter slippage to make it start moving if it is loaded and there is
any resistance to forward motion. Before he bought it we also looked at and test drove an International that only had a 4-speed 643 without the extra low gear and I'm sure glad we didn't
buy it as I believe it would have struggled in tough conditions.

The PTO for the hoist on an automatic is probably easier to use than that on a manual transmission for someone new to this sort of thing. With the truck stopped but still in gear the PTO
is engaged then the transmission placed in neutral. This starts the pump and you only have to move the lever up or down to work the hoist. No working the clutch to start and stop the
hoist like with a manual.

It?s probably an Allison 645 and if so, it?ll be an excellent
transmission.

When I drove truck in the sugar beet harvest my favorite truck was a Mack with an Allison 6 speed automatic, it was great, and
I think they have a great reputation! If that's what it is buy it, your wife will love it!

IF the automatic transmission is a five speed with the low gear then it will give less trouble than a manual with a clutch over its lifetime. We had two automatic grain trucks before we went to semis and grain carts. I really liked how you could ease out of fields with the automatics. One disadvantage is if your stuck you can not get the truck to rocking and get out.

One tip. On the majority of automatic transmissions the PTO drive gears are running when the transmission is in neutral. To engage the PTO you need them to not be moving. Just put the transmission in gear while holding the brake. This will stop the gears. THEN shift back to neutral and the PTO will be engaged. Then you can run your bed up and down with the hydraulic controls.

Im not usually to fussy but the fuel
truck I drove at the sand mine had a 10
speed allison it never shifted when I
wanted it to, was best to shift it
manually when going up steep grades, and
when I say steep I mean steep. Funny
story, had a guy ran a surface drill up
to go drill, he didn't see it needed fuel
till after he was up there so he called
me on the two way. I had a guy riding
with me, I said I guess we are going up,
he was in the passenger side going F my
life, F my life! We got to the top the
drill operator just looks at me and goes
you are one crazy S.O.B.

Almost all county and state Highway department trucks are automatic equipped (probably allison) stone reliable unless some jocky tries to get
unstuck for 20 minutes. Jim

Can't speak for grain trucks, but I have a GMC C5500 with Allison automatic. At first I thought something was wrong with it as it shifted quite hard, but learned that for the trans my truck has, hard shifts are a good thing. Means everything is in great working order.

Can't say I've ever heard anything bad about Allison truck transmissions, so maybe do a little digging around and see what's in that truck, if you can. Should be able to find out from the VIN or maybe even info inside the driver's door or glove box. Not sure if that info has any other hiding spots.

Thanks for all your responses, sounds like Allison is the transmission
of choice!

See if they have maintenance records. Regular oil changes on them is a must to keep them alive.
All the school bus use them anymore. No more clutch problems.