Customer feedback regarding the automatic transmission performance and steering in Fuso’s Heavy truck range means changes have been made to correct and improve some issues.
Drivers had reported losing momentum during gear changes in some conditions. After conducting a test program, two improvements have been put into place by Fuso. The clutch engagement phase timing has been shortened to deliver a faster gear-shift and the shift map has been improved to allow transmission ‘down’ changes at higher revs when the vehicle is decelerating.
When the vehicle is ascending, a lower gear is selected earlier to keep the engine in the required torque band. This shift map improvement is effective when the transmission is in ‘Drive’ (D).
“We recently updated the transmission program in our Motorcade prime mover and one driver reported that it was like he had been given a new truck,” said Kevin Johnston, Fuso Product Planning Engineer.
The development work has been underway for some time with rigid models built from November 2013 production benefitting from the changes and prime movers built post-May, 2014. Vehicles built before these dates will require a change of the transmission ECU to benefit.
“We have also changed the steering feedback in our 6X4 models,” said Johnston. “Over a period of time we received feedback from customers saying the steering felt ‘a bit vague’ at highway speeds. We have responded by designing more pre-load into the system which now gives a more solid steering feel when driving at or near the speed limit.”
The steering change applies to all 4X2 and 6X4 trucks built on, or after March 2014 in Japan.