More and more Russian companies in mining as well as other industries are opting for Allison fully automatic transmissions. Many customers, such as TechStroyGaz ? the Novy Urengoy-based branch of National Building Company ? are gaining interest in fully automatic transmissions, thanks to faultless performance and a reduced cost of ownership compared with manual transmissions.
Since 2004, TechStroyGaz has operated two 24-tonne Scania R114С (6х6) dump trucks, one with a manual transmission, the other equipped with a fully automatic six-speed Allison 4000 Series. The dump trucks work at feeder cluster sites and on-site roads in the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous District, which is well known for its severe environment comprising permafrost, numerous rivers and lakes and swampy and clay roads. Winters are long and severe bringing temperatures of -55?С.
According to Valery Arestov, Chief Engineer at TechStroyGaz, while truck with the manual gearbox went out of order some time ago, the truck equipped with Allison transmission just keeps on going. Its mileage now is around 430,000 kilometres, and neither the vehicle nor the transmission has ever let the company down by requiring unscheduled repair. Based on this positive experience, the company has made a decision to purchase heavy dump trucks equipped with Allison automatic transmissions in the future.