MSPUSMC wrote: Does the 6th speed work primarily on flat roads at speeds greater than 60 mph?
Most 6 speeds will shift into 6th at 55 mph, for some reason Monacos won't shift into 6th until 65 mph. There may be others that way but monaco owners are the only ones I have heard say that. In economy mode I can slow to 45 mph before it downshifts to 5th.
Obviously, Allison builds the transmission to include all 6 gears and then in some applications (like your FRED), only programs the ECU to allow you to use 5 gears. Strange approach. Seems to me that $1000.00 is a steep price to pay for Allison or Freightliner to replace the shift pad (which plugs into the same connector and mounts in the same hole) and do a reprogram of the transmission.
How much of the work could you do yourself? Have you priced a 6 speed shift pad? How much for a reprogram by itself?
As others have posted, it would take forever to recoup the grand considering your rig may not go into 6th gear very often.
Our transmission does not shift into 6th until 55 mph, almost exactly.
2001 National Tradewinds LTC, 2005 Jeep Liberty Limited toad, M & G air brake, Blue Ox base plate and tow bar.
One "Bald-Headed Old Guy" (me),
One "Jewish-American Princess" (DW)
Two Birman Cats, "Mocha" & "Coco"
Reprogramming will take about two hours at $100/hour. There is no charge for the program itself, just the labor. An Allison tech has to do the programming. The Shift Pad will cost $650. I'm a mechanical zero. I thought it would be better to have a tech do it. I figure $1,000 to be the most that I'd be charged.
I have a friend who brought a new Chevy pick-up with a 6 speed transmission thinking it would save him money. He can't get the darn thing into 6th gear when doing the speed limit.
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