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Old Apr 2, 2021 | 02:40 PM
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Cvt

Why do the light truck companies not invest in cvt transmission technology.
https://www.fendt.com/int/fascination-fendt

They are able to be built to withstand the heat and torque. A lot less moving parts. Always in the right gear. And already invented.

And no jarring shifts as some are complaining about with the new 10 speed.

I am heavily involved in the ag industry and this trans is really taking over in my world.

 
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Old Apr 2, 2021 | 02:52 PM
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Go read the Subaru forums to learn how much people like their CVT transmissions. I’m not an expert or even close, but I don’t believe they’d hold up in an HD situation unless you want your truck to drive like a tractor.
 
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Old Apr 2, 2021 | 03:18 PM
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Consumer reports listings for the Subaru and RAV-4 show the highest maintenance item to be the CVT transmissions. That was the main reason we went with a Mazda CX-5 for our second vehicle.
 
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Old Apr 2, 2021 | 04:02 PM
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CVT's have absolutely no feel to them. To me it's weird driving them. The vehicle doesn't communicate with the driver at all. Wife's 2020 Crosstrek was horrible. Never had a problem with it but I hated to drive it. Her 2021 is a little better.

They're fine for people who don't care much for cars and just want to get from point A to point B. For the rest of us who like cars, CVT's are just a strange creature.
 
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Old Apr 2, 2021 | 04:07 PM
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CVT transmissions have been around for a number of years and they still can't get them right. They are used in very light car and light SUV applications. No way this technology is ready for heavy SD or towing use.
 
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Old Apr 2, 2021 | 04:21 PM
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Well the CVT used in the Vario trans is a little different then anything found in the automotive market. Any CVT that employs belts is prone to failure, there has been good success with the ECVT in the hybrids. To employ a heavy duty hydraulic CVT wouldn't be cost effective. These trucks are not class 8 trucks and have very cheap drivetrains in the grand scheme of things.

Most hydrostatic transmissions like being run at a constant speed at or near peak torque so varying speed with flow valves is used. I don't see this working well in a light duty pickup truck.
 
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Old Apr 2, 2021 | 07:08 PM
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Originally Posted by NDanecker
CVT transmissions have been around for a number of years and they still can't get them right. They are used in very light car and light SUV applications. No way this technology is ready for heavy SD or towing use.
The concept of the CVT transmission as developed by Fendt has been around for many years and can certainly withstand high torque, heavy duty pulling environment. Whether it can ever be economically simulated for a light truck is another story.
 
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Old Apr 2, 2021 | 09:24 PM
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I have a couple tractors with the Fendt CVT's in them and they would take the load and hold up . but, they're expensive and there is no lock up to them , and it's easy to tell the CVT from the powershift under heavy load because of it.

The CVT would work, but given the choice between it and the 10 speed I'd take the 10 speed. .
 
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Old Apr 2, 2021 | 09:34 PM
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CVTs belong on snowmobiles. They are crap on anything else, and I refuse to own one.
 
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Old Apr 2, 2021 | 09:54 PM
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Don't confuse the car type CVT's with the Fendt style that a pickup would require. they are oscillating cones there are no belts or anything cheap like that about them.
 
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Old Apr 3, 2021 | 06:02 AM
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I rode in a 1050 vario pulling a 16row orthman 1trpr on our hilly ground, nothing short of amazing as to what that transmission and engine do together.

Way less fuel use but a little more DEF use as the engine more less idles through the field compared to the big Deere’s.

If they can get the cost down, I think that will be the next place we gain efficiency when it comes to the pickup. Which we will probably have to do if we want to keep our diesels.
 
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Old Apr 3, 2021 | 06:47 AM
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I think for this discussion, we need to separate the current CVT seen in many automobiles from the Hydrostatic offerings in the ag industry. If a light duty manufacturer developed a hydrostatic transmission for trucks, it probably would do well. Problem is, you'd have to have a hydraulic tank, pump, lines, etc to make it work. Of course, you'd be removing the transmission as it is currently, so room may not be an issue. The biggest obstacle I currently can think of is the RPMs need to be elevated to get things to move, depending on what range it is in. Overall, I think it could be done and be a good drivetrain piece with good reliability.
 
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Old Apr 3, 2021 | 08:53 AM
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Actually the RPM can be much lower with the CVT . my tractors will do 27 mph at 1500 RPM. they would go much faster than that but the computer limits the speed for obvious reasons in a tractor.

 
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Old Apr 3, 2021 | 10:14 AM
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Originally Posted by 440 sixpack
Actually the RPM can be much lower with the CVT . my tractors will do 27 mph at 1500 RPM. they would go much faster than that but the computer limits the speed for obvious reasons in a tractor.
Unloaded, yes. A hydro in a truck trying to take off while pulling 15k lbs would need elevated RPM to get moving in high range, such as highway driving. If you could seamlessly change the range selection once moving, that'd be ideal. Or...the hydro changes parameters when in tow/haul? You might be on to something, Sixpack.
 
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Old Apr 3, 2021 | 10:44 AM
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I don't think it matters. the CVT will start a load at any RPM the engine has the torque to start it.

For instance, I can have a plow in the ground and the tractor at 1500 RPM, I can then engage the CVT, which is nothing more than a little stick like you'd see on a video game and increase the load until it killed the engine if it cannot overcome the load. . it's not like an automatic transmission it's more like slipping the clutch. but it does have a mode that's like an automatic if you want it. I can see how it could be hard on transfer cases and axles.

there are no ranges it's zero to max with the push of a joy stick. I believe the same would apply in a vehicle but I can't say for sure. it is possible the gear ratio would be too high to be practical to engineer strong enough.
 
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