Tech Product

One minute – I-Shift with crawler gears

2016-10-10

Volvo Trucks’ I-Shift with crawler gears enables the ability to start from standstill with loads of up to 325 tonnes. It also allows truck operators to drive at speeds as low as 0.5 km per hour– a huge help when performing precision maneuvers.

One minute about I-Shift with crawler gears

How it works: I-Shift with crawler gears

The large gear ratio in the I-Shift with crawler gears is made possible by a new gear reduction set that has been added to a standard I-Shift.

Extra gear reduction set
The extra gear reduction set is located directly behind the gearbox clutch housing and consists of two extra gearwheels – one on the input shaft and one on the counter shaft. The extra gear reduction set enables the gearbox to provide a ratio that is almost twice as large as a standard I-Shift.

Enhanced gearbox
To make room for the extra gear reduction set, the gearbox has been made 12 cm longer than a standard I-Shift. Many of the new components, such as gearwheels, engaging sleeves and split synchronisers are made of high-strength materials.

Gear ratio
Gear ratio is the difference in speed between the input and output shafts in a gearbox. With the highest gear engaged, the gear ratio is 1:1 on a direct drive gearbox, which means that the shafts spin at the same speed. At the lowest gear in the I-Shift with crawler gears, the output shaft spins 32 times more slowly than the engine speed – at a gear ratio of 32:1.

Learn more about I-Shift with crawler gears in this episode of ‘One Minute.