We Know You’re Tough, But Are You TorqShift Tough?
Listen. We know how important it is to have an ultra-capable, heavy-duty truck for your work. You need every added advantage you can get. That’s why our engineers are working overtime to deliver the most power, capability and fuel economy possible. Witness the all-new TorqShift six-speed transmission. It just may give you an unfair advantage.
All-new diesel and gasoline engines are key reasons why the 2011 Ford F-Series Super Duty maintains best-in-class towing and payload and adds enhanced off-road capability. Managing the increased horsepower and torque is the all-new 6R140 heavy-duty TorqShift six-speed transmission, which delivers power quickly and seamlessly while maximizing fuel economy.
Creating a transmission to serve both diesel and gasoline engines in a Super Duty application is a challenging proposition because the gearbox needs to deliver the substantial low-rpm torque produced by the diesel engine and efficiently use the higher rotational speeds of the gasoline engine. The solution was to use a proven architecture, but adapt it for heavy-duty use.
Lepelletier powerflow: New application of tried-and-true system
Ford’s 6R140 TorqShift transmission uses a Lepelletier-style powerflow, which is a proven technology in rear-wheel-drive vehicles but not typically used with larger diesel engines. A key benefit of the Lepelletier architecture is that it reduces the complexity in connecting the gearsets and clutches. The six speeds require only five clutches, and the speeds of the clutches relative to one another are low, increasing the efficiency of the system.
To handle the torque of the 6.7-liter Power Stroke V-8 turbocharged diesel, Ford strengthened the system by employing a unique powder-metal carrier in the compound Ravigneaux planetary gearset. The carrier consists of four pressed powder-metal components sinter-brazed together to form a rigid, power-dense structure. This solution ensures robustness and makes the architecture compatible with both the diesel and gasoline engines. A Ford-patented rocker one-way clutch is integrated with the carrier and helps improve 1-2 shift quality through the gearset.
A deep first gear ratio and two overdrive gears create a wider ratio span. This, combined with available lower axle gear ratios and a control system that automatically selects the most efficient shift schedule, provides an outstanding combination of pulling power and fuel economy.
Six-speed gearbox offers best of automatic, manual transmissions
The 6R140’s heavy-duty TorqShift six-speed transmission balances convenience and control by automatically shifting during routine operation and also allowing complete manual control. It features SelectShift Automatic transmission functionality, which includes both Progressive Range Select and manual functions.
With Progressive Range Select, a toggle on the shift lever allows the customer to reduce the range of available gears while in Drive. When the customer “taps” down into Range Select mode, the display shows the available gears and highlights the current gear state. This feature allows the driver to limit use of upper gears when heavily loaded or while towing on grades.
For full manual function, customers also can pull the shift lever into “M” for manual mode and use the same toggle switch to select the gear desired. The display will show the selected gear, and the control system will lock the torque converter and hold that gear for a full manual transmission feel.
Learn more about Ford’s TorqShift technology.
Quotes
“Our new transmission perfectly complements our new diesel and gasoline engines to give the customer the best powertrain for Super Duty applications. Rigorous testing ensures our transmission and powertrain is up to the challenge of even our most demanding Super Duty customers. Overall, the 6R140 heavy-duty TorqShift six-speed transmission enables greater customer capability, efficiency and control than ever before.”
– Al Bruck, 6R140 Transmission Engineering Manager
“With this architecture, the new transmission can handle the enormous low-end torque produced by the new diesel engine as well as the high speeds produced by the new gas engine. The sinter-brazed gearset enables more torque capacity and greater engine speed capability.”
– Al Bruck, 6R140 Transmission Engineering Manager
Corrections/Clarifications – December 11, 2009 at 15:39
