Power management company Eaton has announced an extension to its fluid lubrication service maintenance interval for its Procision line of medium duty dual clutch transmissions for school bus applications that will lower or even eliminate fluid changes.
The new interval is now 10 years/150,000 miles, a change from three years/150,000 miles that was announced when Procision was launched. The new preventive maintenance interval extension is enabled by the synthetic fluid used in Procision, the lifetime sump filter and relatively low heat generation associated with dual clutch technology.
“This change makes it possible that a school bus fleet may never have to service a Procision transmission depending on their duty cycles,” said Jeff Walker, director, commercial powertrain, Eaton’s Vehicle Group. “With the average cost of a transmission fluid and filter change of $250, this new extended interval change can save a fleet $583 versus competitive offerings.”
Launched in North America in 2015, Procision is the first medium duty transmission for Class 6-7 to incorporate dual clutch technology. Eaton employed the dual clutch technology to allow for more efficient acceleration from a stopped position, and to optimize shift points that will efficiently get to the highest gear. When combined with electronic shifting that uses grade, vehicle weight and throttle inputs, the seven-speed transmission lineup delivers 8 to 10 percent better fuel economy than a similarly equipped vehicle with a torque converter automatic.
The smooth, continuous delivery of torque to a vehicle’s wheels under all shift conditions is a key feature that customers across multiple vocational applications have embraced.
Additional features such as Urge to Move and Creep Mode and optional and adjustable Hill Helper technology that prevents roll back or roll forward for up to three seconds while on grades of up to 8 percent, allowing for a controlled launch, are key for school bus fleets and drivers where starting and stopping and operation on various grades are common. With Procision, any of these features can be turned on and off using Eaton’s ServiceRanger software which is flexibility not offered with competitive products.
The synthetic transmission fluid used in Procision provides component protection while reducing maintenance costs thanks to 150,000 mile lube and filter change intervals. The internal sump filter and electrical system do not require maintenance.
“With the fuel efficiency and low maintenance costs, Procision transmissions promise to deliver the lowest total cost of ownership for any medium-duty transmission in the school bus market today,” added Walker. “This is a world-class transmission that helps deliver safe, confident and easy operation for any school bus driver by delivering optimal performance in many driving environments.”
The Procision design life (B-10) is 10 years/400,000 miles. Eaton Procision transmissions for school bus applications have a five-year/unlimited mile warranty.
