I just started running a new M2 and was wondering if anyone had any trouble with harsh shifts forward to reverse and vice versea? I have run the M series before and it had a nice smooth shift. The M2 has 51 hrs. on it now and Cat has done 3 clutch calibrations on it and it didn't change anything. They got in touch the the guy that helped design the software on the tranny and he said that it will shift hard if the RPM's are less than 1900 RPM so we tried that and it shifted a lot better. Have any of you had any problems like this and why would Cat make a blade shift at that high of RPM?
Are you using the inching pedal when making directional shifts..?
It is common to need the Fill Rates on the Transmission Recalibrated.... There is also new software to make this easier and more accurate.
Not using inching pedal, which took some getting use to after running the H and G series for the last 24 years. They said that going into neutral momentarily will cause a harsh shift as well. I would assume that they recaled the fill rates but not sure. As for the software, I would think that when he was talking to the guy that designed it he would have mentioned that we needed the new software, but there again I don't know all the technical stuff on these, just an operator. I just find it odd that you would have to run them at such high RPM's. Trying to cut grade and rub on base is not that fun anymore.
If a machine must be run at higher rpm, and doesn't have the gearing to bring down the ground speed to an acceptable level, that indicates a significant design flaw. Does CAT think we are all snow plow operators?
My thoughts exactly bluetop. The M2 is very frustrating when working driveways and such where you are constantly making a directional change. I can take a 140H and smoke the M2 on production working them. It just is a big learning curve waiting on the machine to engage, I'm not use to it not responding.