Skyjack Teams Up with CVTCORP to Develop CVT for Telehandlers

At World of Concrete 2016, Linamar Corporation’s Skyjack division announced it is partnering with Montreal-based transmission company, CVTCORP, to develop a true mechanical continuously variable transmission (CVT) option for its new TH-series telehandler range.

[VIDEO] Skyjack Introducing Optional CVT Transmission on Full Telehandler Range

“The possibilities that a mechanical CVT opens up for our new TH-series telehandler range are fairly exciting,” said Barry Greenaway, product manager, Skyjack. “Firstly, the mechanical CVT greatly increases efficiency over a hydrostatic system. It also allows the engine to stay in its ideal rpm range – resulting in significant fuel savings. What’s more, these benefits partner perfectly with our SMARTORQUETM 74-hp engines, which already reduce fuel use, and will allow rental companies to reduce net costs to their customers without dropping rental rates.”

[VIDEO] Overview of CVT Transmission in Skyjack Telehandlers

CVTCORP’s toroidal mechanical CVT transmits torque between curved traction discs using actuated rollers, it eliminates metal on metal contact using a specially formulated traction fluid. This allows output speed to be varied across an infinite number of ratios throughout the operating range.

“With over 500,000 hours of cumulative testing performed both by us and OEMs we have worked with — much of which at higher power levels than used by Skyjack’s TH range — we have a wealth of experience with our CVT design in equipment transmissions,” said Daniel Girard, founder and CEO of CVTCORP.

The transmission ensures that the machine is in the optimal ratio at all times, making machine operation easier than a comparable power-shift equipped unit – the operator only has to choose forward or reverse.

“Aside from the fuel savings, the nature of how our CVT works will result in real gains in terms of life-cycle costs for equipment managers,” Greenaway said. “Another real benefit over power shift transmissions is that the operator cannot abuse the drivetrain in the same way; the CVT smoothly ramps up for acceleration and deceleration with no shock loads from abrupt gear changes. In fact, the operator can shift into reverse while traveling at max forward speed with his foot firmly on the accelerator and the machine will smoothly decelerate and seamlessly transition into reverse.”

Skyjack and CVTCORP are currently carrying out internal testing using a SJ1056 TH telehandler equipped with a CVTCORP transmission, with the aim to begin customer field trials of the optional CVT transmission in the fourth quarter of 2016.