A clutch control system provides precise clutch disengagement. The disengagement of the clutch is preceded by a deliberate reduction in engine torque. The clutch control system has a friction clutch capable of transitioning between a fully open, a partially open, and a fully closed position; a control unit configured to: monitor the reduction in engine torque to continuously obtain a current engine torque, and determine an effectively closed position of the clutch. The effectively closed position is a partially open position having a torque capacity equal to the current engine torque, thereby preventing clutch slip at the effectively closed position. A clutch actuator operates the friction clutch at the effectively closed position while the current engine torque is above zero, and disengages the friction clutch to a fully open position as the current engine torque approaches zero.

A transmission includes an input shaft coupled to a prime mover, a countershaft, main shaft, and an output shaft, with gears between the countershaft and the main shaft. A shift actuator selectively couples the input shaft to the main shaft by rotatably coupling gears between the countershaft and the main shaft. The shift actuator is mounted on an exterior wall of a housing including the countershaft and the main shaft. A controller controls the shift actuator utilizing an actuating pulse and an opposing pulse.