“So you want to be a Truck Driver” Quiz

[mwilson]

as for the plastic wheel tab A few years ago on this site I questioned what it was. After 30+ years of driving commerically someone told me what its use was. I being old school I do it a little differently, if the tires aren't spinning the trailer rear will off track EVEN WITH THE NEW ABS BRAKES when the trailer its sliding sideways its a pretty good indication that SOMETHING IS WRONG

Not if only one set of duals is frozen.....especially in the dark on the ditch side in snow or cold...you can't see it easily...

 

[mwilson]

Spread Axle Trailer
Spread Axle Trailer
A spread axle trailer can carry 40,000 lbs on the spread axles allowing for more leeway in placing a heavier load. The spread of the two axles is 10’2″ counting them as two separate axles that can each carry 20k lbs. This gives you a legal limit of 86k lbs of all axles. Of course you still have the 80k lbs gross limit, so this gives you a larger margin of error when hauling heavier loads. They are more difficult to back up and are rougher on tires due to the “scrub” of making turns. But this can be offset using the dump on the rear axle. They are a smoother ride in more situations but can be more difficult to maneuver on some roads. California requires that trailers over 48′ long have a kingpin to center of rear axle of 41′ and this can be difficult for spread axle trailers. The rear axle would have to be able to be slid forward to the 41′ length to be legal. Manitoba does not allow spread axle trailers.

I have seen the 10' 2" thing before, but I can't find it in the Federal Bridge Law. They simply go with 10'0 straight up from what I can find. Which makes them each a single axle capable of carrying 20,000 Pounds.

The spread axles ride waaaay better and less chance of shifting cargo especially hauling bricks, cement blocks or chimney tile like I used to do.

The spread axle trailers will follow one track backing in loaded and then a different track coming back out empty. It is possible to back into a dock easily and then have to jig and frig to get back out......been there, done it...

Most have dump valves for one axle, in some cases both can be dumped...but when you dump the rear axle and turn tight there is a clear and present danger....you can roll the trailer.......I came very close to doing so twice when I first starting using spread axle air ride flatbeds...got my attention right off quick.
I saved it by quickly shutting the dump valve off to stabilize the trailer...makes the heart beat quickly for a minute with a tall load heading for the cab of the truck....

 

[BIGNASTY]

Not if only one set of duals is frozen.....especially in the dark on the ditch side...

Not going to argue with a driver that has probably done MORE illegal things behind the windshield than I, :-laf but you know as well as I do the difference in feel on the releasase of the clutch pedel that SOMETHING AIN'T RIGHT. They don't teach things like that in schools.

When pulling doubles MOSTLY truck & Trailer Gas Tanks in Commiefornia. I was asked by the safety dude why I got in the truck and on the way to the rack I would SLAM ON THE BREAKS? when I told him that I wanted to see which way the trailer was going to come around me when some Moron did something ignorant in front of me. He asked if I was thinking I was in snow? it also happens when its not rained for MONTHS and then does, the oil on the road is JUST AS BAD AS ICE.

On the trucks at work now they have lug nut direction indicators. on the pre trip you would notice the direction of it would be different indicating a loose lug nut other than the one behind the wheel. don't know how older drivers EVER SURVIVED without all these handy helpful tools to help us half-witted truck drivers out. Being the Saftey DUDE now if an applicant doesn't have at least 3 years of OVER THE ROAD driving experiance I round file his OR her app. Its MY opinion that these kind of things are to appease the DOT Inspectors that this company is making an effort in safety. http://www.realwheels.com/product/lug-check-loose-lug-nut-indicators/


Had a case in the Scale house near Seymour IN last week when the inspector red lined our truck for missing suspension mounting bolts as in MORE THAN ONE??? He said at least 10 all over the truck. I ran out and met with them. He showed me several missing bolts when I took out my pen and tried to put it though the hole it was stopped by the frame well we'er going to have a problem with Kenworth about them not installing them. The look on ALL their faces was priceless when I handed them back their report

 

[BIGNASTY]

I have seen the 10' 2" thing before, but I can't find it in the Federal Bridge Law. They simply go with 10'0 straight up from what I can find. Which makes them each a single axle capable of carrying 20,000 Pounds.

The spread axles ride waaaay better and less chance of shifting cargo especially hauling bricks, cement blocks or chimney tile like I used to do.

The spread axle trailers will follow one track backing in loaded and then a different track coming back out empty. It is possible to back into a dock easily and then have to jig and frig to get back out......been there, done it...

Most have dump valves for one axle, in some cases both can be dumped...but when you dump the rear axle and turn tight there is a clear and present danger....you can roll the trailer.......I came very close to doing so twice when I first starting using spread axle air ride flatbeds...got my attention right off quick.
I saved it by quickly shutting the dump valve off to stabilize the trailer...makes the heart beat quickly for a minute with a tall load heading for the cab of the truck....

On my Ravens 10'2" spread flatbed (it was aluminum) when unloaded and with the arch of the EMPTY trailer the spread was 10' drop a FULL load it squished it to 10'2"

I used the axle dump a little differently I use to load 43,000 over the splits and when hitting the scales dump little air as I rolled over with the spread it would shift the weight enough that when I flipped the air back on the second axle of the split would be 19 & change making it appear that I was legal when in fact I was around 3000 lbs over on the split. I had a problem with weight on my Pete with the 1693 cat the front axle was ALWAYS heavy but running the I 5 corridor there were NO HILLS!!!! relatively speaking.

A driver really had to watch making tight turns with the spread it was not uncommon to peel the tires off the tire bead on the split.

 

[mwilson]

Not going to argue with a driver that has probably done MORE illegal things behind the windshield than I, :-laf but you know as well as I do the difference in feel on the releasase of the clutch pedel that SOMETHING AIN'T RIGHT. They don't teach things like that in schools.

No argument there, but with enough ice on the ground it can be hard to tell....the worst chance for frozen brakes for me was when doing drop and hooks. The guy that dropped it would never dry the damn brakes out....just lock the maxis, drop the landing gear and go. When I hooked onto it several hours later at below zero temps there would always be at least one set froze solid.....

When staying with the same trailer I would lightly apply the trailer brakes using the trolly handle a couple miles away from where I planned on stopping to dry the shoes and drums out..( a real issue when running in snow or rain) and then park using only the truck maxis. By the time the air went down enough to apply the trailer brakes they would be all dry and cold.

 

[mwilson]

On my Ravens 10'2" spread flatbed (it was aluminum) when unloaded and with the arch of the EMPTY trailer the spread was 10' drop a FULL load it squished it to 10'2"

I used the axle dump a little differently I use to load 43,000 over the splits and when hitting the scales dump little air as I rolled over with the spread it would shift the weight enough that when I flipped the air back on the second axle of the split would be 19 & change making it appear that I was legal when in fact I was around 3000 lbs over on the split. I had a problem with weight on my Pete with the 1693 cat the front axle was ALWAYS heavy but running the I 5 corridor there were NO HILLS!!!! relatively speaking.

A driver really had to watch making tight turns with the spread it was not uncommon to peel the tires off the tire bead on the split.

I used to roll the steers up against the front edge of the scales in Virginia just enough to take a thousand off or so......especially if I was full of fuel. That truck carried 300 gallons so you had to watch it when trying to haul a full 50,000 lb payload....

Then when I went to the spread axle trailer most of those issues went away....best thing ever invented in my opinion....

 

[mwilson]

I see that they allow 400 lbs for an APU, have heard talk that they might increase that allowance....

 

[MarkEagleUSA]

jig and frig

Is that a technical term?

 

[mwilson]

Is that a technical term?

More like "Forum Friendly"......

 

[TFucili]

It's a lot like "ruching around" in the Pennsylvania Dutch dialect...

 

[BIGNASTY]

No argument there, but with enough ice on the ground it can be hard to tell....the worst chance for frozen brakes for me was when doing drop and hooks. The guy that dropped it would never dry the damn brakes out....just lock the maxis, drop the landing gear and go. When I hooked onto it several hours later at below zero temps there would always be at least one set froze solid.....

When staying with the same trailer I would lightly apply the trailer brakes using the trolly handle a couple miles away from where I planned on stopping to dry the shoes and drums out..( a real issue when running in snow or rain) and then park using only the truck maxis. By the time the air went down enough to apply the trailer brakes they would be all dry and cold.

I was in the shop one day and the wrench asked me if I could back out one our new trucks and put it on the line. Being a Brand New truck I was happy to see how things have changed. I was looking around in the cab I KNEW SOMETHING WAS MISSING ??????? I just couldn't put a finger on it. The wrench said HEY "R" and the BEEP, BEEP IS WHAT YOU WANT TO SEE & HEAR. I said "F" You something is missing :-laf AHHHHHH I FOUND IT THERES NO HAND VALVE!!!!!!

 

[mwilson]

I was in the shop one day and the wrench asked me if I could back out one our new trucks and put it on the line. Being a Brand New truck I was happy to see how things have changed. I was looking around in the cab I KNEW SOMETHING WAS MISSING ??????? I just couldn't put a finger on it. The wrench said HEY "R" and the BEEP, BEEP IS WHAT YOU WANT TO SEE & HEAR. I said "F" You something is missing :-laf AHHHHHH I FOUND IT THERES NO HAND VALVE!!!!!!

As I have said on here in the past....I would NOT drive a semi without a hand valve....I can't even see how that is even allowed but I too have seen fleet tractors without one.....NO Way, NO How.......... not this boy....

 

[TFucili]

As I have said on here in the past....I would NOT drive a semi without a hand valve....I can't even see how that is even allowed but I too have seen fleet tractors without one.....NO Way, NO How.......... not this boy....

Yes, we had this very conversation a few months ago, Mike. We got a delivery, and it was a brand new tractor, so I jumped up on the tank and peered in the window. "Where's the trolley brake?", I asked, and the driver pointed to a little lever on the center stack of the dash. I told him if TSHTF the last thing I want to be doing is scanning the dash for that little lever. Clearly stuff designed by people who have never driven a truck, and certainly not in slippery conditions.

 

[BIGNASTY]

. Clearly stuff designed by people who have never driven a truck,.

HEY DON'T SAY THAT TO LOUD!!!

Not so much "designed" but Driven thats what this company pays me Quite Handsomely for as a Safety/Driver Recruiter Supervisor that drove & actually did this job successfully

 

[mwilson]

While digging up info for another thread I stumbled onto a Western Star Operators Manual...

Here you go, 178 pages of gauges, switches and various shift patterns.....

Questions...bring 'em on....

https://secure.freightliner.com/new...er's Manuals/western star driver's manual.pdf

 

[BIGNASTY]

I had this post in my thoughts as I was getting ready to climb under a truck EARY THIS MORNING to get one of MY DRIVERS unstuck going into a station to pass gas.
I have made at LEAST one guy PO'd with one or more of my NON Managerial Comments in a Managers Meeting about 'Who the " F " ordered theses trucks with TAG AXLES, Automatics???

All the other managers in the meeting looked at this guy that obviously had never driven anything bigger than the BMW he so proudly owns. When he asked if & what is the problem with them? The Truck-driver in me just couldn't be restrained from asking him to recount his latest harrowing experience in Trucks LARGER THAN THE YARD GATOR.

1st Tag Axles what the hell is that about? your concerned about weight? we don't fill the front compartment of the trailer with the 3500 gal capacity EVER!!!
2 ond Automatics ??? personally I don't want to drive them in snow and NEVER IN ICEY conditions a unexpected down shift the driver will me tasting cotton and naugahyde from the seat recital end first!!

just before getting under the truck a driver of a wrecker came and gave me some of these traction devices pictured. they worked really well, which cost me a breakfast and coffee to pay him for saving me.

I have a question that puzzeled me, some of the Tags are in the front position of the tandem some are in the rear position WHAT GIVES???

http://www.qvc.com/Snow-Joe-Auto-Track-Assist-Car-Traction.product.V34349.html They make them in larger sizes for trucks sorry I'm dicking around with this off my NOT SO SMART PHONE and can't get the picture to transfer to my laptop

 

[mwilson]

I have a question that puzzeled me, some of the Tags are in the front position of the tandem some are in the rear position WHAT GIVES???

Weight distribution, type of body, turn radius, wheelbase, etc...

On a Dump Truck you don't want to tip that body up and have all of the weight transfer to a tag axle so the "Pusher Tag" is favored...quite common now for the axle to be a self steer style as well to reduce tire scrubbing when loaded.
I don't like the "Pusher Tag" style as they are in the way when trying to work under the truck and they can also fetch you up in deep snow or mud...also notice the first axle shown has a drop down in the center to clear the truck's drive line and is non steerable...

The second axle shown is a self steer model and has the axle low enough to pass under the drive shaft...

 

[mwilson]

Longer wheelbase trucks will have the tag behind the drives, it can be lifted to ease tire scrubbing when loaded. Tags of either style add a complete extra axle worth of braking power as well...

 

[mwilson]

So what product does this truck haul where 5 rows of E-Track are sometimes needed.....

 

[TFucili]

Nice Superdog!