Trailer Life

[lizzyhermit]

the Oct. 2002 issue of Trailer Life has nice short spread on the new trucks. But, ya gotta love the picture that accompanies the article. A new 3500 DRW with a gooseneck flatbed trailer carrying an F-350 crew cab dually 4x4.

Bet the Blue Oval boys loved that !

 

[DavidC]

At least they did not pull it out of a lake.

 

[roycrown]

If it is the same photo as in Truck Trend I am glad they put it on the trailer backwards so you don't have to look at the butt-ugly Ford front end. I am offended by the Asian influenced looks of the F-150, but it looks almost elegant when compared to the F-250/350.

 

[roycrown]

If it is the same photo as in Truck Trend I am glad they put it on the trailer backwards so you don't have to look at the butt-ugly Ford front end. I am offended by the Asian influenced looks of the F-150, but it looks almost elegant when compared to the F-250/350.

 

[Steve M]

I wish I had a clear picture of that setup. But what really caught my attention in the Trailer Life rag was the Tundra. For over $32k you get a mid sized truck with a useless back seat, cramped front seats, an aluminum gas engine, and from the Japanese automotive leaders... "rear drum brakes"! But on the bright side it does get 14. 7mpg emtpy highway and a whopping 9mpg towing and asphalt crushing 3420 lbs! And it was able to maintain 60mph in second gear at 4200rpm lugging that beast up a 6% grade. And to think I squandered $28k on my CTD when I could have had all that for more $... My 5th wheel at 7,000~ lbs is a lightweight for the Cummins. I'd love to lash it up to the Tundra and head for the mountains! It's rated to tow 7100 lbs!!!

Ok, I feel better! Oo.

 

[roycrown]

Toyota's advertising account must be huge, I have noticed for the past couple of years the magazines have been have been contantly attempting to one-up each other in their praise for this Asian Attrocity.

 

[DHawthorne]

Had a guy at the shop some time ago with one of them Tundras. He was telling me how good they were and all the BS you see on TV. I had a big piece of anchor chain (2 1/8") 90ft long, picked on end up and asked him to hook it up to his hitch. He said, for want? I said, I was going to hook it to my truck and we would see if the Tundra could even straighten the chain out off the ground before I pulled him to the canal. He just got in his so called truck and hit the bricks after he said his truck was really fast. I told him fast don't get it in the working world.



Dave

 

[RThompson]

A few tech columns in 'Trailer Life" about the only thing worth looking at. Articles on trailers and pickups are just not worth the time to read. Have yet to read anything negative in their road tests.

 

[Steve M]

You won't read any negativity in their road tests. They're very polite and subtle about it. But they told it like it is with the almighty TUNDRA and their lack of enthusiasm was noticable. A member on the TL forums told me his Tundra was "light years ahead of my Dodge in all respects". Yet the TUNDRA is still running drums in the rear? I think it's all hype and people actually fall for it. But, we know better!

 

[JRG]

Disc vs. Drum

Sometimes I still think Drums are better, for one thing Drums have much more friction area.



Why don't semis run with Discs? Just my . 02



JRG

 

[stg2500]

Doctored Picture??

Has anyone else looked at the above mentioned picture from Truck Trend or Trailer Life and wonder if that picture had been modified. If you look at the front of the trailer where it goes up to the hitch isn't the front of the trailer covering the back of the truck behind the fenders for the training wheels?:--) I guess you can't take a lot of turns when you have a gooseneck connected to the 3rd generation trucks? I was studying the new body style and realized that i could not see any daylight between the front of the trailer and back of the truck.

 

[Steve M]

I don't know why big rigs don't run discs. Trains do.



http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/vrtc/ca/HeavyTruck.htm



It looks like the big rigs might soon be running disc brakes to improve thier braking performance also.