Old truckers manifest yourself

[Assurancetourix]

2 minutes ago, NightSky said:

 

yaaaawwnnn

 

lol

 

sorry couldn't resist, I'm sure its a pleasant pass time ????

When this has been your job most of your life, which is my case ..
I cycle almost every day; I photograph a lot of things, animals, and of course trucks and coaches ...

[NightSky]

4 minutes ago, Assurancetourix said:

When this has been your job most of your life, which is my case ..
I cycle almost every day; I photograph a lot of things, animals, and of course trucks and coaches ...

dont listen to me - you get yourself out there fella and go photo the heck out of those Renaults..

 

(Whatever jerks your chain ????)

 

Edited March 30, 2020 by NightSky

[Assurancetourix]

I stopped in 1971 when I was driving a Chausson coach on the Rennes - Fougeres line.
Seeing that I was going to vegetate long years without being able to go on nice trips, I quickly left this company to go to the neighbor one; there was only a chain link fence between the two companies.
and there, I made a lot of trips all over France at the wheel of a beautiful Saviem E7 long (12 m long, 240 CV, 6 syncho speeds;
at the time the speed was limited to 90 km / h for coaches.
This E7 saviem could roll much faster.
The only ticket in my life was at the wheel of this one:
128 km / h on the 4-lane road in Lorient and Vannes (department 56 in France) and 25% of my salary less; it makes you think ...
At the time we did not withdraw points from the license because the points license did not exist ????

 

Photo from internet 

http://www.encyclautomobile.fr/fr/encyclauto/automobile/saviem/e7.html

 

 

 

Edited March 30, 2020 by Assurancetourix

[Olmate]

15 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

Memories. You've reminded me of when a mining engineer at Goldsworthy parked his pickup in the wrong place, and a Haulpak reversed over it. Reduced it to about a foot high. The driver of the Haulpak said he felt a slight bump.

At Mt. Tom Price, in the early stages, the dump trucks were coming down a slope from the mine workings. Drivers were instructed to bail out if they got above 5 km/hr, because the brakes wouldn't hold them.

Of course next step on many sites now trucks are driverless ,fully automated, controlled from Perth.Scary thought!

[Assurancetourix]

22 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

At Mt. Tom Price, in the early stages, the dump trucks were coming down a slope from the mine workings. Drivers were instructed to bail out if they got above 5 km/hr, because the brakes wouldn't hold them.

When you drive this type of truck under load, you never use your brakes on a descent;
if necessary we drive first or even extra-slow when it exists.
How did the Italian truckers who drive what we call "millipedes" these four-axle trucks and four-axle trailers which sometimes transported almost a hundred tonnes of goods.
They climbed the Bologna - Firenze motorway on the first speed ( about 5 km/h ) and descended on the same speed without ever touching their brake pedal;
in addition they had the steering wheel on the right while driving on the right.
it allowed them to drive by opening their door and comfortably reading the daily newspaper ...

[canthai55]

56 minutes ago, Nyezhov said:

Ever see them use weed burners to heat up a frozen engine?

We call them Tiger Torchs. Every truck in the winter carries one, along with 2 or 3 20lb propane bottles.

[Assurancetourix]

1 minute ago, canthai55 said:

We call them Tiger Torchs. Every truck in the winter carries one, along with 2 or 3 20lb propane bottles.

I never knew the extreme temperatures by which you rolled;
but in winter by going up the road which leads to the tunnel under the Mt Blanc the road was often icy, it was necessary to put the chains to be able to go up;
and of course remove them to roll in the tunnel;
and sometimes put them back on the other side 
To return to extreme temperatures, the Volvo F89 that I drove for three and a half years between 1973 and 1976 was equipped with an integrated "Start Pilot"; there was a small chain to pull, we activated the starter
the tractor quickly started up in a cloud of black smoke;
we went down quickly to put the chain back in its place ...
It was behind the small removable plate at the bottom of the grille.

[Justgrazing]

MAN TGX 8x4 Special Category push/pull unit for exceptional loads .. 

 

[Justgrazing]

M B Actros 8x4 SP Cat' unit hauling a rather large pipe .. 

 

[Assurancetourix]

I hope you are kind enough to only post personal photos.
This is also what I do except when I cannot do otherwise, and in this specific case, I always quote the site from which the photo comes.
thank you for your understanding .

[canthai55]

Not my wreck - but driver working for the same company.

Tractor brand new. Left Whitehorse end January. Happened March.

Loaded Super B. Flopped right in front of Environment Canada, who is responsible for spill cleanup. So not far to go to make a report. 555

$2.5 Million clean-up

[VocalNeal]

16 hours ago, Assurancetourix said:

I've driven something similar. Family business.

I was very young and previous insurance history precluded me from continuing to help out!

Stock Picture.

[Daffy D]

Wanna see some real truckers, watch "Outback Truckers" TV Series.

 

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=outback+truckers+full+episodes

 

 

[Jitar]

On 3/30/2020 at 7:45 PM, Justgrazing said:

I think in part is that the truck's and trailers used in Thailand are built to a price rather than standards and one of the reasons you don't see too many European motive units like Scania , Mercedes , MAN , Renault etc on the road as they are overly more expensive to produce in complying with higher European standards by being fitted with airbag suspension , lighter wheel rims , long range fuel tanks , air tanks made of aluminium etc which all contributes to a lower unladen weight making them more fuel efficient .. Units I see a lot of in Thailand like Hino , Isuzu , Nissan along with some of the more recent Chinese trucks all stick with heavy steel road springs , heavy steel wheel rims along with a lot of bracket's , stays , anchor's and other stuff that is needed to put a truck together whereby the likes of Mercedes and MAN will for example manufacture the cab step , the exhaust stack steady bars etc from aluminium and so on .. All this put together gives European trucks a lower ULW which means then they can haul more cargo upto their Max loaded weight .. And when you move that upto multi axle rigids the potential difference in weight becomes even greater .. 

Ditto trailers here , heavy dump trailers are often heavy gauge steel and wood while articulated heavy trailers again run steel springs , rims , bracketry .. 

CNG conversions ( the 6 sometimes 8 torpedo looking tubes stacked behind the cab ) that you see on a lot of motive units in the Kingdom also contribute to a greater ULW as does the use of double drive rear axle configurations or 6x4 for motorway and trunking work .. Not only is a drive axle heavy in weight increasing the ULW the drag thru' it's differential and wheel bearings not to mention chewing the tyres up maneuvering all add upto increased fuel consumption .. 

Truck configurations vary between countries partly because of differences in regulations, local costs and conditions.  European trucks suit Europe but are not necessarily better for Thailand.  

 

Truck legal weight limits are higher and are not enforced as strictly in Thailand compared to many countries.  E.G. an 8x4 truck with 3 axle dog trailer is allowed 58t GVM, which is often exceeded in practice.  

 

6x4 tractors are common in Thailand as well as other countries because they offer better GVM than 4x2 tractors when combined with correct trailers.  I don't know EU regs well but it seems 5 and 6 axle semi trailers get similar GVM limits in some countries.  This is not the case in Thailand so there is no efficiency benefit with 4x2 tractors except for lower GVM ratings.  

 

Aluminium components, air suspensions, super single tyres etc. are less common in Thailand because the benefit does not offset the cost for most trucks.  E.G. Thai axle load limit for dual tyres is too high for super singles but load limit for axles with 2  single tyres is too low.  Air suspension and load sharing etc get no benefit under Thai regulations.  

 

Truck companies are generally pragmatic, and go for the lowest cost solution.  Isuzu and Hino dominate with over 80% of the heavy truck market because they focus on light but cheap and simple trucks to suit the majority.  Some of the European trucks are available but only Volvo and Scania have any real scale.  These only suit a small sector of the market because they are more expensive to buy and maintain.  When specified to suit the Thai regs, they are not necessarily lower tare weight and do not offer much productivity benefit.  

 

Edited April 2, 2020 by Jitar

[canthai55]

I have never heard a Jake Brake on a truck over here.

Or any other type of retarder.

Explains the sorry state of the roads - 40+ C, downhill, pump the brakes, push up the asphalt, repeat.

Aussies calls it corrugations - Canucks calls it washboard

Been caught out on this riding the HD. Damn near bucked me off.

[Assurancetourix]

17 minutes ago, Jitar said:

Some of the European trucks are available but only Volvo and Scania have any real scale.  These only suit a small sector of the market because they are more expensive to buy and maintain. 

These trucks are mounted in Thailand in the immense industrial zone of Rayong;
that's why we see a lot.
We are also starting to see a lot of IVECO because this company has set up a joint venture with a very large Chinese company in China.
They are therefore made in China.

 

 

 

 

and then we also start to see new Mercedes.
A Thai TV channel has a few Actros and a wealthy Laotian road boss also has a few, unless they simply belong to the Laotian state.

 

An old Mercedes, maybe 30 y old 

 

 

 

 

I saw a Renault with a military registration.

 

 

 

 

More expensive to buy, it's possible;
on the other hand as regards the solidity and the maintenance, if the driver is conscientious, these vehicles , Volvo & Scania ,  can reach without any problem the million km

 

 

 

 

[Assurancetourix]

30 minutes ago, canthai55 said:

I have never heard a Jake Brake on a truck over here.

Or any other type of retarder.

Explains the sorry state of the roads - 40+ C, downhill, pump the brakes, push up the asphalt, repeat.

Aussies calls it corrugations - Canucks calls it washboard

Been caught out on this riding the HD. Damn near bucked me off.

By cons I have already heard the characteristic noise of the use of a retarder on exhaust.

 

But the best is of course the electromagnetic retarder, especially if it is installed as it was the case in the first company in which I have driven semi-trailers, on a false bridge installed on the last axle of our semi-trailers.
It could therefore be used in any atmospheric condition, rain, snow, ice;
You still had to go no further than the 2 * position on a wet road when you were driving empty, otherwise the trailer will lose grip;
but at the time the trailer brake was not limited in pressure;
now this brake is called a reset brake with a much lower pressure than 50 years ago.

When I write pressure I should write depression because a truck or coach air brake works by depression.
If there is no more air in the bottles, the brakes are blocked and prevent the vehicle from moving forward.

 

The modern trucks that we have in Europe all have disc brakes, the "high end" carbon-ceramic as on F1 cars, something I have never seen in Thailand

[Assurancetourix]

In Laos, a poor country among the poorest, they have MAN

 

Photos shot  on road 22 

 

 

 

We're starting to see Mercedes Actros;
photo taken in my city Sawang Daen Din

 

These are not the last Actros; these no longer have exterior mirrors, they are replaced by cameras

 

 

 

 

Edited April 2, 2020 by Assurancetourix

[Assurancetourix]

After this brief overview of European vehicles circulating in Thailand; I will tell you about the different vehicles that I have driven since 1973.
(from 71 to the end of 72 I drove buses of line then tourism)

In January 1973 I entered a transporter in Rennes, Brittany, whose specialty was: tank semi-trailer to supply Shell service stations in the department.
My first set is magnificent; but when you’re 24 you don’t realize it.
my tractor is a Scania-Vabis L75 or L76, I don't really remember!
I know that it is a long nose and that the gears are happening in an acrobatic way because you have to let go of the steering wheel to use the long lever which allows you to switch the half gears;
and yes, there are two levers; one next to the other, be careful not to pinch your fingers! , one for normal speeds and the second to switch to higher half speed (or lower when downshifting)

 

I don't have any more photos from this distant era, but WiKipedia has, fortunately

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scania-Vabis_L75

 

[canthai55]

No fotos, but owned the following ...

Mine a 1979 but very similar except mine black

C3406 mechanical injection, 18 speed main, 4 speed aux.

[Lancashirelad]

Hi guys. I have been driving trucks in the UK on & off, part-time, since 1991. My association with trucks and interest in haulage goes back to the mid 80's when I had 2 friends who were both artic owner-drivers. I had numerous trips to Europe with them including down to Rome in 1986. (Over the Genoa viaduct that collapsed in 2018) That trip was in an almost 10 year old Volvo F10. I did some driving in Italy whilst running up to Padova empty for reload. (no HGV licence!)

Shortly after that trip he went to Sicily and wanted me to go, I was too busy, but have since always regretted not taking the opportunity.

I had my own Scania 112 unit for a short time in 1999.

I've driven (mostly cars) in 14 different countries including Thailand and the Philippines

 

Assurancetourix, It is right what you say in post #10, there were a lot of accidents in those days. Quite a few went over the side of the Blanc coming down the French side. (No patience to stay in low gear).

I was sorry to read you lost all your old photos.

 

Any of you who did Europe and/or the Middle East in the 70's and 80's there are 2 Facebook  groups you might find interesting (lots of great photoc) 1. 'Old school European drivers reminiscing' . 2. 'Astran trucks and Middle East driving'. Both have lots of great photos.

 

Canthai55 Great pics. Did you have much trouble with brakes freezing on?

 

Snow Leopard: Do you remember Geoffrey Reyner Transport from Manchester?

 

My late friend Arthur Gardner with his F10 in Frosinone Italy 1986

Edited April 18, 2020 by Lancashirelad
typo

[canthai55]

3 hours ago, Lancashirelad said:

Canthai55 Great pics. Did you have much trouble with brakes freezing on?

Use brake line antifreeze.

All air lines on tractor and trailers purged of moisture in shop before departing.

Tractor had a 'sniffer' installed - canister in the delivery side downstream from the

compressor where a small amount was added at each brake application.

But proper techniques was to use brakes only to bring the rig to a complete stop.

Other than using the 'Spike' to straighten out the trailers if you got sliding or the pup stepped out.

 

[Assurancetourix]

7 hours ago, canthai55 said:

or the pup stepped out

I did not know this English expression.
With us, in France, the puppy is called a mother-in-law or a suitcase

When the suitcase is found in your cabin it is high time to pray;
other expression,: to be passed by the stepmother ..

It never happened to me;
on the first semi-trailor I drove ( 1973-1975 ) I had the Telma, the electromagnetic retarder installed on a false bridge mounted on the last axle of my semi-trailor;
usable up to 4 * stud therefore in any atmospheric conditions, rain storm, snow and even ice.

[canthai55]

1 hour ago, Assurancetourix said:

I did not know this English expression.

When pulling Super B, the front trailer is called the lead, the rear trailer is called the pup.

When the pup steps out, it is no longer following behind the lead, but sliding sideways.

Pull the Spike - a hand operated brake lever which works only on the trailers, and they line right back up behind the tractor.

Edited April 19, 2020 by canthai55

[Assurancetourix]

Formerly, in any case when I started to do this job, there was a trailer brake which gave 7 kg of depression; that is to say too much especially if we drove empty because it blocked the wheels.
This trailer brake was removed in the early 80s and replaced by a reset brake which gave only 3 to 4 kg of depression so even when empty, the wheels did not block;

I used it very rarely because on long descents, I drove as I had been taught: never descend at a higher speed than you are climbing;
do like the Italian "centipedes" ( eight axles ) which rolled at 100/120 tonnes with engines of less than 200 HP.
In Italy, on the Bologna - Florence motorway which is in the mountains, these trucks went up in first small to 2 or 3 km / h and went down at the same speed on the same gear without ever touching the brake pedal.

 

With the semi trailor  that I had between 1973 and 1975, I did not respect the Law: going up and down on the same gear.
The Telma electromagnetic retarder was so efficient that I allowed myself to descend at high speed and arrive at the various stages without touching the brake pedal;

only by downshifting the speeds one by one, except of course to stop when I was driving at 4 or 5 km / h.

 

All of this is old, 50 years old and part of the memories.

[Lancashirelad]

Your English is very good monsieur, but just to help the other readers:

 

"kg of depression" Read, kgs of brake force.

 

"Blocked wheels" Read, locked wheels. (Pre-ABS days).

[Assurancetourix]

1 hour ago, Lancashirelad said:

"kg of depression" Read, kgs of brake force.

About my english ?

seven years of study until the baccalaureat then many trips to UK for pleasure and for my work as a trucker;

But as soon as you start speaking in your patois, I don't understand anything any more;
it's the same with your puns;
Fortunately Bluesofa and Colin explain your delirium to me by PM
I have a lot of friends of different nationalities and English is our common language;

 

It’s weird sometimes to speak in English with an Italian while I was  good in this language ........... 40 years ago ,

since I lived in the province of Modena while working as a trucker for my French boss.

With my Vietnamese friends, I generally speak French because they are almost all diplomats or french teachers  in University ( Hue's University, for example )

 

On this post which talks about former truck drivers, I think we all know that air brakes work in depression and not in pressure as you might think when looking at oil brakes like on my MTBike or on a car or a pickup.
It means that when there is no more air in the bottles, the brakes are tight ; it's a security.
Now on modern trucks that exist in Europe, the brakes are disc on both the tractor and the trailer.
So with a pressurized oil system.
I don't know anything about American trucks or those that we can see here in Thailand.
I would have to look into their mechanics to find out ..
There are many technological advances on European trucks; in fact those who come from F1;
carbon / ceramic brakes for example, well before it goes up on high-end sedans

[Daffy D]

This thread has stirred up a few distant half forgotten memories.

 

Some of the big trucks that I drove were the likes of ERF and AEC Mammoth. This was obviously long time ago when you could drive these things on just your car licence. Regulations and checks were almost non existent and speed limits were not a problem as these things could hardly go fast enough to attract any attention.

 

There were no such thing as containers, everything had to be loaded by hand, though some places did have pallets, which made turn round a bit quicker and secured with sheet and rope. Anyone old enough to remember the dolly knot ?

 

And who can forget the traditional British Transport Cafe. There were some great ones round the country where you could get a full English breakfast, big plate overflowing with double everything, couple of junks of farmhouse bread and a big mug of stewed tea.

 

At some of the family run cafes you could get real home made steak and kidney pudding and Shepard's pie and the like.  Unfortunately the motorways killed most of those places off. 

 

Looking back I was barely out of school and it all seemed like great fun but I'm forgetting that these trucks had no luxuries like air suspension or heaters and lashing down a load in the pouring rain couldn't have been much fun. 

 

Later on in life I become a heavy equipment engineer working in Africa and Middle East, now that was fun 
 

[pineapple01]

Boys Third Axle, Jake Brake, Key Gas,Telma Retarder, Enots or Schroder  lines, Tail Lifts, Splitter Boxes,the funny names are endless.

[Assurancetourix]

11 hours ago, Daffy D said:

And who can forget the traditional British Transport Cafe. There were some great ones round the country where you could get a full English breakfast, big plate overflowing with double everything, couple of junks of farmhouse bread and a big mug of stewed tea.

 

At some of the family run cafes you could get real home made steak and kidney pudding and Shepard's pie and the like.  Unfortunately the motorways killed most of those places off. 

I'm not English, you all know that;
I do not remember this type of establishment.
on the other hand I always remember the "services" which were away from the motorways;
there was a part for motorists and another reserved for truckers where we ate very well for much cheaper than in the "cars" part ,with pastries to die for, they were so good.

 

I also remember that you could enter and cross the whole city of London with a 32 ton;
I remember a pub open in the middle of the night, I would be unable to tell you where it is or was, there were dozens of trucks, especially English but not only ( mine from France )  that half stations on the sidewalks and the street and in the establishment a crazy atmosphere

 

It was forty years ago; a whole different era

Edited April 20, 2020 by Assurancetourix