"Heavy Haulage through the years"

[newmercman]

pv83:

newmercman:
The flip axle is a typically American method of doing things, as in it makes little sense! It basically converts a tandem into a triaxle, so does add versatility and I’m sure that it should be flipped when running off the interstate when empty on some roads in some states as technically a 48’ trailer is as long as you can go, there’s no way to flip it manually without a crane/forklift and therefore mine stays on the floor.

Patrick is correct about the shims to get it sitting level and load equalization is done through the load sensing system of the trailer itself, it can be a lot of messing about, but that is this job in a nutshell, no two states or provinces have the same rules and they seem to change with the weather too, each load requires a permit and three trucks can load the same thing, in the same place for the same destination and each get a different route to take.

A sat nav is a complete waste of time, as the routing you get conflicts with it and you’re constantly being told to make a U turn. My last trip was 1900 miles give or take according to Garmin, in reality it was 2600 miles on the odometer. All because of the routing specified in my permits.

Finally, the reflective red and white D sign is used in Ontario to allow night time running, but then only on dual carriageways and when the weather is clear, if you need the wipers on, you have to get off the road asap. The do’s and don’ts on this job are like the complete set of the Encyclopedia Brittanica!

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The “messing about” and “that’s the job in a nutshell” comments are very familiar NMM [emoji38] Still, that’s part of the fun isn’t it, I wouldn’t do owt else if I’m honest… not that I’m qualified to do owt else as some on here might say…

Cheers for the info mate, seems it’s a bit like in Europe, every country has got their own legislations, sometimes it’s even different from one county to another (Germany).

That’s right Patrick, overcoming all the challenges in the oversize world is extremely rewarding. I’m new to the game, but I’ve found my happy place.

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[spardo]

newmercman:
That’s right Patrick, overcoming all the challenges in the oversize world is extremely rewarding. I’m new to the game, but I’ve found my happy place.

I agree entirely, if I wasn’t so old and someone wanted to tempt me back to lorries, the only thing which would do it would be long, high, wide or heavy. The most challenging episode of my career.

[newmercman]

David, I would like to work my way up the ladder in this game, not to the super move stage, that’s not realistic with your own equipment, but my truck could easily cope with 9/10 axle work with little modification. It would only require regearing and I could swap both diffs for less than $10k.

As I said I’m really enjoying it, to be honest I’ve taken to it like a duck to water, that’s according to the boss of the company that I pull for. It was quite interesting how I started, I called them and said, I’ve got a truck, haven’t secured a load for ten years and have never pulled a load loader in my life, but I’m not completely stupid and I have a significant investment in my truck, which I wouldn’t risk by trying to do something I wasn’t 100% sure I could do. I was asked when I could start!

That it was so easy was because of another English bloke already there, that was unaware of my interest in the job. The boss man recognized that our experiences operating trucks back home and running over the water were similar, not the same as we did different jobs to different places, but the fundamentals were the same, so he knew I wouldn’t be a complete disaster and would be less likely to cause them headaches than some of the other English lads they have that didn’t have our experience, that’s a polite way of saying I wouldn’t be a moaner that was constantly on the phone asking how to do this, how to do that.

So far I’ve lived up to that, although I have asked plenty of questions, but not to the office, I’ve skipped the monkeys and gone straight to the organ grinder, a couple of the lads there have been really helpful and I’ve learned a lot in a short time. It’s nice to be part of a section of trucking where the drivers still help each other out.

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[spardo]

newmercman:
David, I would like to work my way up the ladder in this game, not to the super move stage, that’s not realistic with your own equipment, but my truck could easily cope with 9/10 axle work with little modification. It would only require regearing and I could swap both diffs for less than $10k.

As I said I’m really enjoying it, to be honest I’ve taken to it like a duck to water, that’s according to the boss of the company that I pull for. It was quite interesting how I started, I called them and said, I’ve got a truck, haven’t secured a load for ten years and have never pulled a load loader in my life, but I’m not completely stupid and I have a significant investment in my truck, which I wouldn’t risk by trying to do something I wasn’t 100% sure I could do. I was asked when I could start!

That it was so easy was because of another English bloke already there, that was unaware of my interest in the job. The boss man recognized that our experiences operating trucks back home and running over the water were similar, not the same as we did different jobs to different places, but the fundamentals were the same, so he knew I wouldn’t be a complete disaster and would be less likely to cause them headaches than some of the other English lads they have that didn’t have our experience, that’s a polite way of saying I wouldn’t be a moaner that was constantly on the phone asking how to do this, how to do that.

So far I’ve lived up to that, although I have asked plenty of questions, but not to the office, I’ve skipped the monkeys and gone straight to the organ grinder, a couple of the lads there have been really helpful and I’ve learned a lot in a short time. It’s nice to be part of a section of trucking where the drivers still help each other out.

Half the battle is enjoying what you are doing and the thinking that goes into solving a particular problem or avoiding it altogether. I got a start with multiple trailers merely by taking a bus 200 miles south from Darwin and walking into Buntine’s yard the next morning.

That stood me in good stead later when, back in England I went down to Econofreight’s depot in Leicester and asked for a job. Geoff, then the 2nd in command, said, ‘you do realise that our loads are very long, very high or very wide and often very heavy, don’t you?’ To which I replied ‘I think hauling 3 trailers 300 miles over rough tracks full of cows and looking after myself if things go wrong is a fair apprenticeship, isn’t it?’ And he agreed. The next few years were the most enjoyable, mostly long and heavy, happily not much wide (I hate not being able to see down the sides through my mirrors ), and an easy going atmosphere that allowed me to take my 12 year old son along in his holidays as ‘2nd man’ , I only packed it in because, itchy feet again, I wanted to travel further which meant into Europe.

I wish you well and look forward to re-living in part, along with the rest of this thread, your further adventures.

[deanb]

One for Patrick.

[newmercman]

I bet that gave the driver a kick up the arse every time it went over a bump, although it would be a small price to pay to hear the Detroit screaming it’s nuts off.

Anyone know what kind of gearing those Crusaders had? I’m assuming it was similar to the Constructors with a torque converter? Also, what did it haul around that needed a 4axle Jeep? Surely it wasn’t a tank?

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[dig]

newmercman:
I bet that gave the driver a kick up the arse every time it went over a bump, although it would be a small price to pay to hear the Detroit screaming it’s nuts off.

Anyone know what kind of gearing those Crusaders had? I’m assuming it was similar to the Constructors with a torque converter? Also, what did it haul around that needed a 4axle Jeep? Surely it wasn’t a tank?

The 2 Crusaders we had for road train operation here in Northern Western Aus both had 8V71 bird scarer Detriots set at 318hp with 15 speed overdrive Roadangers but the first one had Maudslay rear axles with hub reduction and the second had the heavy Leyland axles with Hub reduction similar to the Super Hippo spec a far better set up.i forget the ratios but the first truck did 60mph at 2100rpm the second did 53mph.
Both were reasonably comfortable to operate but needed air deflectors set in front of the doors to stop the dust from entering the cabs.
Dig

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[erf-ngc-european]

newmercman:
I bet that gave the driver a kick up the arse every time it went over a bump, although it would be a small price to pay to hear the Detroit screaming it’s nuts off.

Anyone know what kind of gearing those Crusaders had? I’m assuming it was similar to the Constructors with a torque converter? Also, what did it haul around that needed a 4axle Jeep? Surely it wasn’t a tank?

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Standard 'box on the 6x4s with the Rolls 305 in was the 15-speed Fuller. Robert

[pv83]

DEANB:
One for Patrick.

0

Cheers Dean! Quite the sight to wake up to! Erm… coat…

You’ve got to have a Rolls engine in them Crusaders NMM, those Detroit’s suited the FTF’s better IMHO

Just out of curiosity… and hopefully it doesn’t cause a ■■■■■■■■■ amongst the “elderly and more experienced” ones on here… but was the Crusader available with a Allison 'box as well?

[pete_smith]

pv83:

DEANB:
One for Patrick.

0

Cheers Dean! Quite the sight to wake up to! Erm… coat…

You’ve got to have a Rolls engine in them Crusaders NMM, those Detroit’s suited the FTF’s better IMHO

Just out of curiosity… and hopefully it doesn’t cause a [zb] amongst the “elderly and more experienced” ones on here… but was the Crusader available with a Allison 'box as well?

Why is that, are you looking for a Crusader you could drive?! Anon 1

[pv83]

Spardo:

newmercman:
David, I would like to work my way up the ladder in this game, not to the super move stage, that’s not realistic with your own equipment, but my truck could easily cope with 9/10 axle work with little modification. It would only require regearing and I could swap both diffs for less than $10k.

As I said I’m really enjoying it, to be honest I’ve taken to it like a duck to water, that’s according to the boss of the company that I pull for. It was quite interesting how I started, I called them and said, I’ve got a truck, haven’t secured a load for ten years and have never pulled a load loader in my life, but I’m not completely stupid and I have a significant investment in my truck, which I wouldn’t risk by trying to do something I wasn’t 100% sure I could do. I was asked when I could start!

That it was so easy was because of another English bloke already there, that was unaware of my interest in the job. The boss man recognized that our experiences operating trucks back home and running over the water were similar, not the same as we did different jobs to different places, but the fundamentals were the same, so he knew I wouldn’t be a complete disaster and would be less likely to cause them headaches than some of the other English lads they have that didn’t have our experience, that’s a polite way of saying I wouldn’t be a moaner that was constantly on the phone asking how to do this, how to do that.

So far I’ve lived up to that, although I have asked plenty of questions, but not to the office, I’ve skipped the monkeys and gone straight to the organ grinder, a couple of the lads there have been really helpful and I’ve learned a lot in a short time. It’s nice to be part of a section of trucking where the drivers still help each other out.

Half the battle is enjoying what you are doing and the thinking that goes into solving a particular problem or avoiding it altogether. I got a start with multiple trailers merely by taking a bus 200 miles south from Darwin and walking into Buntine’s yard the next morning.

That stood me in good stead later when, back in England I went down to Econofreight’s depot in Leicester and asked for a job. Geoff, then the 2nd in command, said, ‘you do realise that our loads are very long, very high or very wide and often very heavy, don’t you?’ To which I replied ‘I think hauling 3 trailers 300 miles over rough tracks full of cows and looking after myself if things go wrong is a fair apprenticeship, isn’t it?’ And he agreed. The next few years were the most enjoyable, mostly long and heavy, happily not much wide (I hate not being able to see down the sides through my mirrors ), and an easy going atmosphere that allowed me to take my 12 year old son along in his holidays as ‘2nd man’ , I only packed it in because, itchy feet again, I wanted to travel further which meant into Europe.

I wish you well and look forward to re-living in part, along with the rest of this thread, your further adventures.

As long as you enjoy and you’re fairly good at it, keep doing it NMM, I realise this job isn’t everyone’s cuppa, but I wouldn’t do sommat else… not that I’m capable of doing sommat else that is, mind… as some “elderly and more experienced” gents on here are more than willing to say…

Wide loads Spardo, that’s where the fun starts mate I was never chuffed about high loads (did one the other week to France, running at 4.75m) because at some points you just can’t properly see if it’s going to fit or not by just looking in the mirrors.
Liked doing the long loads too, did the odd job with windmill blades, quite challenging at times but it is amazing what you can achieve with modern equipment.

As for “newbies” on the job, I’m always willing to help, but I can sniff out the ones who are not going to get it or the ones that are just full of bull crap.

[pv83]

pete smith:

pv83:

DEANB:
One for Patrick.

0

Cheers Dean! Quite the sight to wake up to! Erm… coat…

You’ve got to have a Rolls engine in them Crusaders NMM, those Detroit’s suited the FTF’s better IMHO

Just out of curiosity… and hopefully it doesn’t cause a [zb] amongst the “elderly and more experienced” ones on here… but was the Crusader available with a Allison 'box as well?

Why is that, are you looking for a Crusader you could drive?! Anon 1

Right… here we go…

[erf-ngc-european]

pv83:

pete smith:

pv83:

DEANB:
One for Patrick.

0

Cheers Dean! Quite the sight to wake up to! Erm… coat…

You’ve got to have a Rolls engine in them Crusaders NMM, those Detroit’s suited the FTF’s better IMHO

Just out of curiosity… and hopefully it doesn’t cause a [zb] amongst the “elderly and more experienced” ones on here… but was the Crusader available with a Allison 'box as well?

Why is that, are you looking for a Crusader you could drive?! Anon 1

Right… here we go…

Hold 'em back at the barriers pv83, while I pacify the masses with a few figures!

Never heard of a Crusader with an Allison 'box but that doesn’t mean none existed. Like I said, the Rolls 305 powered 6x4s had the Fuller RTO 915 (15-sp) boxes, as did the Detroit 8V71-powered equivalent. The 4x2 with the Rolls 220 had a Fuller RTO 610 (10-sp); and the 4x2 with the Rolls 280 had a Fuller RTO 9509A (9-sp) box. The 6x4 ‘Amazon’ version had the beefier RTO 12515. Cheers!

Robert

[pete_smith]

Patrick,
You will have to save up for a Commander as they had Allisons fitted, good luck with your diesel bill though!

[pv83]

Hold 'em back at the barriers pv83, while I pacify the masses with a few figures!

Never heard of a Crusader with an Allison 'box but that doesn’t mean none existed. Like I said, the Rolls 305 powered 6x4s had the Fuller RTO 915 (15-sp) boxes, as did the Detroit 8V71-powered equivalent. The 4x2 with the Rolls 220 had a Fuller RTO 610 (10-sp); and the 4x2 with the Rolls 280 had a Fuller RTO 9509A (9-sp) box. The 6x4 ‘Amazon’ version had the beefier RTO 12515. Cheers!

Robert
[/quote]
Cheers Robert! But as you say, it wouldn’t surprise me if the likes of Heanor made some “home improvements”…

[pv83]

pete smith:
Patrick,
You will have to save up for a Commander as they had Allisons fitted, good luck with your diesel bill though!

I’ll use the fuel card of the guvnor mate, he won’t notice the difference… I hope…

[oiltreader]

Various.
Oily

[newmercman]

ERF-NGC-European:

pv83:

pete smith:

pv83:

DEANB:
One for Patrick.

0

Cheers Dean! Quite the sight to wake up to! Erm… coat…

You’ve got to have a Rolls engine in them Crusaders NMM, those Detroit’s suited the FTF’s better IMHO

Just out of curiosity… and hopefully it doesn’t cause a [zb] amongst the “elderly and more experienced” ones on here… but was the Crusader available with a Allison 'box as well?

Why is that, are you looking for a Crusader you could drive?! Anon 1

Right… here we go… [emoji38]

Hold 'em back at the barriers pv83, while I pacify the masses with a few figures!

Never heard of a Crusader with an Allison 'box but that doesn’t mean none existed. Like I said, the Rolls 305 powered 6x4s had the Fuller RTO 915 (15-sp) boxes, as did the Detroit 8V71-powered equivalent. The 4x2 with the Rolls 220 had a Fuller RTO 610 (10-sp); and the 4x2 with the Rolls 280 had a Fuller RTO 9509A (9-sp) box. The 6x4 ‘Amazon’ version had the beefier RTO 12515. Cheers!

Robert

I always thought the ones with the twin snorkel air stacks were Detroit powered. And it’s not beyond the realms of possibility (in Leatherhead at least) that the Military or export versions could have used the Silver 92 AATC or whatever it was called, they could pump out 475hp rather than the puny 318hp of the 8V71.

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[newmercman]

Oh and that Rawcliffe Globetrotter looks the mutt’s nuts, in my mind those F12/16 Globetrotters are the best looking 6x4 heavy haul unit ever, especially the Heanor ones with the big bumper.

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[deanb]

pv83:
Hold 'em back at the barriers pv83, while I pacify the masses with a few figures!

Never heard of a Crusader with an Allison 'box but that doesn’t mean none existed. Like I said, the Rolls 305 powered 6x4s had the Fuller RTO 915 (15-sp) boxes, as did the Detroit 8V71-powered equivalent. The 4x2 with the Rolls 220 had a Fuller RTO 610 (10-sp); and the 4x2 with the Rolls 280 had a Fuller RTO 9509A (9-sp) box. The 6x4 ‘Amazon’ version had the beefier RTO 12515. Cheers!

Robert

Cheers Robert! But as you say, it wouldn’t surprise me if the likes of Heanor made some “home improvements”…
[/quote]
Never mind the Crusader Patrick how about buying this proper Scammell ! The mighty contractor is for sale for £14,500 ex Pickfords on ebay.