Might be getting some weekend work on milk tankers(artic),Anything i need to look out for or be aware of?
Don’t know for sure or if it’s one of those urban myths, but I heard milk tankers aren’t fitted with baffles?, so watch out for surge and sway.
Very early starts and early starts.
Dont worry about the swill so much, they are normally designed to be full when full if you get my drift
so watch out for surge and sway.
Take corners real easy, no harsh braking and make sure you dont swan neck.
Swan necking is the classic start of a slow roll-over so keep it tidy, keep it slow and easy and keep it as straight as possible and you should be fine.
stevel:
Don’t know for sure or if it’s one of those urban myths, but I heard milk tankers aren’t fitted with baffles?, so watch out for surge and sway.
Pretty sure tankers made after a certain year had to have baffles fitted as standard.
Mothertrucker:
so watch out for surge and sway.
Take corners real easy, no harsh braking and make sure you dont swan neck.
Swan necking is the classic start of a slow roll-over so keep it tidy, keep it slow and easy and keep it as straight as possible and you should be fine.
as above
stevel:
Don’t know for sure or if it’s one of those urban myths, but I heard milk tankers aren’t fitted with baffles?, so watch out for surge and sway.
Not an urban myth stevel, The reason is that you’d have yoghurt or cottage cheese after a while 
gsm31:
stevel:
Don’t know for sure or if it’s one of those urban myths, but I heard milk tankers aren’t fitted with baffles?, so watch out for surge and sway.Pretty sure tankers made after a certain year had to have baffles fitted as standard.
That’s quite right gsm31, but it applies to ADR tankers when the tank is manufactured on or after 10/05/04.
Milk tankers are unaffected by this, since milk isn’t an ADR regulated substance.
TONY530I:
Might be getting some weekend work on milk tankers(artic),Anything i need to look out for or be aware of?
Yes 
Beware of a partly loaded milk tanker
Here’s why:
If you can imagine a tidal wave, then “surge” is when this travels along the length of the tank eg, when accelerating or braking. These two activities should both be carried out gently, and the driver should use far MORE forward planning than normal. ie, get your speed well under control before making any change of direction. 
“Sway” is usually called “pendulum surge” and comes into play when cornering. If you leave your braking too late, you’ll have two conflicting forces at work, which could topple you over. 
The effects of pendulum surge are at their worst when the tank is about 25% loaded. That means there is enough weight to cause you problems, AND there’s still plenty of space for it to move about. The type of road where extreme caution is required is where there are several turns to be made in quick succession eg, going straight ahead at a conventional roundabout.
As Wheel Nut pointed out, milk tankers are usually only driven when fully loaded. If that’s the case when you drive one, then tankers are actually no problem to drive. The bonus is there’s much less of a blind spot behind the vehicle, due to the curvature of the tank 
Hi
My first ever job class 2 was driving tankers. I had baffle tanks but rarely had a full load so they were of limited use.Did most driving over the cat and fiddle etc and Pennistone areas over the pennines so had fun on wet days
They are not as scary as people make out,just take things steady , and enjoy the surge at traffic lights,you might get sea sick with the swilling motion of the truck.
All in all just a steady drive and you wont have any trouble,and it looks great on c.v. having tanker experience,
good luck
dieseldave:
gsm31:
stevel:
Don’t know for sure or if it’s one of those urban myths, but I heard milk tankers aren’t fitted with baffles?, so watch out for surge and sway.Pretty sure tankers made after a certain year had to have baffles fitted as standard.
That’s quite right gsm31, but it applies to ADR tankers when the tank is manufactured on or after 10/05/04.
Milk tankers are unaffected by this, since milk isn’t an ADR regulated substance.
Corect,milk isn’t an ADR regulated substance but remember it is toxic to fish, so any major spillages into waterways should be reported.
You have to take extra care with Air suspension on a tanker as they can go over with less feedback than normal suspension.
gsm31:
Corect,milk isn’t an ADR regulated substance but remember it is toxic to fish, so any major spillages into waterways should be reported.
Not in ADR = outside my expertise.
I couldn’t comment on the toxicity of milk to fish, but I’m fairly sure that milk de-oxygenates water, so maybe that would be the C.o.D.
I’ve also no idea about any possible reporting requirements regarding spillages of milk into watercourses, but it seems right to me that it should be reported, also not sure of the definition of “major” in this context.
gsm31:
You have to take extra care with Air suspension on a tanker as they can go over with less feedback than normal suspension.
IMHO, having driven tankers with both suspension types, there’s not much difference. Both suspension types exert an upward force proportionate to the load imposed and both types are said to be “progressive.” The rest seems to me to be an engineering/physics discussion, where I have no particular skill.
Common to both types is that when the centre of gravity of the load swings to a point where it’s outside the base, it’ll then fall over.
IMHO, from my experience, there’s very little in the way of feedback in either case.
Just be careful with any tanker. Here is a one at an airport where I worked (it was my truck but I didn’t do it guvnor). Got called in for the clean up. Closed the airport for 5 hours. This happened on a truck governed to 15mph.
I drive a petrol tanker for a living and we have six compartments,or pots as known in the trade, so you can carry different grade of fuels without contaminating. the reason milk tankers don’t have baffles is because if you did you would be making cheese by the time you got back to tip !!
Apart from everything said above about rollover i often meet milk tanker drivers on farms when i’m delivering feed.
mostly rigids but some artics (usually rear steer trailers) do collect from farms.
most country lanes are twisty so watch out as you would at roundabouts.
Farms also have different problems…
difficult access due to bits of machinery left everywhere
cow ■■■ everywhere dont forget your wellies/riggers
stray animals eg cows, bulls (ive been chased by one…scary), dogs that might bite (if the dog brings a stick or stone and drops it on NO account throw it, you’ll be there all day!)
grumpy farmers ( if chatting dont mention money you’ll be there all day again but NEVER refuse a brew you wont get asked again)
Saying all that you will still be out in the fresh air and often with outstanding views across the fields!
Farms aint that bad really
bowserman good post take it the driver was bored with the job
knew it all 
done another look zbn hell what a ■■■■
I didn’t know that milk was a marine pollutant. I learn something every day.
scania245:
bowserman good post take it the driver was bored with the job
knew it all
done another look zbn hell what a [zb]
The trailer used to have a 3 axle ERF under it and then the company put the new Scania in and if you look it does sit rather high. Interesting also to see the integrity of the lids!!!