The Big Rig thread!

Cowboy

My name is Sheridan
Joined
Mar 31, 2009
Messages
10,140
There seemed to be a demand for it so here it is, if a mod would be so kind to move the posts from the idiots+cars thread to here, we could stop derailing that thread.

Seems fitting to have the Rubber Duck leading this thing.

Rubber-Duck-Convoy-Mack.jpg
 
God damn, you are more American than me!
 
Sell the Miata.....problem solved :tease:
 
Long noses offer greater comfort for the driver, US style sleeper cabs are alot bigger, which is very important for drivers that are away for a whole week (or even longer), furthermore since the cab is almost midway on the chassis and not above the front axle ride comfort greatly improves and it's an entirely different feeling when cornering, hard to explain but the lateral motion is alot less....alot nicer and less tyring to drive.

Downsides are a more imited alround visibility, which can be a problem in our cities (idiot pedestrians and cyclists), the extra lenght, which means a shorter trailer and the longer chassis on the tractor means a bigger turning circle, making them all but impossible to use in certain places and applications.

My personal opinion? If I was a longhauler away for the week and ignoring legal lenght issues I would no doubt want a US rig, probably woulden't get one since it's just not the way here, but would still want one :p

In the job I have now, wich requires constant squeezing into tight places never ment for trucks in the first place, from construction sites in the middle of a forest to the center of medieval cities and everything in between where visibility and a small turning circle is essential I prefer the COE I have now, it's all that would work really.

Ignoring all the boring practical shit and going by the coolness and beauty factor alone, well....I think you can guess where my heart is.

Thanks for elaborating on that, I always figured that there must be quite a difference in driving dynamics apart from the obvious physical dimensions when comparing cab over engine vs long nose.
My uncle is retired now but both he and my nephew used to work for TMD Diependaele (but have also worked on their own account) and they swear by MAN trucks, I have fond memories of going along for a short drive as a kid.
 
Speaking of big rigs:

maximumover4.jpg

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Wooo big rigs! As we've already concluded, yellow russian trucks are the best.

[video=youtube;-0EJ7yhd1NQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0EJ7yhd1NQ[/video]

And we need this link too!


And this duo2 because 32 is better than 25
 
You call those trucks? THESE are trucks!
Soviet ballistic missile carrier
7907 - carrying capacity 200 metric tons
456064709_8568355173.jpg
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7917
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7906
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7904 all cargo area!
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MZKT - 79221
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I call your Soviet tractors with a bus! :p

Peter_lastbilar_055.jpg

It's a bus because the trailer doesnt detach. Registered for nine people (why?) and is allowed to do 100 km/h. Big sleeper.
 
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Thanks for elaborating on that, I always figured that there must be quite a difference in driving dynamics apart from the obvious physical dimensions when comparing cab over engine vs long nose.
My uncle is retired now but both he and my nephew used to work for TMD Diependaele (but have also worked on their own account) and they swear by MAN trucks, I have fond memories of going along for a short drive as a kid.

There's also a safety issue - COEs tend to be significantly more dangerous for their drivers. Long noses have a crumple zone.

091202logtruckscollide320.jpg

091202logax3.jpg
 
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I call your Soviet tractors with a bus! :p

View attachment 6398

It's a bus because the trailer doesnt detach. Registered for nine people (why?) and is allowed to do 100 km/h. Big sleeper.

Wouldn't it technically be a giant cargo van if the trailer doesn't detach?

When I think bus, I think of this:

DB154199-1.jpg


Credit/source: http://www.schoolbusland.com/international/db154199.htm

:p

*yes, this is an excuse to post a school bus photo, (not much is new in the school bus world in terms of big product releases so the bus thread I haven't bothered unearthing) u mad FG? :)
 
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I've done more research and first to answer my own question, they fit nine people because nine people makes a bus, hence the big sleeper. There's only four of them, all belonging to one operator. They're 2001 models and the trailer doesnt have rear lights (because it's not a trailer). Taken out of service and mothballed as the experiment didnt make financial sense, too much cargo sacrificed for speed. Because it's a very heavy bus the yearly tax is close to 19000 SEK, while a normal tractor pays 500. You also can't drive them on a truck license (because it's a bus). And you can't register vehicles like them because someone plugged the hole since it's obviously not a bus.

Let's compare 25 year old trucks to modern trucks!


I'm also very impressed by the new Actros

(Maximum speed: 280 km/h :lol:)
 
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Never heard of those magnetic things before, there's probably some big drawback they don't mention because if it was that great everyone would be using it. Look at Jay bumping along in that truck, no air suspension I take it :D

Congratulations rickhamilton! I have a beige interior for you! One that I remember well because I've worked with it, instrument pods 1 and 2 (big curvy one being 2) and the vents and that tray table. We threw away many many tray tables because of small imperfections. Scania are picky. And there was much caressing of the pods to make sure they were soft and didnt have any "zits". Each individual vent blade is also soft touch treated and inspected. Fiddly job.

117972_highres_09138-007.jpg

And I found an austrian yotube channel that does quick reviews of trucks in translated english!


[video=youtube;NZ-KQNFqtyA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZ-KQNFqtyA&feature=plcp&context=C40b91adVDvjVQa1PpcFP1Zu43lY31qj8AQtDTkfrKeDXn5xhpFlo%3D[/video]

More tests on their channel, like an Iveco and a DAF which I wouldnt want to buy, not thought through and dinky looking things.

Actros key!

 
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Australia says hi:

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Road_Train_Australia.jpg


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road-train-pemberton-australia+1152_12797248885-tpfil02aw-26039.jpg


And this tops them all:

http://desmond.imageshack.**/Himg194/scaled.php?server=194&filename=bulkhaulroadtrain.jpg&res=landing


1000hp of fury.
 
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How common is this system in big-rigs? They mention some truck makers offer it as an option, but considering the cost saving and the safety benefits one would think it is very common, or no?

http://www.jaylenosgarage.com/trucks/frictionless-braking-systems/index.shtml

Never seen it.....don't see much point, an airbrake systhem is pretty failsafe (in case of a leak the brakes simply lock up) and an electrical one seems a little more risky.
Wear and tear isen't that bad, cheap, masse produced easy to replace parts help with that.
Airbrakes also have more than enough power to lock up the wheels pretty easily, wich is all they can do realy, stopping distance is then definen by the workings of the ABS (early systhems were a bit.....wonky) and mechanical friction from the tires on the road.

As for the DHL thing with the non detachable trailer, I don't see why it should not be able to detach, if the tractor has 9 seats it in itself qualifies as a bus, and the trailer (detachable or not) qualifies as .....well a trailer.

Technicly it's the same as this :

bus%20met%20aanhanger%20rechts%20klein.jpg


You will need a D+E licence to drive it in both cases.
 
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