Subsim Truckers

[Wolferz]

I like your truck, Swamprat69er.

[em2nought]

FL DMV have already reached the stupidity levels of the Idiocracy movie. My buddy can't even get his driver record out of them, and without that he can't work for someone else since Pinkie the Peterbilt repeatedly has rear end troubles. Anybody want to buy a '92 386 winch truck for parts?

[swamprat69er]

Originally Posted by Wolferz

I like your truck, Swamprat69er.

Thank you. The company wants to get rid of it. They say it gets lousy fuel mileage. 4 miles to the gallon. I say I can make it better, but they won't let me into the 'puter. They want me in a Polish Peterbuilt I keep turning them down. four so far. I am second from the top on the proverbial totem pole and I LIKE this Freightshaker.
The new wagons pull like a dream. Hardly any slosh at all. Disk brakes on the wagons and air ride.

[Wolferz]

Originally Posted by swamprat69er

Thank you. The company wants to get rid of it. They say it gets lousy fuel mileage. 4 miles to the gallon. I say I can make it better, but they won't let me into the 'puter. They want me in a Polish Peterbuilt I keep turning them down. four so far. I am second from the top on the proverbial totem pole and I LIKE this Freightshaker.
The new wagons pull like a dream. Hardly any slosh at all. Disk brakes on the wagons and air ride.

Must be baffled correctly.
The trucks I drove all had ABS, which could freak you out at times because it didn't feel like it was going to stop.
I hated air ride trailers though. Just didn't feel right. Sort of a floating sensation that made me uneasy.

[swamprat69er]

Only 6" of head space helps, too.

I am not overly impressed with the disk brakes on the trailer. I do like ABS in the wintertime.

[Wolferz]

Originally Posted by swamprat69er

Only 6" of head space helps, too.

I am not overly impressed with the disk brakes on the trailer. I do like ABS in the wintertime.

Because you never use it?

[swamprat69er]

I had a haul a few years ago (2006-7) from Toledo,OH to Hamilton,ON and had a trailer with ABS and it kept the trailer from coming around on me once or twice.

[Onkel Neal]

Originally Posted by swamprat69er

I am currently sitting in a truck stop. I did my 36 hour reset and ran for 5 hours to get here. I will sit until tomorrow (Tuesday) afternoon and then go and load, I am 15 minutes away from the terminal. I'll load tomorrow and then back to the T/S for supper and a nap until midnight. It is a 6.5 to 7 hour trip to where I unload, I'll do that through the night. I find that I make better time running at night when I only have to put up with the Moose. Moose are way smarter than people. They (Moose) hear the bark of my straight pipes and run for the bush.

Hey buddy, I've been all over this time around. I have not scheduled any home days, I'm just driving. Started in Houston, drove to Maryland, across to St. Paul Minnesota, then back east to New Joisy. Then back west to Detroit, took a 34 hr reset, then down to Texas, just enough time to check in on my renters, then to Oakland California (55mph statewide, what a place). This morning I was sent to LA to load a trailer and take it to Denver, then back to Houston.

I'm getting pretty comfortable handling the planning and navigating. I try to get started at 4am, drive 7, take 30 minutes, then drive for 3~ 31/2 more and land around 2pm at a Pilot. So far, running those hours has made it a lot easier with my biggest fear--not being able to find a place to park when the hours run out. As long as I can fall asleep at 7pm in a truck stop, I am ok.

[Kapitan]

What are the driving hours and break legislations in the USA I know its massively different than here in the UK.

[swamprat69er]

Originally Posted by Neal Stevens

Hey buddy, I've been all over this time around. I have not scheduled any home days, I'm just driving. Started in Houston, drove to Maryland, across to St. Paul Minnesota, then back east to New Joisy. Then back west to Detroit, took a 34 hr reset, then down to Texas, just enough time to check in on my renters, then to Oakland California (55mph statewide, what a place). This morning I was sent to LA to load a trailer and take it to Denver, then back to Houston.

I'm getting pretty comfortable handling the planning and navigating. I try to get started at 4am, drive 7, take 30 minutes, then drive for 3~ 31/2 more and land around 2pm at a Pilot. So far, running those hours has made it a lot easier with my biggest fear--not being able to find a place to park when the hours run out. As long as I can fall asleep at 7pm in a truck stop, I am ok.

I got my load to Timmins, (saw a cow on the way before she saw me), just in time for the rain to kill any chance of unloading today. Last night my APU crapped out, so that is a repair job for Friday. I've already made the appointment, at least the dealer I need to go to is in the right general direction to where I load.

[Wolferz]

So, Swamprat, when are you going to graduate away from that rolling wall?

That's why it only gets 4mpg. You need one of those nice new streamlined tractors so you can cut wind somewhere else besides your seat.

[swamprat69er]

Originally Posted by Wolferz

So, Swamprat, when are you going to graduate away from that rolling wall?

That's why it only gets 4mpg. You need one of those nice new streamlined tractors so you can cut wind somewhere else besides your seat.

I am going to try and get 6-7 mpg this summer. If I can get 6 even, then I will be able to convince them to keep this one. I think right now I have a dirty air filter. That will get solved on Friday.

[Aktungbby]

Originally Posted by Wolferz

So, Swamprat, when are you going to graduate away from that rolling wall?

That's why it only gets 4mpg. You need one of those nice new streamlined tractors so you can cut wind somewhere else besides your seat.

C'mon now! I loved my ol Frootliner and it got 4 mpg too;I mean really... they're still flyin' B52's @Onkel! I didn't know you come this far west! Coffee (and a diet salad) on me the next time you're in Oaktown-the murder capital of the country. Wasn't I-80 just lovely thru there? Just PM in advance; at least you can get rescued out here by a caring Subsimmer if necessary! And you'll have an armed escort. The 49er Truckstop off I-80 at West El Camino, Sacramento is the only decent truck'emup facility to the NE of the Bay Area proper. SE at 152& I-5 has good stops east of Pacheco Pass to the San Jose Approaches... Only when you regain east of I-5 are you safe again in CA. and out of the truck unfriendly Bay area. Did you do Donner Pass westbound yet and really complete your training!

[swamprat69er]

Originally Posted by Aktungbby

C'mon now! I loved my ol Frootliner and it got 4 mpg too;I mean really... they're still flyin' B52's

That sure looks like a 1987 Freightshaker with a 12,000 lb steer.

[Aktungbby]

The one pictured might be but mine was a '77 with the same exact paint scheme and I couldn't tell the difference; No jake, no decent heater and only an air seat for the driver! There was no separate trailer brakes handle-all was on the foot (your life is in the 9/16 wrench to adjust the axles-don't trust a mechanic) valve to save $$ at Midwestern Distribution, then out of Ft. Scott KS. I learned the intricacies of lugging a 290 'fuel squeezer' Cummins up Donner and Raton for sure! Mine did have ABS, technology- then just adapted off of air liners. It would activate in light snow and mess things up- no sense of control! 3 years in those at over 350 days a year, logged, usually with a co-driver-talk about a submarine style 'hotrack' sleeper arrangement. Leave CA: 6PM Friday-arrive New York 1PM Monday (60 hours) with the time zone! with a tailwind- four on-four off(in the sleeper) and no flat tires...cannot be done west bound as the prevailing westerly wind does make a big difference and 65 mph must be maintained (no cruise control in those days) to make Omaha, NE to Bison WY on one set of 200 gal. tanks. Then Salt Lake, UT; then Elko, NV; then Sacramento, CA; like rigid oasis to a camel path really. But I was young, stupid, loved it! and would live forever ...Right!