Wildland Firefighting Water tender:

[OCR]

These are some photos of our Type 2 water tender when I was doing some measurements for a pusher lift axle.



Truck came from Canada... notice the distance between the drive axles... this is commonly called a "Canadian spread". The small blue stakes are electric
fence posts. They have a big nail on the end and a tab that sticks out for your foot. You hold the top and just step them into the ground... they work
great for tent stakes too...


Didn't take me long to install it, did it...

 

[King of Obsolete]

yes the canadian spread is to make it easier to get between the axles to grease the drive shaft.

how much more with the lift axle give you???

thansk
KoO
Published Author

 

[OCR]

Real lift axle installed:

My brother driving on scales.


My brother filling tank from city hydrant.






OCR

 

[OCR]

Empty weight.

Loaded weight.

Side spray.


OCR

 

[D5G]

Awesome truck, do you guys do a lot of wild fire work?

 

[RollOver Pete]

Why the lift axle?
When ever you are on the OES, USFS, BLM's or any state, county or city's payroll while responding to, from, or working on any fire assignment you,
are allowed to bypass any and all commercial scales.
Unless the laws have changed, thats how it was when I was contracted out to CDF with my 6x6 Mack DMM in the mid 80's.

 

[OCR]

D5G,

Thank you... as far as work goes, it more or less depends on how bad the
fire season is... thanks again.

OCR

 

[OCR]

Why the lift axle?

When ever you are on the OES, USFS, BLM's or any state, county or city's payroll while responding to, from, or working on any fire assignment you,
are allowed to bypass any and all commercial scales.
Unless the laws have changed, thats how it was when I was contracted out to CDF with my 6x6 Mack DMM in the mid 80's.

Pete,
We had to comply with some new USFS regs. not DOT regs. But we still have
to be legal on the highway from the CVSA stand point.

Most every thing in your quote is different now... it's a boarder line night mare.

If you want, go to that thread about Wildland Fire Dozers... it's still page 3...
post # 39... read the post and use that link.

It's kinda odd that I was looking at a CDF web site just before I logged in here;
and saw your trucks. There nice and are you still using them for fire?

CDF has changed their name to "CAL FIRE" now... yes all cap's.

We're in Montana so it would be unusual for us to go to CA. but according
to a wildland fire site I belong to, you've got fires in your state right now.
I'm not much help here because it's hard to under stand the Government and
the way they do things... talk about one hand not connected to the other...
and of course, throw in all the turf battles...about enough to make you...:crazy

OCR

PS: Pete, there are a few guys I know... both dozers and water tenders...
that are just saying to hell with it, and not even signing their stuff up any more. The fire service looses a lot of old timer experience when this happens,
and it's a big shame, because it's irreplaceable.

Take care now,

OCR

 

[OCR]

Some one is pulling "THE HOOD"wink on me, EH!!

yes the canadian spread is to make it easier to get between the axles to grease the drive shaft...:idea

oh no... and I always thought it was to make it easier to get 3 railers' hooked
up...oh my...

 

[OCR]

delete

 

[King of Obsolete]

ok, still have not heard how much the pusher axle gives you. to me the axle weighs more then what you get in pay load.

in the background behind the john deere 650G known as one of the "Lemon Sisters" is buddy barry's water truck. we tossed a 5000 gallon tank in there 4 years ago for hauling water to the diamond drills. a 3" honda water pump is on the deck behind the cab and only takes about 25 minutes to fill.
water is great fun at -45C but we haul every 6 hours so it gets even more fun.
all fire fighting up here is done with water bombers and fire crews in helicopters.

thansk
KoO
Published Author

 

[OneWelder]

King
You need to check the specifics on a particular application - as there are a lot of variables - total wheel base length,distance between axles, as well as axle and tire ratings - all effect what you can legally carry .
Safety wise you get another set of tires, brakes, and springs - takes out some of the pucker factor!
In general they provide a good increase in payload

 

[AtlasRob]

King
You need to check the specifics on a particular application -
Safety wise you get another set of tires, brakes, and springs - takes out some of the pucker factor!

In the Kingdom you would loose traction and as Koo spends half his life on ice I dont think the pucker factor comes into it :drinkup

 

[dirt digger]

OCR what is the legal weight for a 10wheeler where you are? Here in PA you would be perfectly legal hauling 58,000 lbs with a 10wheeler

 

[OCR]

Why the lift axle?

We had to comply with some new USFS regs. not DOT regs.

I'll give this a stab, and try to keep it short too.

First to my friend KoO: The lift axle is rated for 13,200 lbs., it's made by
Watson & Chalin, and it is steerable... forward direction only... it lifts up when
you engage reverse gear.

The axle actually did increase the trucks GVWR from 50,000 lbs., to 63,200 lbs. And this is why... and I hope I get it right. Also, this is only FS, not
DOT...

On the manufactures weight sticker, they go by GAWR (gross axle weight rating)... the weight the axles are designed to support. Ours looked something, more or less, like this.

On second thought, I'll go look.

OCR

 

[OCR]

This is the sticker I'm talking (typing) about.


All the FS cares about is that you do not exceed the weight on any axle.


Maybe more to follow...big storm right now... probably lose internet.

OCR
I did lose internet, probably happen again too.

 

[OCR]

This is the Forst Service.



And probably my last fire dispatch...

 

[fireman050]

i got a question around here water tenders that are contracted by usfs are required to have some type of warning lights on them why don't you have any?

 

[OCR]

This is the Forst Service.

The picture appearing here must be due to the stability problem with my
satellite internet connection... as noted by the spelling error...:beatsme

OCR

 

[OCR]

Warning lights:

i got a question around here water tenders that are contracted by usfs are required to have some type of warning lights on them why don't you have any?

Hello fireman050,
I actually don't know... it is not in the solicitation... the solicitation and a multitude of other documents list what the qualifications are for this resource.

On post #3, the last picture, you can see a small amber strobe... We just put this on when we were watering for some highway projects. I don't know
if it was even necessary for that.
What State do you live in?

OCR