Todays tip: how NOT to move equipment

[Crummy]

The west entrance to the valley (from Bakersfield) is worse. There's a road (CA-155) out from the place I've got there that goes from 2,600' to 7,400' elevation in 10 miles & really twisty too. I lost the brakes towing a trailer with a motorhome coming down that a few years ago.

 

[td25c]

I could sure see how the long down grade's could be spooky if something go's wrong .

 

[Birken Vogt]

I could sure see how the long down grade's could be spooky if something go's wrong .

If you want to be safe, on a grade I don't know or a truck I don't trust, or a real heavy load, I will pick whatever gear requires me to turn off the Jakes or push on the throttle occasionally, depending on the circumstances.

This may mean going down the hill very slow, even 20 or 10 mph slow, where cars would like to go full speed. It is embarrassing but not as embarrassing as a crash.

Under normal circumstances where I am familiar, I go faster and let the truck run away a bit and snub it back down with brakes occasionally but never so much that they start to smoke or smell or get very warm.

 

[Crummy]

You can go down a steep grade slow time after time. You can go down a steep grade too fast once.

 

[Birken Vogt]

You can go down a steep grade slow time after time. You can go down a steep grade too fast once.

And you don't need a working Jake brake, either. You just have to go down slower.

A lot slower.

 

[td25c]

This may mean going down the hill very slow, even 20 or 10 mph slow, where cars would like to go full speed. It is embarrassing but not as embarrassing as a crash.

Under normal circumstances where I am familiar, I go faster and let the truck run away a bit and snub it back down with brakes occasionally but never so much that they start to smoke or smell or get very warm.

That's about how we do it when moving on county roads on a downgrade . Get her in the rite gear before descending & keep it about 15 to 20 MPH . Allows you to stop fast if need be .

 

[td25c]

We have some similar grades here in south Indiana but they not near as long as you guy's have out on the west coast in the mountains . Long downgrade for me might last for a mile or less .

Travel this road often . Has it's share of twists & curves .

We are getting plenty of rain now if anyone needs any water . Hanging Rock Hill in Madison IN.

 

[Jakebreak]

Td come on out and bring the trailer with you that pass is rough both of them on the 155 I think they don’t want you longer than 40’ the West entrance is rough just narrow a lot of rocks hanging out they get the campers all the time we could use some more rain crummy I bet that had to be a wild ride our dozer is just 5 miles south of glennville when we do work up there on occasion it can get tricky moving big iron up the mountain but the ole k whooper does good just need to get rid of them super singles up front also td I got a few places to go look at some old iron

 

[td25c]

Td come on out and bring the trailer with you that pass is rough both of them on the 155 I think they don’t want you longer than 40’ the West entrance is rough just narrow a lot of rocks hanging out they get the campers all the time . also td I got a few places to go look at some old iron

I would really enjoy that ! Short truck & trailer will do that job easy .....

See if I can talk the Old Man in to running " Blocker " in the Ford .https://www.heavyequipmentforums.com/threads/cars-you-owned.69531/page-4#post-740345


Good blocker is the solution .

 

[Jakebreak]

I would really enjoy that ! Short truck & trailer will do that job easy .....

See if I can talk the Old Man in to running " Blocker " in the Ford .https://www.heavyequipmentforums.com/threads/cars-you-owned.69531/page-4#post-740345


Good blocker is the solution .

Nice car get him to play bandit for you we might be able to find you some iron to take back

 

[RZucker]

I once went into Colorado to pick up a scraper in the Trinidad area, Dot guy at the POE in Grand Junction suggested I could save time by going over Monarch pass to Pueblo... I wanted to shoot him when I got there. I had a Cozad with a 3 axle jeep, a 3 axle lowboy (long) and a 2 axle booster. I swear the trailer rubbed the mountains on some curves, and I ran into a huge herd of cattle being driven on the highway... no I didn't hit them but it sure slowed things down. This was in October, when I got to the pass the snowbanks were already 6' high on the side of the road. Oh, my KT Cummins was gasping for air too, lotsa black smoke.
The rest of the trip went well though, From the pass down it was smooth sailing, I loaded out in Trinidad and woke up to 4" of snow, headed north to Denver and got out of it. Had a DOT freakout at the Loveland pass tunnel that took a half hour with a tape measure to fix, Had to love my Colorado pilot car peeps. they were the best.

 

[td25c]

Another option for a short tractor trailer rig is the old " tilt deck style . Buddy of mine has a Rodgers like this one .

I would think something like that would work pretty good for a " Dozer hauler " in mountain country with the short wheelbase .

http://www.trailboss.com/inventory/...25tba?dlr=1&pcid=49483&sfc=0&ssc=0&ftr=1&lo=3

 

[Jakebreak]

@Jakebreak you could get up to Isabella with that trailer, it has to be less than 30' KPRA. They started on the dam yet? I haven't been there in about 6 months.

I don't think they have gone wide open on it yet I think their are still doing small stuff I haven't been up there since this summer when we were building a new fire station for the forest service

 

[Mother Deuce]

25 ton Lacrosse 1951 vintage . 67 years & still going

Have not evolved far enough yet to use ramps when loading tracked equipment .

Use 7" X "9 wood rail tie ends to block & crawl up on when loading .

Cave Man .... LOL !

Aluminum trailer & yellow iron generally don't mix well ....



View attachment 178883 View attachment 178882

Split boom 750? I have a little bit of time with one those. A friend of mine owned a wrecker outfit in AZ. He owned the doppelganger for yours. Your image brought back a couple very interesting memories LOL!

 

[Tradesman]

That's about how we do it when moving on county roads on a downgrade . Get her in the rite gear before descending & keep it about 15 to 20 MPH . Allows you to stop fast if need be .

I'm no truck driver but I was told you should be in the same gear going down as you would be in going up. That advise has served me well so far.

 

[Wytruckwrench]

I can’t figure out how to post a you tube video. Look up C.W. McCall Wolf Creek Pass. I grew up and learned to drive in the Colorado and Wyoming Mountains. First hauling cattle and feed. Then figured out that people paid real money to move heavy equipment. Haven’t ever looked back!

 

[RZucker]

And you don't need a working Jake brake, either. You just have to go down slower.

A lot slower.

I used to run an old GMC with an 8V-71 and no jakes, I'm still alive today because I knew how to drive...

 

[Birken Vogt]

The thing I had to learn is that a truck with no Jakes or broken Jakes looks the same to the 4 wheelers as any other truck that can fly down the same hill at 55 mph.

So they get real impatient when you are white knuckling down at 35 or less and start stacking up which adds to the tension and makes you want to go faster and abuse the brakes.

I allowed them to get to me, once, the smoke was billowing and the stench was on. Did not lose any braking force near as I can tell but I will not allow myself to be pushed like that again.

 

[Wes J]

I'm no truck driver but I was told you should be in the same gear going down as you would be in going up. That advise has served me well so far.

Nah. Shift her up into Oklahoma Overdrive and get some momentum for the next climb...

 

[Crummy]

Nah. Just pull the Johnny bar back into your lap 'till the wagon she's a smokin' like a shot down fighter plane. Saves the truck brakes that way.