“If only the driver….”

[mndriver]

“If only the driver…”

Puts another product out of production…


Seems drivers knowing better than those in the office out another product out of business.

Stemco has killed the trailer tail product line because fleets are dropping the device that’s proven to improve aerodynamics because drivers aren’t using them or are destroying them in parking lots.

Cost vs gain just isn’t there.

Why Stemco stopped manufacturing TrailerTails

Last year Stemco ceased sales of TrailerTails. Find out what happened and why innovative technologies fall short with truck drivers on CCJ.

www.ccjdigital.com

 

[Electric Chicken]

I don't remember if I destroyed any but I distinctly remember not remembering to release the little locking thing, thus running the entire trip with it un-deployed.

I also remember it being a bitch to hook the doors to the side latch in the open position because they were thicker than the chain was long.

So yeah if your product is good in theory but not in the real world, people will stop purchasing it.

 

[389 Hood]

The very few drivers that I talked to on the CB said they didn't see any numbers difference. These were mega carrier drivers, so.........

 

[Electric Chicken]

The very few drivers that I talked to on the CB said they didn't see any numbers difference. These were mega carrier drivers, so.........

I noticed a handling difference between a bare box and one that had both skirts and the tail but they told us not to worry about fuel so I didn't. The trucks were 579 day cabs with roof fairings but nothing on the sides.

 

[389 Hood]

I noticed a handling difference between a bare box and one that had both skirts and the tail but they told us not to worry about fuel so I didn't. The trucks were 579 day cabs with roof fairings but nothing on the sides.

So, a bean counter got sucked in by a salesman's recommendation.

 

[Electric Chicken]

So, a bean counter got sucked in by a salesman's recommendation.

They probably do help but you have to make sure they deploy. And not tear them up before the breakeven date. They reduce the drag which is basically suction created by turbulence. That might be why the handling was better.

However, if you stop to pull over when they don't deploy, assuming you know they didn't (can't see them in the mirror), and your trip isn't very long, you're going to waste the gains it provides when you idle and accelerate back into traffic.

 

[Electric Chicken]

I don't know how much they cost but as an individual owner responsible for his own equipment and no employees to blame, I'd be inclined to consider one for my own trailer. Maybe. If not for handling alone. It really did help make the truck and trailer feel like a single solid unit on the highway.

 

[Duck]

After you translate the article from bean counter nonsense into blue collar English, it simply says:

"Wahhh wah wahhh, our product failed but it's not our fault. Our trailer tails aren't impractical, awkward, stupid looking or unable to hold their shape over time and not sag,.... It's those stupid lazy truck drivers! Blame them, not our crappy products!"

 

[Mike]

It was a really good product to put out there and prove the theory worked. Since then, other companies have further tested and put out smaller, more durable products, that give the same results.

MVT did extensive testing of this product and i think it was the most beneficial trailer aero improvement of its time.

 

[Electric Chicken]

It was a really good product to put out there and prove the theory worked. Since then, other companies have further tested and put out smaller, more durable products, that give the same results.

MVT did extensive testing of this product and i think it was the most beneficial trailer aero improvement of its time.

I'm out of the loop. What are the more durable smaller ones that do the same thing?

 

[Mike]

I'm out of the loop. What are the more durable smaller ones that do the same thing?

No idea off the top of my head as to the manufacturers. You will see the small wings going directly behind the trailer, also the more aero looking attachments at the very back of the trailer coupled with a similar attachment at the very top of the trailer.

Much of this can now simply be ordered when you order a trailer, and will be installed at the factory.

 

[Duck]

It was a really good product to put out there and prove the theory worked. Since then, other companies have further tested and put out smaller, more durable products, that give the same results.

MVT did extensive testing of this product and i think it was the most beneficial trailer aero improvement of its time.

That doesn't change the fact that after a year or so they would sag and not want to close up right.
Doesn't change the fact that sometimes the latches that hold them folded up would get ice in them and freeze up so they would not latch, making it a huge pain in the ass to pin the doors open.
Doesn't change the fact drivers weren't paid a little extra for dealing with the stupid things.
Doesn't change the fact the drivers don't like getting snow dumped on their necks when opening or closing them up after it's been parked during snow.

Until they solve those problems, they're impractical.

But yeah, let's just blame the drivers not wanting to mess with them for the failure of the product, instead of asking drivers why they don't like them and then trying to correct those problems. It's just so much easier just to call the drivers lazy and/or stupid. Fuck that author.

 

[Mike]

That doesn't change the fact that after a year or so they would sag and not want to close up right.
Doesn't change the fact that sometimes the latches that hold them folded up would get ice in them and freeze up so they would not latch, making it a huge pain in the ass to pin the doors open.
Doesn't change the fact drivers weren't paid a little extra for dealing with the stupid things.
Doesn't change the fact the drivers don't like getting snow dumped on their necks when opening or closing them up after it's been parked during snow.

Until they solve those problems, they're impractical.

But yeah, let's just blame the drivers not wanting to mess with them for the failure of the product, instead of asking drivers why they don't like them and then trying to correct those problems. It's just so much easier just to call the drivers lazy and/or stupid. Fuck that author.

The drivers not being paid extra is an employee issue, not a manufacturer issue.

As for the rest, it seems that there is a completely different reaction about these devices between company drivers and owner operators that actually buy the products for their own trailer.

Never seen people that bought these things and focused on proper operation having an issue.

Do things break? Yes. That’s part of maintenance. You gotta fix what’s broke.

Is it smart to have them deployed when they are going to get loaded up with ice/snow? Nope. Probably going to sag due to the weight.

They proved to not be a cost effective way to save fuel in many larger fleets due to the maintenance issues, in large part due to them being operated by company drivers who simply DGAF about taking care of equipment or about fuel economy. Company equipment gets destroyed much faster than owner operator equipment.

This is why new devices improved on this product and are being used now. Products with less moving parts that did a similar job at a lower cost have replaced the trailer tail. It’s been a disappointment to many owner operators because they have bought new trailers and no longer able to get the trailer tail.

Trailer skirts are no different. Early models were absolute junk in terms of durability. On a company trailer, a company driver will drop right down into a sink dock and destroy the skirts, and owner operator will simply say they can’t load out of that dock and lose the load before they destroy their equipment.

A company driver will back into a sunken dock and bury their axles under water when they are flooded. An owner operator will not put their equipment in that dock.

 

[Duck]

Do things break? Yes. That’s part of maintenance. You gotta fix what’s broke.

Except big fleets don't bother with maintaining things the DOT doesn't require to be operational. Shocks on a Schneider truck for example.

Is it smart to have them deployed when they are going to get loaded up with ice/snow? Nope. Probably going to sag due to the weight

So it's the fault of the driver who picks it up, or the one who drops it off & leaves it like that?

Not to mention the fact that no other part of the trailer is damaged simply by being snowed on.

On a company trailer, a company driver will drop right down into a sink dock and destroy the skirts, and owner operator will simply say they can’t load out of that dock and lose the load before they destroy their equipment.

A company driver will back into a sunken dock and bury their axles under water when they are flooded. An owner operator will not put their equipment in that dock.

Oh they will?

You have, in the past, been a company driver. Are you admitting to submerging your trailer axles while you were a company driver, or possibly other stupid things?

I can give you one example of an owner operator, with his own authority too, purposely backing his Western Star bobtail down a boat ramp to submerge it and find air leaks. You know who I'm talking about. We all made fun of him for years, and I even made a cartoon about it.

 

[Electric Chicken]

No idea off the top of my head as to the manufacturers. You will see the small wings going directly behind the trailer, also the more aero looking attachments at the very back of the trailer coupled with a similar attachment at the very top of the trailer.

Much of this can now simply be ordered when you order a trailer, and will be installed at the factory.

You mean the little wraparound things? Kinda looks like a tiny lip spoiler on top.

 

[Electric Chicken]

The drivers not being paid extra is an employee issue, not a manufacturer issue.

As for the rest, it seems that there is a completely different reaction about these devices between company drivers and owner operators that actually buy the products for their own trailer.

Never seen people that bought these things and focused on proper operation having an issue.

Do things break? Yes. That’s part of maintenance. You gotta fix what’s broke.

Is it smart to have them deployed when they are going to get loaded up with ice/snow? Nope. Probably going to sag due to the weight.

They proved to not be a cost effective way to save fuel in many larger fleets due to the maintenance issues, in large part due to them being operated by company drivers who simply DGAF about taking care of equipment or about fuel economy. Company equipment gets destroyed much faster than owner operator equipment.

This is why new devices improved on this product and are being used now. Products with less moving parts that did a similar job at a lower cost have replaced the trailer tail. It’s been a disappointment to many owner operators because they have bought new trailers and no longer able to get the trailer tail.

Trailer skirts are no different. Early models were absolute junk in terms of durability. On a company trailer, a company driver will drop right down into a sink dock and destroy the skirts, and owner operator will simply say they can’t load out of that dock and lose the load before they destroy their equipment.

A company driver will back into a sunken dock and bury their axles under water when they are flooded. An owner operator will not put their equipment in that dock.

Not gonna lie I cracked a pair of skirts on a Walmart reefer delivering to one of their stores. I told them and they said don't worry about it.

It's not like I could skip that store.

I doubt I'd buy skirts for my own trailer but I could see having some kind of tail doodad.

I'd even get a nose cone if I knew I was going to run flat top day cabs forever.

 

[Duck]

Not gonna lie I cracked a pair of skirts on a Walmart reefer delivering to one of their stores. I told them and they said don't worry about it.

It's not like I could skip that store.

I doubt I'd buy skirts for my own trailer but I could see having some kind of tail doodad.

I'd even get a nose cone if I knew I was going to run flat top day cabs forever.

I'm surprised @Mike didn't equip his truck like a Nussbaum or MVT truck as much as he like to talk about fuel economy.

 

[Electric Chicken]

I'm surprised @Mike didn't equip his truck like a Nussbaum or MVT truck as much as he like to talk about fuel economy.

I kind of regret buying a flat top day cab. Fuel economy is garbage. If I had a sleeper and my own trailer, that sucker would look like an MIT test rig.

I can only justify its cheapness for so long. Once it's at the end of its useful life, it won't be replaced like for like.

 

[Duck]

I kind of regret buying a flat top day cab. Fuel economy is garbage. If I had a sleeper and my own trailer, that sucker would look like an MIT test rig.

I can only justify its cheapness for so long. Once it's at the end of its useful life, it won't be replaced like for like.

Just get a Polish snow plow.

 

[Mike]

Except big fleets don't bother with maintaining things the DOT doesn't require to be operational. Shocks on a Schneider truck for example.

So it's the fault of the driver who picks it up, or the one who drops it off & leaves it like that?

Not to mention the fact that no other part of the trailer is damaged simply by being snowed on.

Oh they will?

You have, in the past, been a company driver. Are you admitting to submerging your trailer axles while you were a company driver, or possibly other stupid things?

I can give you one example of an owner operator, with his own authority too, purposely backing his Western Star bobtail down a boat ramp to submerge it and find air leaks. You know who I'm talking about. We all made fun of him for years, and I even made a cartoon about it.

Not all company drivers tear crap up. Far too many do, though, and you know it.

And you are right about many companies not keeping thing like this maintained. Is the reasoning being that they are cheap, or that it simply isn’t cost effective when things are tore up so often? Probably a little of both.

Which makes my point. Trailer Tail was a good product, when properly maintained and taken care of.

Newer products have came along, though, that are less of a maintenance issue, so more cost effective for large fleets.