RoadRanger17
New Member
Glad to be a part of this!
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- Thread starter RoadRanger17
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Rigjockey
In Gord we trust!
Welcome to the Forum!
welcome to the site
well i'll have you know, that at one time, i was, 9 then 10, then 13, then 15, then 17.......AND 18...!!!Welcome Aboard.
I've had RoadRanger 9's, 10's, 13's 15's and 18's, but never a 17!
i skipped all the other ages in between.......!!!!!
i was in a hurry................
Uncle Birchy
Well-Known Member
Helmets are "recommended" for beginners...
Fageol
Old acid hauler but not too caustic
Damn! That takes talent!welcome to the site
well i'll have you know, that at one time, i was, 9 then 10, then 13, then 15, then 17.......AND 18...!!!
i skipped all the other ages in between.......!!!!!
i was in a hurry................
Fageol
Old acid hauler but not too caustic
Here's hoping this platform isn't not too shaky.
alternator
New Member
I have owned a 10,13 and 18 speed fullers
Fageol
Old acid hauler but not too caustic
I really like the 18s. All the Sourdough Express line-haul rigs are 18-speeds. The splits are so small that to gain speed quickly or lose speed slowly, one has to shift quickly. I doubt that many of the holes are much more than 300 rpm from each other. Shifting slowly as in skipping holes (up or down) works for a lot of light loads and any of those boxes seem to handle that with aplomb providing that the skinner does his job. When one is yanking joints with a gross weight of 140,000 lbs. or more, the speed of shifts becomes meaningful.
In the lower picture, that little Freighter in the foreground (at the railroad/barge dock in Seward, AK) has only a 13 speed behind a C-13 Acert. But it will make the 120 miles up and over Turnagain Pass (only about 3,000 ft.) north (to Anchorage) with the same loads as the big strappers. In doing so, it will negotiate a couple of tough pulls. Having done this haul in both day cabs and sleepers, I can say that little tractor weighs about 21K (heavy frames in Alaska), The lead 45' flat weighs about 16K #, the 2-axle converter dolly weighs 5K #, the 2-axle 45' tail trailer weighs a little less at 15K #. It looks like 50 K # of lumber on the lead trailer and 35K # of lumber on the tail trailer. To make the 120 mile trip back to Anchorage, those little Freighters take about 20 minutes more than the big strappers with their 550s, 565s, and 600s turning 18-speeds into 46K rear ends with lockers. The big horses weigh about 25K # and are longer than the day cabs.
So let's hear it for the 18s. And I'm an old guy who broke in with 4X3s, 4X4s (my favorites), 5X3s, etc. Admittedly running 2 boxes takes more skill. But having driven both configurations, give me an 18.
Fageol
Old acid hauler but not too caustic
That would be brutal.
Rigjockey
In Gord we trust!
I am a pup compared to drivers like you. When I was learning it was on a 9 speed Road Ranger. I got my first job and they had the plunger rather than the Road Ranger switch, Next job was a Brigadier with a 5 high and low.
I have seen videos of guys shifting two stick 4x4, steering with their knee. I was like how do they keep track of all of that?
Respect!
389 Hood
Well-Known Member
That's exactly how you had to drive them too. Low horsepower and a lot of high RPM gears. They took a while to get moving. You just kept your right foot planted on the floor and your arms moving. 200 RPM operating range was about it.
I'm not sure that I want to admit to how many times I had to stop and start over till I got the hang of it. It didn't take long though!
I'm not sure that I want to admit to how many times I had to stop and start over till I got the hang of it. It didn't take long though!
Fageol
Old acid hauler but not too caustic
Learning is the key. The learning steps are 1. motivation (you wanna get paid or don't), 2. presentation (some skinner or boss will generally introduce you to the rig or, if you are sufficiently motivated, you'll find somebody to show you the ropes, and if worse comes to worse, drive slow, watch the tach and speedo, and figure it out. 3. Application -- get out there, reduce your mistakes, and become a smooth operator. 4. Evaluation -- in this case, this probably means getting the job done right and that probably will be apparent. But like lots of other stuff, motivation is the key. And here I'm assuming that driving is still sufficiently interesting that folks are willing to learn its nuances, operations, etc., and then be open to new things.
Dustin_Smith
Member
Welcome!
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