Showing posts with label trucks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label trucks. Show all posts
January 28, 2022
Freedom Convoy Canada
The MSM won't report it. Right now over 50,000 trucks are heading across Canada to Ottawa. They intend parking there until the Candian PM resigns, or mandates are ended. The convoy is reported to be 150 kilometres long and growing. It will bring Canada to a standstill. Are you paying attention Australia and New Zealand?
November 17, 2017
Elon Musk's Electric Truck
When is Elon Musk going to go bust? Can this happen sooner please as this guy is seriously annoying. On top of making poor cars (see my earlier post about this), he's now setting out to do the same with heavy transport vehicles.
See the link >> https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/nov/17/elon-musk-tesla-electric-truck-sports-car-surprise
But wait a minute, electric trucks are nothing new. They've always been used in transport, the following is a list of useful locations where an electric truck comes into its own:
1. Indoors and anywhere ventilation matters,
2. Where there is a lot of stop/starting, (like inner city deliveries)
3. Where noise is a consideration.
The internal combustion engine comes into its own when you're talking about long runs; diesel especially for the distance and petrol for the power it delivers. Hence, for instance, Russian military trucks like the Zil are petrol, their army needs to be able to move fast and forage for fuel and petrol allows for both. Diesel comes into its own when you're looking for cheaper horsepower while running without stopping.
So Musk's idea is what exactly? A dumb idea is the answer.
See the link >> https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/nov/17/elon-musk-tesla-electric-truck-sports-car-surprise
But wait a minute, electric trucks are nothing new. They've always been used in transport, the following is a list of useful locations where an electric truck comes into its own:
1. Indoors and anywhere ventilation matters,
2. Where there is a lot of stop/starting, (like inner city deliveries)
3. Where noise is a consideration.
The internal combustion engine comes into its own when you're talking about long runs; diesel especially for the distance and petrol for the power it delivers. Hence, for instance, Russian military trucks like the Zil are petrol, their army needs to be able to move fast and forage for fuel and petrol allows for both. Diesel comes into its own when you're looking for cheaper horsepower while running without stopping.
So Musk's idea is what exactly? A dumb idea is the answer.
June 28, 2017
Forgotten Companies
I found this link interesting http://contractormag.co.nz/classic-machines/hough/ It tells the story of Hough, the US manufacturer of good Wheel Loaders. Depending on which story you believe. Hough invented the fully hydraulic pivot steer loader (while others say that was the Moore Scoopmobile). On my trip to the US last year I saw many Hough loaders still in their original paint.
That got me to thinking, what about those brands that are still hanging on somewhere, anywhere.
How about Gradall These telescopic boom excavators are innovative but never found widespread support.
Smalley is the inventor of the mini excavator. Made in the UK, they were, I believe, originally grave diggers. Then they put out a dredger for clearing canals, and these were exported to India. The company still exists.
One brand that doesn't appear around anymore is the Halitrax skid steer loader. Made in New Zealand they were the inventor of the rubber track skid steer loader and subsequently copied worldwide. They were sold mostly in Auckland and the upper North Island and in the Sydney and New South Wales market. In Australia an earthmover will still advertise having ' a Drott, a Tipper and a Halitrax,' the terms being industry standard.
The Bedford J5 and J6 is no longer made but they live on in Pakistan where the trucks have gained legend status. That's because they're simple, powerful and tough. Pakistan still import used J5/J6's and fit wooden bodies to the chassis. On their rough roads wooden bodies hold up better. Many will be familiar with the decorated site of these trucks: http://s3.amazonaws.com/mbc_actionha/uploads/56997/original.jpg
Why isn't the venerable Bedford J5/J6 still being made? It seems a no-brainer for certain conditions.
That got me to thinking, what about those brands that are still hanging on somewhere, anywhere.
How about Gradall These telescopic boom excavators are innovative but never found widespread support.
Smalley is the inventor of the mini excavator. Made in the UK, they were, I believe, originally grave diggers. Then they put out a dredger for clearing canals, and these were exported to India. The company still exists.
One brand that doesn't appear around anymore is the Halitrax skid steer loader. Made in New Zealand they were the inventor of the rubber track skid steer loader and subsequently copied worldwide. They were sold mostly in Auckland and the upper North Island and in the Sydney and New South Wales market. In Australia an earthmover will still advertise having ' a Drott, a Tipper and a Halitrax,' the terms being industry standard.
The Bedford J5 and J6 is no longer made but they live on in Pakistan where the trucks have gained legend status. That's because they're simple, powerful and tough. Pakistan still import used J5/J6's and fit wooden bodies to the chassis. On their rough roads wooden bodies hold up better. Many will be familiar with the decorated site of these trucks: http://s3.amazonaws.com/mbc_actionha/uploads/56997/original.jpg
Why isn't the venerable Bedford J5/J6 still being made? It seems a no-brainer for certain conditions.
October 17, 2016
Trucks in the USA
I'm not sure why heavy trucks are the way they are in the USA. If someone can explain then I'm all ears.
The most common type of truck I saw on my recent trip were semi-trailers. Almost all of the tractor units were conventional with hardly any cabovers. Is there a good reason why that's the case?
Then combinations were interesting. In California I'm not sure I ever saw a B-train or B-double rig, where the two trailers are each connected to a turntable. What I did see a lot of was a semi-trailer pulling a draw-bar trailer, and that draw-bar was often rising up from the front axle of the trailer, not perpendicular with the trailer body.
Then in most states I visited; aggregates were being transported on trucks that to my eye looked far too heavy to carry a useful payload. The trailers were often side dump or bottom dump, while others appeared to be transfer dumps such as the type in this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=woi0T4XVf1s
The trucks in the above video do appear far too heavy for a useful load of aggregate. Here's an Australian equivalent rig, I'm pretty sure this set-up delivers more in the one trip, correct me if I'm wrong https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYVT2_toS3I
In Nevada I saw road trains, but they too appeared to be heavy tare weights.
The most common type of truck I saw on my recent trip were semi-trailers. Almost all of the tractor units were conventional with hardly any cabovers. Is there a good reason why that's the case?
Then combinations were interesting. In California I'm not sure I ever saw a B-train or B-double rig, where the two trailers are each connected to a turntable. What I did see a lot of was a semi-trailer pulling a draw-bar trailer, and that draw-bar was often rising up from the front axle of the trailer, not perpendicular with the trailer body.
Then in most states I visited; aggregates were being transported on trucks that to my eye looked far too heavy to carry a useful payload. The trailers were often side dump or bottom dump, while others appeared to be transfer dumps such as the type in this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=woi0T4XVf1s
The trucks in the above video do appear far too heavy for a useful load of aggregate. Here's an Australian equivalent rig, I'm pretty sure this set-up delivers more in the one trip, correct me if I'm wrong https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYVT2_toS3I
In Nevada I saw road trains, but they too appeared to be heavy tare weights.