Hi, Take a look at this link I found, isnt it pretty impressive? World Record with Mack Titan
Clutch Does this truck have a conventional clutch?
Very impressive indeed even with the low low gear ratio.That's a lot of weight from a dead standstill had to pull 328' wonder how far it took to stop and how long it took to supply enough air for 113 trailers? Proly needed help airing it all up, anyway my hats off to the guy!
Okey - Yes, the Titan is fitted with the standard Mack Titan clutch .. a Spicer 15.5" (394mm) CL7985 VCT .. takeoff is slow and steady, ease the clutch out, on just over an idle .. then gradual power on, until the full load is taken up. Slack in the Ringfeder couplings takes a while to take up, over that number of trailers .. so that helps ease the loading up of the drivetrain. A number of independent compressors are set up along the line of trailers, to keep up the air pressure. The trucks compressor alone, is totally inadequate for that number of trailers and connections .. One of the major problems is steering .. with maximum torque being sent to the rear axles, and a load that doesn't want to move off too rapidly .. using excessive throttle, trying to overcome the inertia of the massive load, will only result in the truck doing a wheelstand .. steady as she goes, is the order of the day .. Here's more ''road train record'' sites, for your entertainment .. The Oct 19, 2000 record (note, that Goulds pulled 79 trailers for 5 MILES!! - 8 km ) .. http://www.gouldtransport.com.au/world_records.html The current record holder (lots of good pics here) .. http://www.thedieselgypsy.com/Roadtrain_Record-2006.htm Some YouTube movies .. Roadtrains Australia promo clip (17 mins) .. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6tV3Egyzeo Kimberly Kenworths .. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AmcqG08jAuQ Kenworth roadtrain parking .. .. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaeH_mdKDDo&mode=related&search=
Cool picture! :thumbsup Funny it doesn't twist the truck frame no more than it is though.
The big trucks with 250 tonne gross combination ratings, such as the Mack in the pic, have extra deep, triple channel, chassis rails .. with extra reinforcing over the drives .. and cross-members that wouldn't look out of place on a loco .. If you look closely, you can see some chassis twist, but not a major amount. The likely reason he's wheelingstanding, is because he's done a quick upshift .. and dropped the clutch. If the truck driver was working for me, I'd be re-educating him on correct operation procedures, and how to ease power on .. not drop it on ..
Oz...when I was a young bloke working for P&H at Newman the pit boss used to "coach" with a size 12...and "re-educate" with a piece of 4 x 2....when it came to abused equipment. Is that the re-educating you are talkin about?
Squizzy - Yeah .. well .. you might have got away with that kind of 're-education', 25-30 years ago .. but nowadays, it could lead to some nasty repercussions, with the increase in restrictrive laws about how employees are treated .. No, I don't believe that kind of 're-education' works with a lot of people .. a mixture of carrot and stick works better .. as well as actually getting on the machine/vehicle .. and personally demonstrating, the fine line between abuse, and getting the maximum performance, for fuel used .. One of the greatest secrets with employing people, is to ensure their personality suits the job they are put on. Some people could break a rubber sword .. while others have a real 'feel' for equipment stress levels, and apply the power sparingly, when the occasion demands .. rather than just hammer it .. .. and then of course, there are those, who should never be let behind the wheel of any powered item ..
Too right, although thats not the way I used to be...found now a quiet word is better than a sharp tongue...although a little wit and humour never goes astray. I think we (Aussies) are very bad at confronting a problem and dealing with it on a level. (that is we either don't address it at all or we go off the deep end over it). If a guy does something wrong then you should just go point out the problem and how it is to be remedied. No need for yellin. On the other hand....I have a labourer (at the moment) who has broken my pressure cleaner no less than 5 times...:Banghead :Banghead . He's testing my management skills
Clutch That explains it! :thumbsup I could understand how the truck could pull the load once moving, but I couldn't figger out how it got it started moving without burning the clutch out. I was beginning to think it must have a torque converter behind the clutch. So it would be of utmost importance that the slack be put in there during staging. Thanks, okey