@@carkawalakhatulistiwa Rail lines are great to go from port to distribution hubs, but if you want to get a variety of products, like groceries, to a bunch of supermarkets, trucks are the only way to do that. In Canada, for example, we have major ports in British Columbia, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, and, to a lesser degree, Ontario. To get cargo from Vancouver that is destined for Alberta or Saskatchewan, it goes by train to various distro hubs then it is sent out to company distro centres like Wal-Mart or Auto-pro by truck then sorted into loads for specific stores where it is again sent out by truck. A train is great for moving a few thousand TVs, but moving 10 or 20 TVs, pallets of can food, pallets of pillows, and clothing works far better on a truck even over 1000s of kilometres.
On the transmissions, automated ones can produce better fuel mileage with average driver experience but manual transmissions can get better fuel efficiency with very experienced drivers.
Automatics, any Primate can operate one, IMHO the reason that we are seeing so many more and serious truck wrecks is due to the proliferation of the automatic transmission. They are putting any Tom, Dick and Jane with a heartbeat behind the wheel.
Every truck driver out there started as a Tom, Dick or Jane. Automatic trucks still have gearboxes, the computer shifts the gears which protects the engine from over revving and frees the driver to concentrate more on driving safely. Old stick shift trucks are dinosaurs driven by fossil’s. I would never drive one of those old trucks anymore. They suck.
@@albertwilson7239come pull a 7000G smooth bore that can only hold 6000G legally. You’ll want that control of the transmission back, if you plan on accelerating in a timely manner.
@@albertwilson7239 And you can’t use a 13 speed because the school didn’t teach you how. The 1st truck I drove had a 2 stick 4X4 in the mountains of AZ, I never did get good with it. The truck I sold was a 13 only used the clutch when I was starting or stopping. BTW I never went to a driving school. I learned the old way.
@@albertwilson7239 that’s not true. Not every driver started out as a Tom, Dick or Jane. There used to be a lot more generational drivers, like myself, that learned at a young age and guys like me helped those new drivers learn the ropes. Now you have drivers that have very little experience teaching new drivers with no experience. The fact that you believe that automatics are better just goes to show you were never taught properly. No matter the innovations with automatics, they have massive downsides, especially in hill and mountainous areas. They are especially harder to control when backing. It all comes from who taught you. If you worked for one of these big companies like Swift or Werner, then you were likely taught by either another inexperienced driver or a driver that was also taught by another inexperienced driver. It’s a chain that creates more and more bad drivers.
Tag axles: You missed a couple more reasons, like a) Toll reduction; some places charge trucks by number of axles on the road. If you can legally carry your load with the tag axle lifted, you will pay a lower toll. b) Makes installation of tire chains easier. On SOME trucks, the tag axle can be lowered so far that the drive axle can be at least partly lifted, which makes makes it a bit easier to install the tire chains
Depends on the axle and the jurisdiction. In the US, a "single tag" will only add an extra 12,000 most places, some places more if it's a wider tire, making for a 20,000 drive axle and a 32,000 tandem total. Dually tags are just the same as a dual-drive axles, at a full 34,000 tandem. Axle loads are higher in Canada and Michigan, and in Mexico, they don' need no steenkin' scales.... @@Jay-gz6mv
@@hibiki54 yea but you could go down to any volvo or scania dealer and get a 750/770hp truck in europe, if you want to do custom stuff you could use the 1150hp version of the scania v8 if you beef up the cooling
@TruckTropia I agree no new trucks I am aware of but I have he chassis dyno sheets stating my 6nz Cat is pushing 800 plus to the grounds. It started life as a 600 horse model that we added a marine cam, injectors and turbo to and then reset the computer and all done.
I have done a lot of mountain driving in Colorado. And I must say that the main reason I prefer a manual transmission is for the hills, both up and down. Going up hill it is easier to keep the truck in the correct gear for the hill. You have only limited gear selection in autos. And most importantly, a manual transmission holds a truck back better going down hill with the direct connection to the engine. The reason for the added cost of manual transmission maintenance is due to lack of driver knowledge. I drove a manual in the mtns for 3 years with the same truck and clutch. The only reason it ever needed a clutch was when I went on vacation for 2 weeks toward the end of that time and an inexperienced driver burnt the clutch. Now all my companies trucks are automatics. Thanks for the video!
That’s so true. I’ve had my truck for 6 years now and I’m on the original clutch and the gears are still tight. Plus, I’m still on the original brake pads which have 618,000 miles on them and can probably go another 500,000 on them. There’s a lot of maintenance issues you can avoid just by knowing how to do it.
Having a manual transmission is a must on bad roads. The arthritic chimpanzee they have shifting gears on the automatic doesn't know how to shift when traction is so poor, the tires are spinning. Putting tire chains on confuses the system even further, as it will not shift at all when pulling a grade on icy roads. Not even in the so called manual mode.
Automated manuals all have a manual mode though, you can just put it in M and hold a gear for as long as you want. Some also have hill modes or even offroad modes for their automated manuals, i drove a Volvo FH dump truck with an offroad mode and it was great in snow dumping sites, along with the automatic diff locks.
In Australia we have both Euro and American style trucks and Euro trucks seem yo more popular on our better roads but when it comes rural and out back roads majority of trucks are US makes with some made in Australia with some trucks gross over 180 tons as roadtrains
Longer wheelbase have better ride characteristics. It's the same reason that riding in a train near the axles is rougher than in the middle of the car.
A couple more items come to mind. Engine capacity has a direct effect on the effectiveness of it's braking power or Jake Brake/ Jacob's brake. Invented by a log truck driver in the western usa it reduced the number of run away trucks after excessive braking (brake fade) from descending long down hill runs (mountainous terrain) The bigger engine capacity provides so much braking effect with the correct down shifted gear that you can descend hills without using the brakes at all. The second thing I thought of was the pro's and con's regarding transmissions. There are many drivers out there that do not know how to shift gears, or even how to use the clutch from a standing start. The wear and tear on the clutch, transmission and power train is very costly, not only in repairs but lost revenue due to the truck sitting in a shop waiting to repaired. Many experienced drivers will only use the clutch to get the rig rolling, then all shifting is done without using the clutch. I put 600,000 miles on a new Kenworth Sleeper with a C15 Cat engine and it still had life in it when I retired from that company. The terrain varied from flat land to over the Cascade Mountain ranges. Stay smart and stay safe out there! All the Best!
There's a 7 mile downhill run on I-77 going SB from Virginia into North Carolina, fully loaded, in the right gear, with the right level of Jake brake, I can just glide down at 55 without touching the brakes or the accelerator.
Way to go! That is the smart way to drive down hill. In Washington state I frequently travelled Snoqualmie, Blewett and White Passes always picked the best workable gear and jake brake for the load behind me. Nice to know you'll get home safe at the end of the day!@@patrickloomis992
Most European trucks use hydraulic aux brakes for some time now. Way more powerful then Jake brake and more quiet. And robotic manual gearboxes are just as good as manuals. There is no true automatic in Europe like you have in US
Pretty spot on information. However, there are places in the US like Michigan, where you are legal to run 164,000 pounds on 11 axles. Which requires every bit of 550+ hp in order to get any work done.
In 1980, when I was a Sophomore in High-School, I penned a Truck-Cab eerily close to the TESLA COE Tractor, back when NO ONE considered Aero, Fender-skirts, or retracting Pin-Tables. My design was a 'Tilted into-the-Wind' Cab-over that created a 'nose-cone' of decent streamlining, and allowed a Shorter Cab than front-engine set-ups, but had enough 'track length' to be stable (not Darty) with long trailers. The Cab, now being above, but a bit Behind the Motor, could be de-coupled from the engine noise/vibration/heat, and, like a Cab-Over, the 'Storage + Bunk' space could be quite Deep, as well. Having a retracting (on a hydraulic ram) Table for the Trailer Pin, meant that the Cargo could 'reel-in' to tidy-up the Airflow on the Highway, but also extend to help in 'tight alley' turns, or for Stability with high C--G loads in corners. I used Full Skirt fenders to streamline, but also keep spray/dust from Harming Cars as they drove nearby. The Fuel-tanks were also 'flared' into the fender skirts (w/steps to access the Cab/front-of-the Trailer) to further streamline the Rig. In the Doors, 'Look-down' glass panels let the Driver see small cars tucked-in close to the front-of the Cab. I have watched the DE-Evolution of American Trucks with Sadness, knowing that, 44 years Ago, I HAD The Better TRUCK design, and could have, kept Trucking costs Down enough to even slow the GOP's Plan to devalue $$$$ as a gambit, to a HALT, while NOT Burning 4 decades of in-effectively-burned Carbon Oil Fumes... Oh well, It isn't like the GOP Understands 'Better Ideas', they just Follow HALIBURTON to Hell.
US truck design is still stuck in the 1950s. Here in Australia we have both Euro and US trucks to choose from. The only US truck that comes close to the Euros for refinement and low driver fatigue is the Mack Superliner. Kenworths are noisy, have a crap ride and are made with a collection of third party components. A Scania is Scania right through and it shows with lower running costs and maintenance.
And wait, what Kenworths have you driven? You can’t just saw all trucks of one brand are all built the same. Hell, you can’t even say that within the different packages that come with each model. It’s like saying a Dodge Charger is slow when you’ve only driven a SXT.
@@Coonazz791 I never sawed anything about brands being built all the same, read my actual comment. scania is viewed as a "premium" product in europe with matching prices. An £8-9 part for example for a daf is £70+ for a scania.
The people that decide we don’t need higher horsepower in the US hasn’t ever been behind the wheel of a working truck, just test tracks. The limited horsepower has more to do with companies here wanting to spend less money on the trucks not caring how long it takes or frustrating it is to climb a hill or mountain while still pushing you to make the delivery on time or ahead of schedule. They also don’t really care about driver comfort because the seats in most trucks unless modified really suck and the options within the trucks are very limited and sparse. The legal limit in the US is 80k but that doesn’t mean that drivers don’t often haul much heavier loads with the proper permits. The EPA also has a big hand in the engine choice here in the states. Just another example of them sticking their noses into areas they don’t belong because a lot more to concerned about than what engines we use.
You're right about companies not caring about how long it takes you to make your delivery. As long as you're not late to your appointment. They pay mileage for a reason. They also want to get rid of all their drivers as soon as possible, replacing them with driverless trucks. Robo trucks won't have hours of service regulations to follow. They won't have to be paid or be provided with benefits or days off. Those trucks won't take sick days or vacation days and will only stop to refuel, load/unload and have maintenance performed, the occasional flat tire not withstanding. Those trucks won't speed or get distracted or sleepy or p¡ssed off. They won't jam gears or get into accidents either. And they won't organize or demand more comfortable seats. They'll effectively be slaves. The day of the long haul truck driver is in its sunset years. Local and specialty drivers will have a few extra years before the hammer drops, but not many. Just don't let your kids become truckers. They'll never get to retire doing it.
@@Hay-x7p won’t get into accidents. There have been quite a lot of accident directly related to the self drive feature. They’ve hit several vehicles including emergency vehicles while they are parked on the side of the highway. Just imagine how bad that would be if it had been an 80 thousand pound truck. Personally I don’t want to be on any road with driverless vehicles at least for several more years. None of the trucking companies will be able to work on their own trucks as they currently do so that will cost them a ton of money and even more down time while waiting in line for service. They’ll have to pay someone to man every charging station because a self drive truck isn’t going to plug itself in. Companies won’t be able to force their EV trucks to drive faster in order to deliver ahead of schedule. Good luck replacing those massive battery packs when they fail because they will fail as well as start degrading year after year. Average cost for a car EV barttery is between 15-20 thousand. I’d imagine the Truck batteries to range in the 75-80 range. Who’s gonna take the straps off the flat bed trucks, stop after 30 miles to check the load and the toe downs to make sure they aren’t lose? Guess they are gonna have to man them with the fictional Tesla robot as well.
@@P-J-W-777 technology continues to improve at a geometric rate. Human decisions are being removed from the driving process. After 23 years driving trucks in Arizona, I moved to New Mexico in 2014 and drove oil trucks in the oil fields. Every single semi I ever drove over thirty years was a stick shift. When I moved back to Phoenix in 2021, auto shift trucks were standard in the industry. I didn't even know that technology had been worked out. I'd always heard it was too expensive and the automatic transmissions just weren't strong enough to handle the loads. They still aren't. So the manufacturers figured out how to get the truck to _"shift itself"._ The transmissions are still non-synchronous, but the computer system has taken over shifting duties from the driver. I started driving for Penske occasionally, moving empty tractors from place to place. None of the late model semi's they rent are stick shift and none of the newer box trucks are either. One of the guys that works there handed me the keys the other day instead of driving the truck up for me. He said he couldn't drive a manual transmission truck. I felt bad for him, but there just aren't any stick shifts on the market anymore. My point is that transition to automatic happened in less than a decade while I was gone to the oil fields. The transition to driverless will be just as rapid once the bugs are worked out. It's going to happen because MONEY. Driver compensation and fuel costs are the two biggest expenses in the trucking industry. If they can eliminate one, they'll do it. Driverless can happen without electric. Once both technologies are available, it's a win win for trucking companies. No more expensive fuel and no more expensive drivers. You can BET they'll do it. Amazon will probably lead the way. They'll invest in support staff to keep the electric robo trucks rolling. People will be used to facilitate that focused effort. Loading, unloading, mechanics, fueling, recharging, repair etc, it will all revolve around keeping the robo trucks wheels turning. It's going to happen, probably before this decade is out.
@@Hay-x7p yes I agree it’s coming. I’ve been around trucks and the oilfield all my life, do like you I know trucks. I can see benefits but I can also see dangers along the way.
Actually, sulfur is a lubricant, and modern diesel fuel has very little sulfur compared to fuel 20 years ago. Also, fuel doesn't lubricate anything in the cylinder. It burns. Diesel engines have reduced wear vs. gasoline engines because of how they are designed, not because of the fuel. And, furthermore, diesel contamination of engine oil actually INCREASES wear, and contamination is more common now due to the use of post-combustion injection for the DPF.
I run the same route each night and have a 450hp in my truck. It takes 12-15 gallons less fuel to do the same run than my old truck did with a 385hp engine.
A lot of this only refers to the USA. In Australia sleeper cabs are comfortable but not over the top in length therefore compromising their ability to manoeuvre whilst complying with local laws regarding overall length.Trailers are typically tri-axle, and typically have two trailer (B-Double or b-Trimble or road trains with up to four trailers. Lifting axles are often nicknamed ‘lazy axles’.
Shifting gears are all part of driving a truck. With automatics you just sit there and hold the steering wheel and more likely get drowsy. Also a lot of the engines used to sound cool. Now you don't hear them at all which adds to the drowsiness. Maybe they'll have it so we can sleep while we drive. Lol .
Your are 100% correct ... the monotony of long drives adds to drivers falling asleep at the wheel. I've done it too many times to even think about it! Glad I'm retired and alive! It's something only sleep will remedy
You can't say 'pounds per foot' when talking about torque. That would indicate you were dividing the force by the distance when you are in fact multiplying it (just think of how a longer bar increases the torque you can put into a fastener).
Axle configurations: Missing 10x4. In Europe, especially Switzerland, it's very common for dump trucks. There are allowed 8 Tons per axle, but 40 Tons per vehicle. So you need 5 axles for 40 Tons. It's like an 8x4 with an additional trailing axle. In most cases, the 3rd and the 5th axles are lift axles, so you can drive as an 6x4 when empty, what is more economyc. For example see here: th-cam.com/video/HyuxOeXV42E/w-d-xo.html
I don't even have a DL but I'm loving every minute of this so much I've watched more than thrice! Almost getting to the point of taking notes and starting a truckers consultancy 😂
That was a great engine. But when talking about USA V-8 engines, I cannot believe no mention of the 8V71 or the 8V92. There use to be plenty of them around. Cummins also had their 903. Still remember being out at night along the highway and hearing the rat-a-tat of them old Dee-troits as the old timers called them. And if you made fun of the oil puddle under their rig, they would only remark, "I doesn't leak oil, it's marking its territory!"
The reason why big trucks use diesel is the same reason why farm tractors also use diesel fuel. Also there’s nothing like the smell of diesel exhaust in the morning!😂
Imagine the surprise when the first farmer walked into his barn full of fertilizer, smoking his first cigarette, and found out his helper spilled diesel in the barn...!
Nothing like diesel smoke laying low on the ground when temps are below freezing! Here's a tip. When parking at a truck stop in the winter to sleep, find a parking spot up wind of all the other trucks or you will be breathing those fumes all night!
As a truck driver the delivering food mostly in urban areas. I would say that we need flat nose cabovers. I'd say just like in Australia we need a combination of both types of trucks. If you're mostly doing local deliveries especially in urban areas a cabover would be very useful
I notice railroad crossings weren't directly mentioned in disadvantages of long wheelbases. Plenty of entertaining examples of this disadvantage show up on TH-cam.
I love what you said about manual transmissions and control, skill, and the art of driving, so I definitely understand why that's hard to shake; sometimes it's even just more fun! Yep, yep, and more yep! But I would also understand why some drivers would rather just not have to worry about that. I do understand that the more modern transmissions, and even all that being replaced with electric motors, are becoming more advantageous, though.
@ 04:36 ... In the USA 40,000 lbs is 20 Tons. A USA ton is 2,000 lbs. The illustration depicts a three axle trailer which allows additional weight depending on the spacing of the axles on the trailer, the spacing of axles including the tractor, the number of tires (tyres) on the additional trailer axle. Also if a "super single" tire is on that axle. I'm thankfully retired from all of the regulations, and yes, some of the self important commercial law officers (whom I had to school) a few on what was permissible under federal regs. On the whole they were good eggs, and lets face it they helped insure the drivers and rigs were safe to be on the road. Stay smart, stay safe and be patient!
Comprehensive video, I would disagree on EV trucks ever being popular (unless mandated by govt.). They are already failing in the car market and pollute more during manufacture and disposal, are not durable, have higher insurance and maintenance costs, & cause longer trips. Government demanding utopia doesn't mean they will get it (more like dystopia).
I drove back in the 70s. I have driven a few diesels V8s. I owned a rig with a 318 Detroit. Also drove rigs with the 262 Cummings, 903 Cummings 350 Detroit. The big power back then was 350 Cummings and a few that were 450HP. Engines I have driven 220 cummings 262 cummings inline 6 and V8. Cat Mack and IH rigs with their engines. Trans 4by4/ 4by3 / 5by4 /13 and 15 speed Roadranger. I ran 40ft flats and tankers with and without baffle's. 27Ft high cub double vans.
After watching the whole video I came to a conclusion that as a European citizen I need a 1980 W900l Kenworth or Peterbilt 359, long wheelbase and a CAT V8 with standard shifter...😂
Why do you want to have such basic old school uncomfortable truck to drive? Yes they may look nice, but from that same period of time, the European trucks were already way better and ahead in development compared to American trucks. And the American trucks of today aren't even comparable to the European trucks we have today.
@@musictolive4 Why do people enjoy driving vintage cars or trucks?? It's about passion, mechanical feel those machines have a soul. If you wanna be fast you buy Porsche Taycan with push of a few buttons you will be really fast around the corners, effortlessly and comfortably. But if you wanna drive for fun, well then you take your Porsche 930 or 964 out for a spin. Those traditional trucks are for purists...
I'm not a trucker but I know enough about diesel propulsion, etc.. to be dangerous . do to my many years in the fire service, I've been exposed to diesel engines. Knowing that currently the larger fire apparatus are currently utilizing 5-600 hp engines(I do get the idea that it's the torque your looking for mostly, also fuel costs)That being said, 600 hp seems like plenty to me,(please correct me if I'm wrong) Yes it woud be cool to say my rig has a 700+ hp engine but at what cost! FYI, I love the two elongated sleeper units shown( the blue & the slightly bigger white unit)! Thanks for the many explanations, even if you couldn't cover nearly every scenario!!
I have two fuel tanks on my truck both hold 140 gallons so in total I can hold 280 gallons I can go between 1200 and 2000 Mi per fuel up depending on my MPG
Multiple US states and Canada allow more than 80,000 lbs, like Michigan allows a weight of 164,000 lbs or canada with some provinces allowing 140,000lbs Plus when us federal says 80,000 that doesn't mean that's the max it's the minimum weight all US states must allow every US state has the right to allow more weight, but not less than 80,000lbs
Having driven both manual and automatic trucks in the US, I have two problems with automatics 1) Since they're so easy to drive, it makes it easier for a trucking company to replace you; the skill level to operate a truck is lowered, which means that trucking companies can get away with more BS such as low pay rates, poor home times, etc.. , because if truckers start showing any signs of revolt, they can just be easily replaced 2) Since they're so easy to drive, they're also easier to steal. Truck jacking has been an increasing problem in the trucking industry, since trucks have been made so easy to drive. Sure, training drivers will cost more in the short run because truckers will burn more fuel and damage the transmission while learning, but at least your truck can't be stolen by any idiot with a gun. The second company I drove for completely forbade sleeping in a truck stop in Atlanta or within 100 miles from it. This wouldn't have been as much of a problem with a stick I do agree that automatics provide better torque and fuel economy, but if I had stayed in the US and bought a truck, I'd stick to a stick so it's less likely to get stolen If anyone reads my comment this far, I am not trying to change your opinion, I am just expressing mine
The quality of drivers has gone way down. New school drivers today drive a truck like they are in a car. NO ONE is teaching them HOW to drive a truck. There is a lot more to driving a truck and being a truck driver. I have seen so many of them fly up to a traffic light and slam on the brakes at the last second. Brake failure = accidents. Give me a stick and a clutch anytime.
You are right. a USA ton is 2,000 lbs. A British or English ton is 2,240 pounds. Confusing yes! A hundred weight in the UK is 112lbs (if memory serves me!) 20 hundred weight to a ton. 20x112= 2,240 pounds. @@Coonazz791
I think he calculated that using the British ton which is 2,240 lbs. 80,000 divided by 2,240 = 35.71428571428571 tons ... unfortunately just one of many confusing and misleading facts in this factual you-tube video.
Extra axles are not necessarily for grip on trucks with 3 axles it's about weight distribution. They carry more weight so the extra axle allows them to do that and not get weight violation or have to buy expensive permits. However, permits are the cheapest option if it's a one time thing for the weight. You have to custom order with more axles which is more expensive and most people don't do that unless they intend to haul the weight on a regular basis. Now on the trailer that gets tricky. There are a lot of configurations. If it's a 2 axle trailer you might see one axle raised if they have that ability when it's empty. This reduces friction and increases fuel mileage. Especially if it's a spread axle, see this a lot with flatbed. In Michigan, this is a great example for multiple raised axles, you might see that when those scrap metal haulers are empty. They also raise axles when they turn, tires will pop off the rims if they don't lift the axles when they make a turn. They have control box in the cab of the truck to do this. The reason the trailer has all the extra axles is weight. Those trucks haul double what a regular truck hauls. However that is legal in Michigan but you can't do that with 5 axles.
Many trucks are not true automatics, More automated manuals where the clutch/shifting is electric with air/hydraulic actuation. Still a manual box but the shifting is automated. Some scanias (I forget the years but I want to say "opticruise") still had a clutch pedal that was only used for starting and stopping, shifting was all automated.
In California a significant number of buses and large trucks are fueled by Bio Natural Gas. Now that Cummins is finalizing their new 15 liter NG engine, the capability difference between NG vs diesel is effectively gone while the fuel costs is dramatically lower with NG with better emissions. Ask UPS, as most / many of their trucks / vehicles are Bio-NG. Bio-NG gets significant subsidies in California (for the time being).
I could control my backing speed far better with the manual also. I did find a way to make the auto closer to the manual for backing. Just hold on the brake enough that the truck didn't roll unless throttle was added. Worked for me.
@@TopiasSalakka It does depend on the quality of the transition. Shill a manual with give you much better control; not that I want to give up my automatic!
@@TopiasSalakka You answered your own question in a way. You have learned to back with the automatic transmission, and that is all you know, so it is a normal operation for you. Backing the manual transmission, I use the throttle to control speed, and if I let off the throttle, the truck slowed instantly. The automatic free wheels, so I had to learn to keep the left foot on the brake. Doesn't sound like much, but the first time I backed a trailer with an automatic, I felt that I probably looked like someone that had never backed a wagon into an enclosed dock in my life. I was very much embarrassed by my dilemma, and had hoped no one had noticed. When I hopped out, another older driver came up to me and asked, "That is the first time you have backed into a dock with an automatic, isn't it?" He had driven his first auto just a few months early, and remembered the pain of looking like a rookie. I stayed with the older trucks for awhile, but changed from P&D to a meet and turn route with enough miles a day that a new truck was mandated. I ran 500 miles a day to the west and back, and another driver then ran the same truck and load 500 miles to the east and back which was another meet and turn. This was all in one twenty-four hour period. All the new trucks were automatics, but there isn't much backing to a meet & turn operation, so I was in good shape till I retired. I hope your miles are all good ones, and be safe!
@@ronfullerton3162 I actually learned how to reverse in a manual, though in a passenger car, since by default drivers ed makes you drive a manual car. Still, modern automated manuals are great at reversing slowly in my experience.
8:32 "Diesel engines are more fuel efficient than gasoline engines, because they burn fuel more efficiently" There's no way.. was this written by AI? What a line.
Automatic transmissions are so the steering wheel holders the big companies rush through training don't need to understand an 18 speed. I always want a manual!!
I have been a trucker since the mid nineties, I love my automatic… I haul 96,000 to 129,000 over a 9114 foot pass with 8% grades with no problems and it’s just easier. I had an 18 speed Manual for years and years before. about a year and a half ago I got an automatic. I just like the automatic better.
I haul 96,000 to 129,000 up to 9114 feet with 8% grades using a 500 hp all the time… the differential gear ratios make a big difference as well… not just the HP or transmission.
Transmissions. I would prefer an automatic in short haul, and consider the manual a wash in long haul. In long haul you have mountains, and the occasional speed change call it enough to help stay engaged and keep the blood circulating. Add in the stoplights, and stop and go of city traffic manual shift becomes a serious chore.
33:56 IF U SAY SO, then why do EV buses use / have options for transmissions? Actually a bit more going on. Tesla doesn’t believe in transmissions but the EV buses found out the hard way fast that if you don’t have an option for transmissions that a significant number of applications will have EVs stall on startup on grades. That is why on heavier applications the E-axles have TWO ELECTRIC MOTORS going through a planetary gear cluster to get the benefits of gearing reduction. There is / was an EV bus manufacturer that has / had an option for a four speed transmission (“had” as in going bankrupt and the $1,000,000 EVs are now boat anchors, all 1300 of them).
By design, an inline six configuration is more robust. The crankshaft is supported by a bearing between each cylinder. Whereas an V-8 will have a bearing supporting the loads of the four adjacent cylinders.
Holland also has a 50 ton weight limit instead of 44 ton. Btw I wonder how much more a 770 V8 uses more fuel than a C15 with 605 HP. Most US V8’s where 2 stroke and those use more fuel than a Boeing uses at takeoff 🛫
The only 2 stroke V8s were made by Detroit Diesel, in the form of the 8V-53, 8V-71, and 8V-92. There quite a few other V8s out there, such as the 903 and 555 made by Cummins, the D336, 3150, 3208, and 3408 made by Cat, and the E9, 864, 865, and 866 made by Mack. I believe the Detroits were the most popular, followed by the E9 and 3408. The 903 was an alright engine, as well as the D336. General consensus on the 555 Cummins, 3208 Cat, and the 860 series Macks wasn't very good. 3208s are regarded as a throw away motor, 555s like to blow up if you lug them to hard, and the 860 Macks liked to crack heads. The mighty 3408 was know to break cranks when turned up to far as well, some attribute that issue to it also being a 60 degree V engine. I don't know much about the D336 other than it was a dozer engine that was used in trucks under the 1676 designation, and 3150 was a predecessor to the 3208.
This TH-cam is so well made and answers all of its advertised questions so well I wish it could be the model for all of these bad youtubes that I keep having to reject. This TH-cam about trucks is #1 in my list of outstanding TH-cam efforts.
No 4x4 is a tandem rears where both axles drive just like 6x6 steer axle drives and the rear tandems drive also or a 6x6 could be 3 drive axles behind the cab
The UPS trucks had the 6x2 LNG powered which was terrible because the rear axle was the tandem. It was very easy to lose all traction if you had to go up a sudden elevation. The tandem was not retractable.
So many statements here that come from inexperience 1. Diesel is slow burning therefore stroke length scavenges torque and gives a greater power stroke = power and economy. 2. Axle spacing and numbers of is regulated by d.o.t for weight distrubution and road damage control , so you see some weird stuff out there . 3.auto vs manual, auto is great for new and inexperienced drivers and keeps down repair costs but fuel costs suffer because new drivers gokart their rigs trying to beat traffic. With experienced drivers a manual is a great choice and owner operators prefer them because an automatic cannot predict road or traffic conditions and will give better fuel economy and life span . Company drivers, an auto is best. Owners, a manual is best. I have driven for 20 yrs all kinds of rigs And spent 5yrs working on them. Experience counts.
17:00 an inline 6 engine also runs smoother than a V8 engine, which is important for a big, low revving engine.... the inline 6 arrangement makes all the pistons move in pairs of 3, and the movements of the pistons cancel each other out... the inline 6 will not rock side-to-side like a V8 engine will
Such a cool channel. Can you please address how long truck drivers can drive before being required to take breaks and sleep? How much flexiblity is there in the rules?
legally in 🇺🇸 you can drive 11 hrs within a 14 hrs shift but no more then combined 70 hrs in 8 days unless you take a 34 hrs break , then your clock reset and you got 70 hrs again as far as your break goes , you gotta be off duty or in the sleeperberth of the truck for 10 consecutive hours to regain 14 available onDuty hrs again like me , well - I drive nights locally , 6 nights in a row usually then I set out 1 night and my clock resets and ‘m good to go for another 6 nights / 70 hrs usually ~ 12 hrs shifts on my first 5 nights , and all remaining hrs I use up on my 6th night hope that explanation helps lil bit and oh yes : NO FLEXIBILITY on those rules except in emergency like severe weather to get safely off the road you can once every 2 weeks I believe extend your available drive time for that day for 2 more hrs , but only to be used for an emergency still can’t go over your 70 tho or use it to expand your available total drive time + all those rules - they are strictly enforced by law enforcement especially DOT if you should get caught out of drive time , you will be put out of service immediately and get a hefty fine and points on your license and your safety rating in case of a accident you being out of driving time , the accident is absolutely your fault , no questions asked because you were not supposed to be there aka shoulda have been off duty in case someone died because of an accident like that with you being out of available drivetime , you probably get your CDL revoked , fined to the max and most likely go to jail so : it’s not worth it , period also once your 70 hrs are up , you can indefinitely stay onDuty tho , but only as long as you do not drive you can work 100+ hrs if you choose to but no driving after 70 then : take 34 reset and your clock is reset again , 10-4
@@ericmiller7022 thanks and holy cow, that’s complicated. My guess is there s software to help keep it straight. I also bet that your computer can be examined by law enforcement like they used to do logbooks.
Yea it sounds complex until you use the hours of service for a few weeks. Then it's all second nature and becomes pretty straight forward. I will say though, us truckers do use time in an unusual way in relation to many other fields. We're also governed by 5 different clocks simultaneously. 8 hr 14 hr 11 hr 70 hr And the actual time. And for a bonus, we also have to consider driving from one time zone to another, and whether the actual time increases and hr or decreases. It can be a lot to consider sometimes lol
@@TruckTropia Thanks! For the link to your YT on Jake Brakes. I do wonder, though, what the technology will be with EV trucks to emulate the 'Jake Brake'?
When it comes to trucks, any question that asks "why?" is always about fuel efficiency. The two biggest costs for trucking companies are fuel and driver compensation. They're trying to get rid of the drivers and let the trucks drive themselves so they don't have to pay the drivers. Slave trucks are a far better deal. Plus those driverless trucks will be far more fuel efficient than human drivers because they will never get in a hurry or get impatient or over-rev the engine while shifting. Higher power is also irrelevant when you can simply gear down. Raising axles is only about fuel efficiency and less wear and tear on tires and gears. I personally don't like driving auto manual trucks. They're not automatics, it's a different technology. The transmission is still non-synchronous, so the truck manually shifts itself. It's disconcerting. I'd rather do it myself. Cabovers were a pain to drive, especially locally. Climbing in and out was a hassle and the stubby gear shift with all the joints in the linkage was a pain to shift. The one I drove decades ago was an old truck. The modern ones out of Europe look fantastic. They probably are far more enjoyable to drive than yesteryears cabovers. Once trucks can drive themselves, manufacturers will put the drivetrain in the trailer and get rid of the cab and tractor completely. That way the trailer can haul more freight by increasing cargo capacity in areas with length limits. All wheels will steer, increasing maneuverability. This will absolutely happen once electric motors and batteries are perfected for heavy trucks.
The main reason for lift axles is taxes. The truck pays road tax per axle. When light or empty, they raise the axle so they are not taxed on that set of wheels.
In Europe is popular also trucks on mixed fuel diesel and LPG ( in Italy for example). Many trucks are produce on MPG and MLG whit engines like petrol engines. They can work on LPG too.
V8 engines allow 2 rods on each crankshaft throw meaning bearing width is cut in half compared to inline 6 cylinder engines. Less bearing surface creates more stress on bearings which will wear out much quicker.
Torque is not 'pounds per foot'. It is 'foot pounds'. Foot pounds is a unit of measure of torque. It results from multiplying a force by it's distance to the point of rotation. If you increase either the force or the distance you increase the torque. That's why the unit is foot-pounds. 'Pounds per foot' imppies the unit is pounds divided by feet but it is not, it is pounds multiplied by feet thus giving the corrent name 'foot pounds'. Wouldn't expect ai generated content to understand that though.
I'm just here to say from the picture of the link to this video, it looked like it was saying why the gas tank doesn't touch the ground. Was like umm isn't this common sense,then I clicked the video and seen where it's talking about the tires. I was so relieved 😅😂. Sorry had a dumb moment and had to share
30:40 What the fuck is a "speeder"? You mean Throttle/Accelerator pedal. You make it sound like there is a speeder button on the dash. Maybe that's the button that goes to ludicrous speed! As a manual transmission driver, I would say that the automatic makes you more lazy, more easily distracted from driving. You need to pay attention to those around you (esp. in a big rig) in case you need to downshift or go into neutral/clutch to not kill the engine in an emergency stop. Another reason the manual has benefit, downshifting to help slow down. There is a lot of shifting, from a stop, in a loaded big rig, so city driving will be where the most shifting while happen. Once you are up to speed you only need to shift for grades, or to slow down/speed up. Automatics must be told through programming and have some form of Manual input to downshift/upshift at the proper times. This tech I am sure has made improvement over the years, but the computer can't see the road and traffic conditions (yet). Automatics also have a metric ton of slip, increased wear and service over a manual, they generally weigh and cost more (at least in the Cars and Trucks). Automated manuals MAY be a good compromise, I don't know much about them. The skill level bar to drive a big rig manual transmission, may be providing better drivers to the industry (total speculation). God Save The Stick Shift!
That bit about not seeing the road is now obsolete. Freightliners now can gauge their speed , on cruise, so that they can coast up the last of a grade and take advantage of the upcoming down grade to resume cruising speed. It's done by GPS grade mapping of almost all major roads. Scary !
@@hansjansen7047 Yeah. Figured it was at least on its way. Cars have been using radar to run the cruise and emergency braking systems. All over cameras are not just for the driver either. The way I see it, it can make drivers lazy. To that point the cars/trucks will be driving themselves soon anyway. Scary indeed. I am not a fan.😶 One day maybe will look back and laugh, but considering we past 2020 without all the flying cars and automation that was "foretold", I don't know that we will make it to "one day" Not in my lifetime anyway HAHAHAHA!
Horsepower differences...Europe has less real estate to cover, therefore roads can be better designed & built. Also [because of huge fuel & vat taxes] extra capacity is a must: extra trips or trucks can make an enterprise unprofitable, and fast.
I've been driving Semi trucks for about 40 years. Of 17 cars I've owned, only 2 have been automatic. The rest manual. These so-call automatic trucks (automated manuals) are "ok" for dry or "inanimate" loads, but for liquid loads, they're complete and utter BS. Of my 40 years commercial driving, a little over 30 of that has been pulling chemical tankers. With these new electronic log books we get scored on efficiency and driver performance. We get paid our safety and efficiency bonus based on the telemetry. I was hired about 3 years ago by a really good company, and was offered a really nice brand new Pete with an automated manual... I said no. Give me the 2014 Mack with the 18 speed manual you tested me on. They scratched their heads at that. It rode rough, it was noisy and I loved it. On the safety /efficiency score, I was consistently scoring 100% just about every week and never less than 95%. Well, they decided to retire my old Mack and gave me a brand new Freightliner with an automated manual 12 speed. Guess what happened? My driving score now sits serenely at about 78% to 82%... No bonus for me. Liquid loads move. You're trying to accelerate, the load sloshes backwards and the truck thinks oh-oh, there's a big hill here so it down-shifts on you... oops! "Hard acceleration! Oh, you aren't driving efficiently. I've tried it in "manual" mode too, but the computer over rides you if it thinks you aren't doing things correctly. Best driver score I've had on this transmission is 92%. That equals reduced bonus. I average 85%. This is not even getting into winter driving... that's another whole story. My conclusion, automated manuals are fine for dry freight, but for live loads like bulk liquid or livestock.... give me a good old fashioned manual any day. Way more control on icy roads and way better fuel economy for live loads. I miss my 18 speed manual Mack. I got a tear in my eye the day it was sold.
Did some driving in the mid to late 1980's. Finally got back to the trucking industry a few years ago. Do I ever hate the auto's. Dam things will upshit going down hill. Drove t680 & cascadia doing stepdeck & flatbed. The freightliner auto was way better. I got so sick & tired of the micro managing, by desk drivers, calling up and reaming over telemetry. Or something they saw in the camera. Why did you hard brake, to not kill the stupid fuck who turned in front of me. Got my own authority, W990, 18spd manual, 565hp, 1850tq, no governer at 65mph. Pulling 53' stepdeck. Walking through tall corn now. Manual 18 spd & No dipshit desk driver telling me how to drive!
Your just a driver. When the word is sent down from on high ( Accounting Department) you should be happy that men much smarter than you are making these decisions. They probably have years of over the road experience (Actually they have never driven a “Brick and Mortar Truck”) but have qualified on a computer simulator. So when you lay your head down to sleep tonight you can be comforted with the knowledge The Accounting Department” has your back.
Torque is NOT what allows trucks to maintain speed on a grade. That is HORSEPOWER. Torque is only a force. Unless that force can be produced at a sufficient rate, you'll have to gear UP to maintain speed, which divides down the torque. Horsepower is force times speed.
And for god's sake, please get the units correct pound-feet! Not pounds per foot! (The announcer, not @jamesanderson2176. I added it here because you were talking about horsepower and torque)
Exactly true! Virtually everything stated in this video about torque is wrong. Even when referring to torque generated by a diesel vs a gas engine. No, diesels do NOT generate more torque than a gas engine unless they are designed to do so. Aviation piston engines are almost all gas engines and they have torque and HP curves almost identical to diesel engines. Why? Because that is how they are designed! Propellers become very inefficient at high rpm so the engines are designed to have a redline of anywhere from 1800 rpm for the large ones to around 3000 rpm for the smaller ones. So a diesel engine with the same HP output and rpm limitations as a gas engine will put out exactly the same amount of torque. The type of fuel burned is irrelevant.
@@shadowopsairman1583 No, it isn't. If it was, a vehicle powered by a turbine engine wouldn't be able to tow a baby carriage because it produces very low torque.
Most western states not called California allow trucks with enough axles to roll along at 105,500 without a OSOW permit. Additionally with the amount of OSOW loads are increasing continuously. I haul heavy equipment and regularly roll down the road in the Pacific Northwest between 140,000-178,000 lbs. We could really used more horsepower and torque in the long mountain grades we encounter in the Cascade, Blue and Rocky Mountains (just to name a few lol). We need Detroit or Cummins to come out with something 700+ hp and 2500 ft/lb
same with European Tractor heads trucks They Have Rear extra middle steerable axle provided which is' Midlift 'when its called" some variety of european trucks do it
It wasn't mentioned here about another reason for lift axles is toll and ferry fee cost savings. Lifted axles not touching the ground are not counted in the total axle count when rolling through a toll plaza.
Having a manual transmission and a jake brake is almost vital in mountainous country to keep from losing your brakes with a heavy load. I've seen a lot of automatic and semi-automatic trucks on the 'runaway' ramps as a result of losing control due to insufficient engine braking. Also, we're NOT on the cusp of an EV switchover for heavy haulers. We just don't have the infrastucture to support it, never mind the lack of range for over-the-road hauling. The battery technology just isn't there yet. Kenworth has already quit offering electric trucks as of the beginning of this year, because they're too expensive to manufacture and maintain, and a lot of the outfits that bought them are turning them back in for diesel-powered replacements.😐
Some extra info on why diesel engines produce their peak torque values low in the RPM band. To put it simply interia. A big heavy piston and con-rod moving quickly takes a lot of energy to change directions. During an over-rev or runaway situation, these stresses peak stretching the conrod to the point of breakage. Combine heavy piston assemblies with a long stroke and you have a disaster waiting to happen. Thats why Ferrari engines can reach such high rpms; their engines are as light as possible. Their strokes are short. While a diesel truck or worse a diesel train engine cannot do so. Train engines are so big and heavy you can over rev some of them at 1000 RPM!
Personally I find it easier as far as skill goes to back a long wheel base. The extra difficulty comes from the fact everything is built for a freightliner cascadia these days
Also not all states here in the us have gross weight limits I can't remember which states but there is a group up north that allow any weight so long as axle weights are met
As much as I love semis and a lot of the facts in this video are correct the V8 portion is very biased and or not correct at all. The overall fact is inline 6 is used because of the overall Mass on each cylinder can generate higher quantities of torque typically but a great example of why you might want a V8 versus inline 6 look at the 67 Cummins 67 powerstroke around the same displacement despite a couple of cc's of displacement but the 67 powerstroke has a higher output. One of the actual things said in the video was talking about how diesels use two cams instead of just the original one. That fact is completely wrong and it is up to the manufacturer to choose the proper valve train design for the operation of the engine to be efficient therefore if you see an overhead cam diesel is most likely meant for a higher revving application and one of the last facts I heard that was correct was the V8 is more complicated as it has more moving parts therefore the inline 6 is a lot cheaper an overall fine for the application the main reason you don't see a V8 diesel in semis anymore is because the cost of manufacturing
Find out Why US Trucks DON’T Have 770 hp Like in Europe here th-cam.com/video/J69RVCuqbCc/w-d-xo.html
If you are transporting goods more than 500 km I think is better to use train.
You don't know what you're talking about. "No V8's". I understand that inline 6's are the standard, but there are plenty of V'8 on road engines. 💯
@@carkawalakhatulistiwa its definitely the most cost effective. Trucks should only be to go where there's no tracks. That's how they try to do it.
@@carkawalakhatulistiwa Rail lines are great to go from port to distribution hubs, but if you want to get a variety of products, like groceries, to a bunch of supermarkets, trucks are the only way to do that. In Canada, for example, we have major ports in British Columbia, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, and, to a lesser degree, Ontario. To get cargo from Vancouver that is destined for Alberta or Saskatchewan, it goes by train to various distro hubs then it is sent out to company distro centres like Wal-Mart or Auto-pro by truck then sorted into loads for specific stores where it is again sent out by truck. A train is great for moving a few thousand TVs, but moving 10 or 20 TVs, pallets of can food, pallets of pillows, and clothing works far better on a truck even over 1000s of kilometres.
I've never heard so much shite
On the transmissions, automated ones can produce better fuel mileage with average driver experience but manual transmissions can get better fuel efficiency with very experienced drivers.
Automatics, any Primate can operate one, IMHO the reason that we are seeing so many more and serious truck wrecks is due to the proliferation of the automatic transmission.
They are putting any Tom, Dick and Jane with a heartbeat behind the wheel.
Every truck driver out there started as a Tom, Dick or Jane. Automatic trucks still have gearboxes, the computer shifts the gears which protects the engine from over revving and frees the driver to concentrate more on driving safely. Old stick shift trucks are dinosaurs driven by fossil’s. I would never drive one of those old trucks anymore. They suck.
@@albertwilson7239come pull a 7000G smooth bore that can only hold 6000G legally. You’ll want that control of the transmission back, if you plan on accelerating in a timely manner.
@@albertwilson7239
And you can’t use a 13 speed because the school didn’t teach you how. The 1st truck I drove had a 2 stick 4X4 in the mountains of AZ, I never did get good with it. The truck I sold was a 13 only used the clutch when I was starting or stopping. BTW I never went to a driving school. I learned the old way.
@@albertwilson7239 that’s not true. Not every driver started out as a Tom, Dick or Jane. There used to be a lot more generational drivers, like myself, that learned at a young age and guys like me helped those new drivers learn the ropes. Now you have drivers that have very little experience teaching new drivers with no experience. The fact that you believe that automatics are better just goes to show you were never taught properly. No matter the innovations with automatics, they have massive downsides, especially in hill and mountainous areas. They are especially harder to control when backing. It all comes from who taught you. If you worked for one of these big companies like Swift or Werner, then you were likely taught by either another inexperienced driver or a driver that was also taught by another inexperienced driver. It’s a chain that creates more and more bad drivers.
Tag axles: You missed a couple more reasons, like
a) Toll reduction; some places charge trucks by number of axles on the road. If you can legally carry your load with the tag axle lifted, you will pay a lower toll.
b) Makes installation of tire chains easier. On SOME trucks, the tag axle can be lowered so far that the drive axle can be at least partly lifted, which makes makes it a bit easier to install the tire chains
And you can slide the 5th back, pump up the tag and do wheelies! Dont do that in front of your boss, he was laughing his a55 off though
Can a tag able handle as much weight as a fixed axle?
Depends on the axle and the jurisdiction. In the US, a "single tag" will only add an extra 12,000 most places, some places more if it's a wider tire, making for a 20,000 drive axle and a 32,000 tandem total.
Dually tags are just the same as a dual-drive axles, at a full 34,000 tandem.
Axle loads are higher in Canada and Michigan, and in Mexico, they don' need no steenkin' scales....
@@Jay-gz6mv
@@Jay-gz6mv yes, up to 34,000
@@Jay-gz6mv they can.
Just because we don't need 700+ hpr doesn't mean we don't want a 700+ hpr big rig here in the US.
There is no new sold trucks with over 700 hp
@@TruckTropia Only special orders for the big heavy haul companies.
@@hibiki54 yea but you could go down to any volvo or scania dealer and get a 750/770hp truck in europe, if you want to do custom stuff you could use the 1150hp version of the scania v8 if you beef up the cooling
@TruckTropia I agree no new trucks I am aware of but I have he chassis dyno sheets stating my 6nz Cat is pushing 800 plus to the grounds. It started life as a 600 horse model that we added a marine cam, injectors and turbo to and then reset the computer and all done.
I believe Volvo offered their 750hp engine in the states for many years. They stopped offering it due to low demand. So you didn't want it enough. ;)
I have done a lot of mountain driving in Colorado. And I must say that the main reason I prefer a manual transmission is for the hills, both up and down. Going up hill it is easier to keep the truck in the correct gear for the hill. You have only limited gear selection in autos. And most importantly, a manual transmission holds a truck back better going down hill with the direct connection to the engine. The reason for the added cost of manual transmission maintenance is due to lack of driver knowledge. I drove a manual in the mtns for 3 years with the same truck and clutch. The only reason it ever needed a clutch was when I went on vacation for 2 weeks toward the end of that time and an inexperienced driver burnt the clutch. Now all my companies trucks are automatics. Thanks for the video!
That’s so true. I’ve had my truck for 6 years now and I’m on the original clutch and the gears are still tight. Plus, I’m still on the original brake pads which have 618,000 miles on them and can probably go another 500,000 on them.
There’s a lot of maintenance issues you can avoid just by knowing how to do it.
Having a manual transmission is a must on bad roads. The arthritic chimpanzee they have shifting gears on the automatic doesn't know how to shift when traction is so poor, the tires are spinning. Putting tire chains on confuses the system even further, as it will not shift at all when pulling a grade on icy roads. Not even in the so called manual mode.
I ran 10sp 13sp 18sp and even a two stick Mack. I started driving a 12 speed auto a few years back and it's a wonderful transmission.
I'm a old school driver grew up driving every kind of gear box. The new automatic semi Transmissions are wonderful
Automated manuals all have a manual mode though, you can just put it in M and hold a gear for as long as you want.
Some also have hill modes or even offroad modes for their automated manuals, i drove a Volvo FH dump truck with an offroad mode and it was great in snow dumping sites, along with the automatic diff locks.
In Australia we have both Euro and American style trucks and Euro trucks seem yo more popular on our better roads but when it comes rural and out back roads majority of trucks are US makes with some made in Australia with some trucks gross over 180 tons as roadtrains
Longer wheelbase have better ride characteristics. It's the same reason that riding in a train near the axles is rougher than in the middle of the car.
A couple more items come to mind. Engine capacity has a direct effect on the effectiveness of it's braking power or Jake Brake/ Jacob's brake. Invented by a log truck driver in the western usa it reduced the number of run away trucks after excessive braking (brake fade) from descending long down hill runs (mountainous terrain) The bigger engine capacity provides so much braking effect with the correct down shifted gear that you can descend hills without using the brakes at all. The second thing I thought of was the pro's and con's regarding transmissions. There are many drivers out there that do not know how to shift gears, or even how to use the clutch from a standing start. The wear and tear on the clutch, transmission and power train is very costly, not only in repairs but lost revenue due to the truck sitting in a shop waiting to repaired. Many experienced drivers will only use the clutch to get the rig rolling, then all shifting is done without using the clutch. I put 600,000 miles on a new Kenworth Sleeper with a C15 Cat engine and it still had life in it when I retired from that company. The terrain varied from flat land to over the Cascade Mountain ranges. Stay smart and stay safe out there! All the Best!
There's a 7 mile downhill run on I-77 going SB from Virginia into North Carolina, fully loaded, in the right gear, with the right level of Jake brake, I can just glide down at 55 without touching the brakes or the accelerator.
Way to go! That is the smart way to drive down hill. In Washington state I frequently travelled Snoqualmie, Blewett and White Passes always picked the best workable gear and jake brake for the load behind me. Nice to know you'll get home safe at the end of the day!@@patrickloomis992
Most European trucks use hydraulic aux brakes for some time now. Way more powerful then Jake brake and more quiet. And robotic manual gearboxes are just as good as manuals. There is no true automatic in Europe like you have in US
@@aljosaskrabelj8412those hydraulic retarders you speak of work great but they cook the shit out of your engine oil.
No noise=no fun.
Pretty spot on information. However, there are places in the US like Michigan, where you are legal to run 164,000 pounds on 11 axles. Which requires every bit of 550+ hp in order to get any work done.
In 1980, when I was a Sophomore in High-School, I penned a Truck-Cab eerily close to the TESLA COE Tractor, back when NO ONE considered Aero, Fender-skirts, or retracting Pin-Tables. My design was a 'Tilted into-the-Wind' Cab-over that created a 'nose-cone' of decent streamlining, and allowed a Shorter Cab than front-engine set-ups, but had enough 'track length' to be stable (not Darty) with long trailers. The Cab, now being above, but a bit Behind the Motor, could be de-coupled from the engine noise/vibration/heat, and, like a Cab-Over, the 'Storage + Bunk' space could be quite Deep, as well. Having a retracting (on a hydraulic ram) Table for the Trailer Pin, meant that the Cargo could 'reel-in' to tidy-up the Airflow on the Highway, but also extend to help in 'tight alley' turns, or for Stability with high C--G loads in corners. I used Full Skirt fenders to streamline, but also keep spray/dust from Harming Cars as they drove nearby. The Fuel-tanks were also 'flared' into the fender skirts (w/steps to access the Cab/front-of-the Trailer) to further streamline the Rig. In the Doors, 'Look-down' glass panels let the Driver see small cars tucked-in close to the front-of the Cab. I have watched the DE-Evolution of American Trucks with Sadness, knowing that, 44 years Ago, I HAD The Better TRUCK design, and could have, kept Trucking costs Down enough to even slow the GOP's Plan to devalue $$$$ as a gambit, to a HALT, while NOT Burning 4 decades of in-effectively-burned Carbon Oil Fumes... Oh well, It isn't like the GOP Understands 'Better Ideas', they just Follow HALIBURTON to Hell.
US truck design is still stuck in the 1950s. Here in Australia we have both Euro and US trucks to choose from. The only US truck that comes close to the Euros for refinement and low driver fatigue is the Mack Superliner. Kenworths are noisy, have a crap ride and are made with a collection of third party components. A Scania is Scania right through and it shows with lower running costs and maintenance.
I wouldn’t compare the US made trucks that are there to the Euro trucks there. They aren’t exactly the same as the US trucks here.
A scania with lower running costs and maintainance? Not likely.
And wait, what Kenworths have you driven? You can’t just saw all trucks of one brand are all built the same. Hell, you can’t even say that within the different packages that come with each model. It’s like saying a Dodge Charger is slow when you’ve only driven a SXT.
@@Coonazz791 I never sawed anything about brands being built all the same, read my actual comment. scania is viewed as a "premium" product in europe with matching prices. An £8-9 part for example for a daf is £70+ for a scania.
@@andykennedy5982 I didn’t @ you, now did I? If I didn’t @ you, that means I’m responding to the OP. 🤦♂️
The people that decide we don’t need higher horsepower in the US hasn’t ever been behind the wheel of a working truck, just test tracks. The limited horsepower has more to do with companies here wanting to spend less money on the trucks not caring how long it takes or frustrating it is to climb a hill or mountain while still pushing you to make the delivery on time or ahead of schedule. They also don’t really care about driver comfort because the seats in most trucks unless modified really suck and the options within the trucks are very limited and sparse. The legal limit in the US is 80k but that doesn’t mean that drivers don’t often haul much heavier loads with the proper permits. The EPA also has a big hand in the engine choice here in the states. Just another example of them sticking their noses into areas they don’t belong because a lot more to concerned about than what engines we use.
You're right about companies not caring about how long it takes you to make your delivery.
As long as you're not late to your appointment.
They pay mileage for a reason.
They also want to get rid of all their drivers as soon as possible, replacing them with driverless trucks.
Robo trucks won't have hours of service regulations to follow.
They won't have to be paid or be provided with benefits or days off.
Those trucks won't take sick days or vacation days and will only stop to refuel, load/unload and have maintenance performed, the occasional flat tire not withstanding.
Those trucks won't speed or get distracted or sleepy or p¡ssed off. They won't jam gears or get into accidents either.
And they won't organize or demand more comfortable seats.
They'll effectively be slaves.
The day of the long haul truck driver is in its sunset years. Local and specialty drivers will have a few extra years before the hammer drops, but not many. Just don't let your kids become truckers. They'll never get to retire doing it.
@@Hay-x7p won’t get into accidents. There have been quite a lot of accident directly related to the self drive feature. They’ve hit several vehicles including emergency vehicles while they are parked on the side of the highway. Just imagine how bad that would be if it had been an 80 thousand pound truck. Personally I don’t want to be on any road with driverless vehicles at least for several more years.
None of the trucking companies will be able to work on their own trucks as they currently do so that will cost them a ton of money and even more down time while waiting in line for service.
They’ll have to pay someone to man every charging station because a self drive truck isn’t going to plug itself in.
Companies won’t be able to force their EV trucks to drive faster in order to deliver ahead of schedule.
Good luck replacing those massive battery packs when they fail because they will fail as well as start degrading year after year. Average cost for a car EV barttery is between 15-20 thousand. I’d imagine the Truck batteries to range in the 75-80 range.
Who’s gonna take the straps off the flat bed trucks, stop after 30 miles to check the load and the toe downs to make sure they aren’t lose?
Guess they are gonna have to man them with the fictional Tesla robot as well.
@@P-J-W-777 technology continues to improve at a geometric rate. Human decisions are being removed from the driving process.
After 23 years driving trucks in Arizona, I moved to New Mexico in 2014 and drove oil trucks in the oil fields. Every single semi I ever drove over thirty years was a stick shift.
When I moved back to Phoenix in 2021, auto shift trucks were standard in the industry. I didn't even know that technology had been worked out. I'd always heard it was too expensive and the automatic transmissions just weren't strong enough to handle the loads.
They still aren't.
So the manufacturers figured out how to get the truck to _"shift itself"._
The transmissions are still non-synchronous, but the computer system has taken over shifting duties from the driver.
I started driving for Penske occasionally, moving empty tractors from place to place. None of the late model semi's they rent are stick shift and none of the newer box trucks are either.
One of the guys that works there handed me the keys the other day instead of driving the truck up for me. He said he couldn't drive a manual transmission truck.
I felt bad for him, but there just aren't any stick shifts on the market anymore.
My point is that transition to automatic happened in less than a decade while I was gone to the oil fields.
The transition to driverless will be just as rapid once the bugs are worked out. It's going to happen because MONEY.
Driver compensation and fuel costs are the two biggest expenses in the trucking industry. If they can eliminate one, they'll do it. Driverless can happen without electric. Once both technologies are available, it's a win win for trucking companies. No more expensive fuel and no more expensive drivers.
You can BET they'll do it. Amazon will probably lead the way.
They'll invest in support staff to keep the electric robo trucks rolling. People will be used to facilitate that focused effort. Loading, unloading, mechanics, fueling, recharging, repair etc, it will all revolve around keeping the robo trucks wheels turning.
It's going to happen, probably before this decade is out.
@@Hay-x7p yes I agree it’s coming. I’ve been around trucks and the oilfield all my life, do like you I know trucks. I can see benefits but I can also see dangers along the way.
EPA is a teddy bear, it is CALIFORNIA’s CARB that is the draconian Grizzly Bear that believes that they know what should be done!!
You can't say how awesome the motor sounds and not play a short.
I may not need 700hp but I sure want it.
what good is it in a car.
@@AllanHunter-c2l I have a semi
@@AllanHunter-c2lfor people that like to modify and race them .
I had a 625 horse Cat C-15 6NZ in my Pete 367
@@aaronsanborn4291 I've got a 550 horse detroit series 60. Runs like a greased top.
my grand pa has been driving from 1976 and his 1 truck just hit 4 million miles and his other truck has just hit 3.4 mill
Wow thats alot 👍
I'd be willing to bet both trucks have had their engines either replaced or rebuilt at least once each.
@@arcanewyrm6295 yes the one 3.4 million has had its engine swapped in 2018
Well done Grandpa, nice to know someone else out there respects their equipment!
@@oldeenglish8058 yep he washes his truck at LEAST once a week and greases every thing every day
One word answers every questions about big long haul trucks. Necessity.
Diesel is a lubricant, gasoline is a solvent. Less wear on cylinders and rings burning diesel
Actually, sulfur is a lubricant, and modern diesel fuel has very little sulfur compared to fuel 20 years ago. Also, fuel doesn't lubricate anything in the cylinder. It burns. Diesel engines have reduced wear vs. gasoline engines because of how they are designed, not because of the fuel. And, furthermore, diesel contamination of engine oil actually INCREASES wear, and contamination is more common now due to the use of post-combustion injection for the DPF.
Also ~15% more energy per gallon.
@@moseshughes2670There must be a lubricant aspect because optimum biodiesel is 3-5% mostly for lubrication with little loss of power.
Used diesel fuel to clean heavy oils stains in past job
@@artsmith103There is a lubricity benefit, both to the cylinders and to the fuel injection system.
I run the same route each night and have a 450hp in my truck. It takes 12-15 gallons less fuel to do the same run than my old truck did with a 385hp engine.
As a Marine Engineer a Diesel engine is most economical between 75/85 %load range hence the bigger engine’s in Europe
Gearing. Not engine
@@gerritverburg4105What what kind of ships did you serve on?
A lot of this only refers to the USA.
In Australia sleeper cabs are comfortable but not over the top in length therefore compromising their ability to manoeuvre whilst complying with local laws regarding overall length.Trailers are typically tri-axle, and typically have two trailer (B-Double or b-Trimble or road trains with up to four trailers.
Lifting axles are often nicknamed ‘lazy axles’.
Shifting gears are all part of driving a truck. With automatics you just sit there and hold the steering wheel and more likely get drowsy. Also a lot of the engines used to sound cool. Now you don't hear them at all which adds to the drowsiness. Maybe they'll have it so we can sleep while we drive. Lol
.
Your are 100% correct ... the monotony of long drives adds to drivers falling asleep at the wheel. I've done it too many times to even think about it! Glad I'm retired and alive! It's something only sleep will remedy
Then switch to manual mode and change gear. Unless of course you just like to fondle sticks.
The more sticks, the better. It keeps you awake. Lol@@AlexKall
5X4 with a 2 stroke Detroit and you'll not get sleepy 😂😂
Illegal migrants can't drive a stick... simple.
You can't say 'pounds per foot' when talking about torque. That would indicate you were dividing the force by the distance when you are in fact multiplying it (just think of how a longer bar increases the torque you can put into a fastener).
Dude you're too intelligent for your own good but thank you
It's not pounds per foot, it's _foot pounds._
@@CrazyBear65 pound foot would mathmaticly work as a well as muitiplication does not care about order. But ft/lb and lb/ft are a very diffrent units.
This bugged me as well. Maybe pedantic but pluralizing RPM is also silly as the video does several times.
Axle configurations: Missing 10x4. In Europe, especially Switzerland, it's very common for dump trucks. There are allowed 8 Tons per axle, but 40 Tons per vehicle. So you need 5 axles for 40 Tons. It's like an 8x4 with an additional trailing axle. In most cases, the 3rd and the 5th axles are lift axles, so you can drive as an 6x4 when empty, what is more economyc.
For example see here: th-cam.com/video/HyuxOeXV42E/w-d-xo.html
Thanks
❤️
Thank you for the great lesson. God bless you
I don't even have a DL but I'm loving every minute of this so much I've watched more than thrice!
Almost getting to the point of taking notes and starting a truckers consultancy 😂
Cat 3408. Loved that 8 cyl. monster. ❤️
That was a great engine. But when talking about USA V-8 engines, I cannot believe no mention of the 8V71 or the 8V92. There use to be plenty of them around. Cummins also had their 903. Still remember being out at night along the highway and hearing the rat-a-tat of them old Dee-troits as the old timers called them. And if you made fun of the oil puddle under their rig, they would only remark, "I doesn't leak oil, it's marking its territory!"
@@ronfullerton3162 I agree 👍🏻👍🏻
Better than the Cummins 903
@@ronfullerton3162 Couldn't beat the sound of the old detroits
@@andykennedy5982 Nothing sounds like them. Definitely got your attention.
I've seen a 10x4. I work on garbage trucks. Before we scrapped it, we had one unit with a steer axle, a pusher axle, two drives, and a tag axle.
I drove a Volvo FH dump truck that was 10x4, with 3 steering axles, one of which also lifted.
Quite a handful to drive in central Helsinki.
The reason why big trucks use diesel is the same reason why farm tractors also use diesel fuel. Also there’s nothing like the smell of diesel exhaust in the morning!😂
Git er dun
Imagine the surprise when the first farmer walked into his barn full of fertilizer, smoking his first cigarette, and found out his helper spilled diesel in the barn...!
Nothing like diesel smoke laying low on the ground when temps are below freezing! Here's a tip. When parking at a truck stop in the winter to sleep, find a parking spot up wind of all the other trucks or you will be breathing those fumes all night!
@@kellyhandley8519diesel is not very combustible. Main reason used in boats.
@@artsmith103 what size boats I would definitly prefer a gasline outboard on a small boat but on my 8000 horse power ship diesel is better.
As a truck driver the delivering food mostly in urban areas. I would say that we need flat nose cabovers. I'd say just like in Australia we need a combination of both types of trucks. If you're mostly doing local deliveries especially in urban areas a cabover would be very useful
I notice railroad crossings weren't directly mentioned in disadvantages of long wheelbases. Plenty of entertaining examples of this disadvantage show up on TH-cam.
I love what you said about manual transmissions and control, skill, and the art of driving, so I definitely understand why that's hard to shake; sometimes it's even just more fun! Yep, yep, and more yep! But I would also understand why some drivers would rather just not have to worry about that. I do understand that the more modern transmissions, and even all that being replaced with electric motors, are becoming more advantageous, though.
@ 04:36 ... In the USA 40,000 lbs is 20 Tons. A USA ton is 2,000 lbs.
The illustration depicts a three axle trailer which allows additional weight depending on the spacing of the axles on the trailer, the spacing of axles including the tractor, the number of tires (tyres) on the additional trailer axle. Also if a "super single" tire is on that axle. I'm thankfully retired from all of the regulations, and yes, some of the self important commercial law officers (whom I had to school) a few on what was permissible under federal regs. On the whole they were good eggs, and lets face it they helped insure the drivers and rigs were safe to be on the road. Stay smart, stay safe and be patient!
Internationally a ton is equal to 1000kg or about 2204 lbs.
40,000 lbs is 20 short tons.
and long tons are 2240lbs.
I miss the M978 HEMTT I used to drive. Named it "Harvester Of Sorrow".....an absolute BEAST of a truck!
Comprehensive video, I would disagree on EV trucks ever being popular (unless mandated by govt.). They are already failing in the car market and pollute more during manufacture and disposal, are not durable, have higher insurance and maintenance costs, & cause longer trips. Government demanding utopia doesn't mean they will get it (more like dystopia).
I drove back in the 70s. I have driven a few diesels V8s. I owned a rig with a 318 Detroit. Also drove rigs with the 262 Cummings, 903 Cummings 350 Detroit. The big power back then was 350 Cummings and a few that were 450HP. Engines I have driven 220 cummings 262 cummings inline 6 and V8. Cat Mack and IH rigs with their engines. Trans 4by4/ 4by3 / 5by4 /13 and 15 speed Roadranger. I ran 40ft flats and tankers with and without baffle's. 27Ft high cub double vans.
Cummings huh?
After watching the whole video I came to a conclusion that as a European citizen I need a 1980 W900l Kenworth or Peterbilt 359, long wheelbase and a CAT V8 with standard shifter...😂
Why do you want to have such basic old school uncomfortable truck to drive?
Yes they may look nice, but from that same period of time, the European trucks were already way better and ahead in development compared to American trucks.
And the American trucks of today aren't even comparable to the European trucks we have today.
@@musictolive4 Why do people enjoy driving vintage cars or trucks?? It's about passion, mechanical feel those machines have a soul. If you wanna be fast you buy Porsche Taycan with push of a few buttons you will be really fast around the corners, effortlessly and comfortably. But if you wanna drive for fun, well then you take your Porsche 930 or 964 out for a spin. Those traditional trucks are for purists...
I was thinkuing same trucks but with a KT Cummins
I'm not a trucker but I know enough about diesel propulsion, etc.. to be dangerous . do to my many years in the fire service, I've been exposed to diesel engines. Knowing that currently the larger fire apparatus are currently utilizing 5-600 hp engines(I do get the idea that it's the torque your looking for mostly, also fuel costs)That being said, 600 hp seems like plenty to me,(please correct me if I'm wrong) Yes it woud be cool to say my rig has a 700+ hp engine but at what cost! FYI, I love the two elongated sleeper units shown( the blue & the slightly bigger white unit)! Thanks for the many explanations, even if you couldn't cover nearly every scenario!!
Just so you know bigger fire trucks have 800 hp cam in them
Re. Wheel base, let’s be completely honest, long wheel base is all about space and ride comfort. Anything beyond that is a bonus.
Very informative, especially for truck novices. Confirms much of what I did know and taught me things I didn't.
I have two fuel tanks on my truck both hold 140 gallons so in total I can hold 280 gallons I can go between 1200 and 2000 Mi per fuel up depending on my MPG
Fantastic video, extremely informative and professional.
Multiple US states and Canada allow more than 80,000 lbs, like Michigan allows a weight of 164,000 lbs or canada with some provinces allowing 140,000lbs
Plus when us federal says 80,000 that doesn't mean that's the max it's the minimum weight all US states must allow every US state has the right to allow more weight, but not less than 80,000lbs
True 👍
Excellent and informative
Having driven both manual and automatic trucks in the US, I have two problems with automatics
1) Since they're so easy to drive, it makes it easier for a trucking company to replace you; the skill level to operate a truck is lowered, which means that trucking companies can get away with more BS such as low pay rates, poor home times, etc.. , because if truckers start showing any signs of revolt, they can just be easily replaced
2) Since they're so easy to drive, they're also easier to steal. Truck jacking has been an increasing problem in the trucking industry, since trucks have been made so easy to drive. Sure, training drivers will cost more in the short run because truckers will burn more fuel and damage the transmission while learning, but at least your truck can't be stolen by any idiot with a gun. The second company I drove for completely forbade sleeping in a truck stop in Atlanta or within 100 miles from it. This wouldn't have been as much of a problem with a stick
I do agree that automatics provide better torque and fuel economy, but if I had stayed in the US and bought a truck, I'd stick to a stick so it's less likely to get stolen
If anyone reads my comment this far, I am not trying to change your opinion, I am just expressing mine
The quality of drivers has gone way down. New school drivers today drive a truck like they are in a car. NO ONE is teaching them HOW to drive a truck. There is a lot more to driving a truck and being a truck driver. I have seen so many of them fly up to a traffic light and slam on the brakes at the last second. Brake failure = accidents. Give me a stick and a clutch anytime.
Illegal migrants can't drive a stick... SIMPLE.
Very Informative, Thanks.
No problem 👍
Excellent presentation and very helpful. I am a respectful person and appreciate your guidance.
There are many errors in the video which show a lack of knowledge of the subject matter.
4:37 Correct me if I'm wrong, but did you just mix "freedom"/imperial units with metric? 80 000 lbs is 40 US tons which, in turn is 36 metric tons.
guess you've never been to Alberta. 8x8 winch trucks are extremely common for oilfield hauling.
Great video, thanks!
80,000 pounds = 40 US tons not 36
I was looking to see if someone else noticed that. Lol
I was like, 80,000 lbs or 72,000 lbs. What? 😂
Conversations are hard. 🤣
You are right. a USA ton is 2,000 lbs. A British or English ton is 2,240 pounds. Confusing yes! A hundred weight in the UK is 112lbs (if memory serves me!) 20 hundred weight to a ton. 20x112= 2,240 pounds. @@Coonazz791
I think he calculated that using the British ton which is 2,240 lbs. 80,000 divided by 2,240 = 35.71428571428571 tons ... unfortunately just one of many confusing and misleading facts in this factual you-tube video.
Yeah, nobody cares about US tons. You know... the rest of the world uses metric tons. In wich case 80,000 lbs = 36.29 tons.
@@albertori6965 then it’s not nobody if we use it.
Extra axles are not necessarily for grip on trucks with 3 axles it's about weight distribution. They carry more weight so the extra axle allows them to do that and not get weight violation or have to buy expensive permits. However, permits are the cheapest option if it's a one time thing for the weight. You have to custom order with more axles which is more expensive and most people don't do that unless they intend to haul the weight on a regular basis.
Now on the trailer that gets tricky. There are a lot of configurations. If it's a 2 axle trailer you might see one axle raised if they have that ability when it's empty. This reduces friction and increases fuel mileage. Especially if it's a spread axle, see this a lot with flatbed.
In Michigan, this is a great example for multiple raised axles, you might see that when those scrap metal haulers are empty. They also raise axles when they turn, tires will pop off the rims if they don't lift the axles when they make a turn. They have control box in the cab of the truck to do this.
The reason the trailer has all the extra axles is weight. Those trucks haul double what a regular truck hauls. However that is legal in Michigan but you can't do that with 5 axles.
Very interesting viewing, especially the comparison between automatic and manual transmissions.
Don't believe everything you hear in a video, go and talk to someone that actually drives a long haul truck
Many trucks are not true automatics, More automated manuals where the clutch/shifting is electric with air/hydraulic actuation. Still a manual box but the shifting is automated. Some scanias (I forget the years but I want to say "opticruise") still had a clutch pedal that was only used for starting and stopping, shifting was all automated.
Great video! Informative and educational.
Thanks 👍
In California a significant number of buses and large trucks are fueled by Bio Natural Gas. Now that Cummins is finalizing their new 15 liter NG engine, the capability difference between NG vs diesel is effectively gone while the fuel costs is dramatically lower with NG with better emissions. Ask UPS, as most / many of their trucks / vehicles are Bio-NG. Bio-NG gets significant subsidies in California (for the time being).
Don't bet on better fuel costs when it becomes more or less universal, because the guvmint wants its cut !
1:40 Tolls. Tolls. Tolls. Places where there are toll charges typically charge big rigs per axle. Wheels up means less toll charges.
Automatic transmission is wonderful except when you want precise control over low speed backing.
I could control my backing speed far better with the manual also. I did find a way to make the auto closer to the manual for backing. Just hold on the brake enough that the truck didn't roll unless throttle was added. Worked for me.
I've never had a problem with this, and i've only driven automatic trucks...
@@TopiasSalakka It does depend on the quality of the transition. Shill a manual with give you much better control; not that I want to give up my automatic!
@@TopiasSalakka You answered your own question in a way. You have learned to back with the automatic transmission, and that is all you know, so it is a normal operation for you. Backing the manual transmission, I use the throttle to control speed, and if I let off the throttle, the truck slowed instantly. The automatic free wheels, so I had to learn to keep the left foot on the brake. Doesn't sound like much, but the first time I backed a trailer with an automatic, I felt that I probably looked like someone that had never backed a wagon into an enclosed dock in my life. I was very much embarrassed by my dilemma, and had hoped no one had noticed. When I hopped out, another older driver came up to me and asked, "That is the first time you have backed into a dock with an automatic, isn't it?" He had driven his first auto just a few months early, and remembered the pain of looking like a rookie.
I stayed with the older trucks for awhile, but changed from P&D to a meet and turn route with enough miles a day that a new truck was mandated. I ran 500 miles a day to the west and back, and another driver then ran the same truck and load 500 miles to the east and back which was another meet and turn. This was all in one twenty-four hour period. All the new trucks were automatics, but there isn't much backing to a meet & turn operation, so I was in good shape till I retired.
I hope your miles are all good ones, and be safe!
@@ronfullerton3162 I actually learned how to reverse in a manual, though in a passenger car, since by default drivers ed makes you drive a manual car.
Still, modern automated manuals are great at reversing slowly in my experience.
8:32 "Diesel engines are more fuel efficient than gasoline engines, because they burn fuel more efficiently" There's no way.. was this written by AI? What a line.
Automatic transmissions are so the steering wheel holders the big companies rush through training don't need to understand an 18 speed. I always want a manual!!
And probably get better fuel mileage in the process.
I have been a trucker since the mid nineties, I love my automatic… I haul 96,000 to 129,000 over a 9114 foot pass with 8% grades with no problems and it’s just easier. I had an 18 speed Manual for years and years before. about a year and a half ago I got an automatic. I just like the automatic better.
I haul 96,000 to 129,000 up to 9114 feet with 8% grades using a 500 hp all the time… the differential gear ratios make a big difference as well… not just the HP or transmission.
We in Alaska hauling up to 160000lb on regular basis. That what tankers haul. Combination of 16 axel.
When empty always over 70k pounds.
Transmissions. I would prefer an automatic in short haul, and consider the manual a wash in long haul. In long haul you have mountains, and the occasional speed change call it enough to help stay engaged and keep the blood circulating. Add in the stoplights, and stop and go of city traffic manual shift becomes a serious chore.
33:56 IF U SAY SO, then why do EV buses use / have options for transmissions? Actually a bit more going on.
Tesla doesn’t believe in transmissions but the EV buses found out the hard way fast that if you don’t have an option for transmissions that a significant number of applications will have EVs stall on startup on grades. That is why on heavier applications the E-axles have TWO ELECTRIC MOTORS going through a planetary gear cluster to get the benefits of gearing reduction. There is / was an EV bus manufacturer that has / had an option for a four speed transmission (“had” as in going bankrupt and the $1,000,000 EVs are now boat anchors, all 1300 of them).
Good video!
I noticed thankfully there's a TH-cam maker on this video did not need to have is to see smile on camera and it's still an outstanding TH-cam.
By design, an inline six configuration is more robust. The crankshaft is supported by a bearing between each cylinder. Whereas an V-8 will have a bearing supporting the loads of the four adjacent cylinders.
Holland also has a 50 ton weight limit instead of 44 ton.
Btw I wonder how much more a 770 V8 uses more fuel than a C15 with 605 HP.
Most US V8’s where 2 stroke and those use more fuel than a Boeing uses at takeoff 🛫
The only 2 stroke V8s were made by Detroit Diesel, in the form of the 8V-53, 8V-71, and 8V-92. There quite a few other V8s out there, such as the 903 and 555 made by Cummins, the D336, 3150, 3208, and 3408 made by Cat, and the E9, 864, 865, and 866 made by Mack. I believe the Detroits were the most popular, followed by the E9 and 3408. The 903 was an alright engine, as well as the D336. General consensus on the 555 Cummins, 3208 Cat, and the 860 series Macks wasn't very good. 3208s are regarded as a throw away motor, 555s like to blow up if you lug them to hard, and the 860 Macks liked to crack heads. The mighty 3408 was know to break cranks when turned up to far as well, some attribute that issue to it also being a 60 degree V engine. I don't know much about the D336 other than it was a dozer engine that was used in trucks under the 1676 designation, and 3150 was a predecessor to the 3208.
@@DeathHead1358 👍
You are correct, but when a 2 stroke runs away with itself it is remarkably entertaining, and possibly dangerous!
👍👍👍👊@@DeathHead1358
This TH-cam is so well made and answers all of its advertised questions so well I wish it could be the model for all of these bad youtubes that I keep having to reject. This TH-cam about trucks is #1 in my list of outstanding TH-cam efforts.
Thanks 👍
you should read some of the subsequent comments. LOL
My rule of thumb is very easy. When you get too tired, you sleep. Otherwise you drive.
on the topic about trucks using diesel. the diesel also helps lubricates the motor. also the inline six is easier to rebuild and also lasts longer
also the auto transmissions especially Detroit there is no rebuild u buy another while with a Manuel trans u can rebuild the trans.
A 4x2 is like a conventional pickup truck. Whereas a 4x4 is a 4 wheel drive truck.
No 4x4 is a tandem rears where both axles drive just like 6x6 steer axle drives and the rear tandems drive also or a 6x6 could be 3 drive axles behind the cab
The UPS trucks had the 6x2 LNG powered which was terrible because the rear axle was the tandem. It was very easy to lose all traction if you had to go up a sudden elevation. The tandem was not retractable.
So many statements here that come from inexperience
1. Diesel is slow burning therefore stroke length scavenges torque and gives a greater power stroke = power and economy.
2. Axle spacing and numbers of is regulated by d.o.t for weight distrubution and road damage control , so you see some weird stuff out there .
3.auto vs manual, auto is great for new and inexperienced drivers and keeps down repair costs but fuel costs suffer because new drivers gokart their rigs trying to beat traffic.
With experienced drivers a manual is a great choice and owner operators prefer them because an automatic cannot predict road or traffic conditions and will give better fuel economy and life span .
Company drivers, an auto is best.
Owners, a manual is best.
I have driven for 20 yrs all kinds of rigs
And spent 5yrs working on them.
Experience counts.
White/Freightliner cabover is my favorite semi truck. Peterbuilt coe and Kenworth Needlenose are close behind.
17:00 an inline 6 engine also runs smoother than a V8 engine, which is important for a big, low revving engine.... the inline 6 arrangement makes all the pistons move in pairs of 3, and the movements of the pistons cancel each other out... the inline 6 will not rock side-to-side like a V8 engine will
Grateful for the info
Such a cool channel. Can you please address how long truck drivers can drive before being required to take breaks and sleep? How much flexiblity is there in the rules?
legally in 🇺🇸 you can drive 11 hrs within a 14 hrs shift
but no more then combined 70 hrs in 8 days
unless you take a 34 hrs break , then your clock reset
and you got 70 hrs again
as far as your break goes , you gotta be off duty or in the sleeperberth of the truck for 10 consecutive hours to regain 14 available onDuty hrs again
like me , well - I drive nights
locally , 6 nights in a row usually
then I set out 1 night and my clock resets
and ‘m good to go for another 6 nights / 70 hrs
usually ~ 12 hrs shifts on my first 5 nights , and all remaining hrs I use up on my 6th night
hope that explanation helps lil bit
and oh yes : NO FLEXIBILITY on those rules
except in emergency like severe weather to get safely off the road you can once every 2 weeks I believe extend your available drive time for that day for 2 more hrs , but only to be used for an emergency
still can’t go over your 70 tho
or use it to expand your available total drive time
+ all those rules - they are strictly enforced by law enforcement
especially DOT
if you should get caught out of drive time , you will be put out of service immediately
and get a hefty fine
and points on your license
and your safety rating
in case of a accident you being out of driving time , the accident is absolutely your fault , no questions asked
because you were not supposed to be there aka shoulda have been off duty
in case someone died because of an accident like that with you being out of available drivetime , you probably get your CDL revoked , fined to the max and most likely go to jail
so : it’s not worth it , period
also once your 70 hrs are up , you can indefinitely stay onDuty tho , but only as long as you do not drive
you can work 100+ hrs if you choose to
but no driving after 70
then : take 34 reset and your clock is reset again , 10-4
@@ericmiller7022 thanks and holy cow, that’s complicated. My guess is there s software to help keep it straight. I also bet that your computer can be examined by law enforcement like they used to do logbooks.
If the people putting this together did, they would get it wrong. This video is completely wrong when it comes to the US.
Yea it sounds complex until you use the hours of service for a few weeks. Then it's all second nature and becomes pretty straight forward.
I will say though, us truckers do use time in an unusual way in relation to many other fields.
We're also governed by 5 different clocks simultaneously.
8 hr
14 hr
11 hr
70 hr
And the actual time.
And for a bonus, we also have to consider driving from one time zone to another, and whether the actual time increases and hr or decreases.
It can be a lot to consider sometimes lol
And how to cheat them? but not with ELD.
Darn! I was hoping the "Jake Brake" was going to be covered here . . . the bane of residential areas that sits aside of highways in the US.
Why Use a Jake Brake? Engine Brake Explained
th-cam.com/video/B14ZpVAMQpc/w-d-xo.html
@@TruckTropia Thanks! For the link to your YT on Jake Brakes.
I do wonder, though, what the technology will be with EV trucks to emulate the 'Jake Brake'?
When it comes to trucks, any question that asks "why?" is always about fuel efficiency. The two biggest costs for trucking companies are fuel and driver compensation.
They're trying to get rid of the drivers and let the trucks drive themselves so they don't have to pay the drivers. Slave trucks are a far better deal. Plus those driverless trucks will be far more fuel efficient than human drivers because they will never get in a hurry or get impatient or over-rev the engine while shifting.
Higher power is also irrelevant when you can simply gear down.
Raising axles is only about fuel efficiency and less wear and tear on tires and gears.
I personally don't like driving auto manual trucks. They're not automatics, it's a different technology. The transmission is still non-synchronous, so the truck manually shifts itself.
It's disconcerting.
I'd rather do it myself.
Cabovers were a pain to drive, especially locally. Climbing in and out was a hassle and the stubby gear shift with all the joints in the linkage was a pain to shift. The one I drove decades ago was an old truck. The modern ones out of Europe look fantastic. They probably are far more enjoyable to drive than yesteryears cabovers.
Once trucks can drive themselves, manufacturers will put the drivetrain in the trailer and get rid of the cab and tractor completely.
That way the trailer can haul more freight by increasing cargo capacity in areas with length limits. All wheels will steer, increasing maneuverability.
This will absolutely happen once electric motors and batteries are perfected for heavy trucks.
The main reason for lift axles is taxes. The truck pays road tax per axle. When light or empty, they raise the axle so they are not taxed on that set of wheels.
In Europe is popular also trucks on mixed fuel diesel and LPG ( in Italy for example). Many trucks are produce on MPG and MLG whit engines like petrol engines. They can work on LPG too.
USA has LPG trucks as well.
In Finland we have some trucks running on CNG. LPG is mainly used in forklifts.
V8 engines allow 2 rods on each crankshaft throw meaning bearing width is cut in half compared to inline 6 cylinder engines. Less bearing surface creates more stress on bearings which will wear out much quicker.
Torque is not 'pounds per foot'. It is 'foot pounds'. Foot pounds is a unit of measure of torque. It results from multiplying a force by it's distance to the point of rotation. If you increase either the force or the distance you increase the torque. That's why the unit is foot-pounds. 'Pounds per foot' imppies the unit is pounds divided by feet but it is not, it is pounds multiplied by feet thus giving the corrent name 'foot pounds'. Wouldn't expect ai generated content to understand that though.
Yeah, makes me doubt the correctness of other things in the video. Also 5 days later, the video hasn't had its audio re-edited.
SAE standard J1349, Table 1 lists the units of measure used in the standard as “N-m or lb-ft” for torque
I'm just here to say from the picture of the link to this video, it looked like it was saying why the gas tank doesn't touch the ground. Was like umm isn't this common sense,then I clicked the video and seen where it's talking about the tires. I was so relieved 😅😂. Sorry had a dumb moment and had to share
30:40 What the fuck is a "speeder"? You mean Throttle/Accelerator pedal. You make it sound like there is a speeder button on the dash. Maybe that's the button that goes to ludicrous speed!
As a manual transmission driver, I would say that the automatic makes you more lazy, more easily distracted from driving. You need to pay attention to those around you (esp. in a big rig) in case you need to downshift or go into neutral/clutch to not kill the engine in an emergency stop. Another reason the manual has benefit, downshifting to help slow down. There is a lot of shifting, from a stop, in a loaded big rig, so city driving will be where the most shifting while happen. Once you are up to speed you only need to shift for grades, or to slow down/speed up. Automatics must be told through programming and have some form of Manual input to downshift/upshift at the proper times. This tech I am sure has made improvement over the years, but the computer can't see the road and traffic conditions (yet). Automatics also have a metric ton of slip, increased wear and service over a manual, they generally weigh and cost more (at least in the Cars and Trucks). Automated manuals MAY be a good compromise, I don't know much about them.
The skill level bar to drive a big rig manual transmission, may be providing better drivers to the industry (total speculation).
God Save The Stick Shift!
That bit about not seeing the road is now obsolete. Freightliners now can gauge their speed , on cruise, so that they can coast up the last of a grade and take advantage of the upcoming down grade to resume cruising speed. It's done by GPS grade mapping of almost all major roads. Scary !
@@hansjansen7047 Yeah. Figured it was at least on its way. Cars have been using radar to run the cruise and emergency braking systems. All over cameras are not just for the driver either. The way I see it, it can make drivers lazy. To that point the cars/trucks will be driving themselves soon anyway. Scary indeed. I am not a fan.😶
One day maybe will look back and laugh, but considering we past 2020 without all the flying cars and automation that was "foretold", I don't know that we will make it to "one day"
Not in my lifetime anyway HAHAHAHA!
#2, your 5th wheel is A slider to take off the Steering wheel tires, and moves thw The wait to the trailer or take weight off the trailer.
Horsepower differences...Europe has less real estate to cover, therefore roads can be better designed & built. Also [because of huge fuel & vat taxes] extra capacity is a must: extra trips or trucks can make an enterprise unprofitable, and fast.
I've been driving Semi trucks for about 40 years. Of 17 cars I've owned, only 2 have been automatic. The rest manual. These so-call automatic trucks (automated manuals) are "ok" for dry or "inanimate" loads, but for liquid loads, they're complete and utter BS. Of my 40 years commercial driving, a little over 30 of that has been pulling chemical tankers. With these new electronic log books we get scored on efficiency and driver performance. We get paid our safety and efficiency bonus based on the telemetry. I was hired about 3 years ago by a really good company, and was offered a really nice brand new Pete with an automated manual... I said no. Give me the 2014 Mack with the 18 speed manual you tested me on. They scratched their heads at that. It rode rough, it was noisy and I loved it.
On the safety /efficiency score, I was consistently scoring 100% just about every week and never less than 95%. Well, they decided to retire my old Mack and gave me a brand new Freightliner with an automated manual 12 speed. Guess what happened? My driving score now sits serenely at about 78% to 82%... No bonus for me. Liquid loads move. You're trying to accelerate, the load sloshes backwards and the truck thinks oh-oh, there's a big hill here so it down-shifts on you... oops! "Hard acceleration! Oh, you aren't driving efficiently. I've tried it in "manual" mode too, but the computer over rides you if it thinks you aren't doing things correctly. Best driver score I've had on this transmission is 92%. That equals reduced bonus. I average 85%.
This is not even getting into winter driving... that's another whole story. My conclusion, automated manuals are fine for dry freight, but for live loads like bulk liquid or livestock.... give me a good old fashioned manual any day. Way more control on icy roads and way better fuel economy for live loads. I miss my 18 speed manual Mack. I got a tear in my eye the day it was sold.
Did some driving in the mid to late 1980's. Finally got back to the trucking industry a few years ago. Do I ever hate the auto's. Dam things will upshit going down hill. Drove t680 & cascadia doing stepdeck & flatbed. The freightliner auto was way better.
I got so sick & tired of the micro managing, by desk drivers, calling up and reaming over telemetry. Or something they saw in the camera. Why did you hard brake, to not kill the stupid fuck who turned in front of me.
Got my own authority, W990, 18spd manual, 565hp, 1850tq, no governer at 65mph. Pulling 53' stepdeck.
Walking through tall corn now. Manual 18 spd & No dipshit desk driver telling me how to drive!
Your just a driver. When the word is sent down from on high ( Accounting Department) you should be happy that men much smarter than you are making these decisions. They probably have years of over the road experience (Actually they have never driven a “Brick and Mortar Truck”) but have qualified on a computer simulator. So when you lay your head down to sleep tonight you can be comforted with the knowledge The Accounting Department” has your back.
Sorry to say: Your figure of 6x6, at 26.30 is "out of chart". The front axle is not driven in Your picture.
Why?
In nyc we lifted the wheels because the tolls were per axle on the ground
Torque is NOT what allows trucks to maintain speed on a grade. That is HORSEPOWER. Torque is only a force. Unless that force can be produced at a sufficient rate, you'll have to gear UP to maintain speed, which divides down the torque. Horsepower is force times speed.
Torque is needed to get heavy stuff moving, and to climb, without it you are wasting work
I have always heard that horsepower is how fast you hit the wall while torque is how far you move the wall.
And for god's sake, please get the units correct pound-feet! Not pounds per foot! (The announcer, not @jamesanderson2176. I added it here because you were talking about horsepower and torque)
Exactly true! Virtually everything stated in this video about torque is wrong. Even when referring to torque generated by a diesel vs a gas engine. No, diesels do NOT generate more torque than a gas engine unless they are designed to do so. Aviation piston engines are almost all gas engines and they have torque and HP curves almost identical to diesel engines. Why? Because that is how they are designed! Propellers become very inefficient at high rpm so the engines are designed to have a redline of anywhere from 1800 rpm for the large ones to around 3000 rpm for the smaller ones. So a diesel engine with the same HP output and rpm limitations as a gas engine will put out exactly the same amount of torque. The type of fuel burned is irrelevant.
@@shadowopsairman1583 No, it isn't. If it was, a vehicle powered by a turbine engine wouldn't be able to tow a baby carriage because it produces very low torque.
Most western states not called California allow trucks with enough axles to roll along at 105,500 without a OSOW permit. Additionally with the amount of OSOW loads are increasing continuously. I haul heavy equipment and regularly roll down the road in the Pacific Northwest between 140,000-178,000 lbs. We could really used more horsepower and torque in the long mountain grades we encounter in the Cascade, Blue and Rocky Mountains (just to name a few lol). We need Detroit or Cummins to come out with something 700+ hp and 2500 ft/lb
same with European Tractor heads trucks They Have Rear extra middle steerable axle provided which is' Midlift 'when its called" some variety of european trucks do it
It wasn't mentioned here about another reason for lift axles is toll and ferry fee cost savings. Lifted axles not touching the ground are not counted in the total axle count when rolling through a toll plaza.
Having a manual transmission and a jake brake is almost vital in mountainous country to keep from losing your brakes with a heavy load. I've seen a lot of automatic and semi-automatic trucks on the 'runaway' ramps as a result of losing control due to insufficient engine braking. Also, we're NOT on the cusp of an EV switchover for heavy haulers. We just don't have the infrastucture to support it, never mind the lack of range for over-the-road hauling. The battery technology just isn't there yet. Kenworth has already quit offering electric trucks as of the beginning of this year, because they're too expensive to manufacture and maintain, and a lot of the outfits that bought them are turning them back in for diesel-powered replacements.😐
You can have an automated transmission and "Jake brake" as well as a retarder.
Some extra info on why diesel engines produce their peak torque values low in the RPM band. To put it simply interia. A big heavy piston and con-rod moving quickly takes a lot of energy to change directions. During an over-rev or runaway situation, these stresses peak stretching the conrod to the point of breakage. Combine heavy piston assemblies with a long stroke and you have a disaster waiting to happen. Thats why Ferrari engines can reach such high rpms; their engines are as light as possible. Their strokes are short. While a diesel truck or worse a diesel train engine cannot do so. Train engines are so big and heavy you can over rev some of them at 1000 RPM!
Personally I find it easier as far as skill goes to back a long wheel base. The extra difficulty comes from the fact everything is built for a freightliner cascadia these days
Also not all states here in the us have gross weight limits I can't remember which states but there is a group up north that allow any weight so long as axle weights are met
This video is for people who have never and will never drive trucks for a living..👍🇨🇦
Not only Scania have V8 engines, M. A. N trucks also have V8 's.
They had*
I think you forgot the 8x6 (or I missed it), which is fairly common for heavy haul in the US at least. 1 steer axle + 3 drive axles
One my truck 380 gallon capacity 150+150+80. Other 440, 150+60+150+80.
Of course, I would say minus 20% of useful. Don't like to run with 1/4 .
As much as I love semis and a lot of the facts in this video are correct the V8 portion is very biased and or not correct at all. The overall fact is inline 6 is used because of the overall Mass on each cylinder can generate higher quantities of torque typically but a great example of why you might want a V8 versus inline 6 look at the 67 Cummins 67 powerstroke around the same displacement despite a couple of cc's of displacement but the 67 powerstroke has a higher output. One of the actual things said in the video was talking about how diesels use two cams instead of just the original one. That fact is completely wrong and it is up to the manufacturer to choose the proper valve train design for the operation of the engine to be efficient therefore if you see an overhead cam diesel is most likely meant for a higher revving application and one of the last facts I heard that was correct was the V8 is more complicated as it has more moving parts therefore the inline 6 is a lot cheaper an overall fine for the application the main reason you don't see a V8 diesel in semis anymore is because the cost of manufacturing