Looks like I'm transitioning into a milk hauling position and that means smooth bore tankers. I'm wondering what you experienced guys have to say about the difference between pulling a 53' box and a milk tanker. I am wondering if they handle similar to double trailers, as far as slowing down on your turns and such.
Pulling smooth bore tankers
Discussion in 'Experienced Truckers' Advice' started by moloko, Dec 19, 2014.
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Imagine you are hauling a 53 ft trailer, and the only thing in it is a huge steel ball as wide as the trailer,but which is free to roll toward the front and back. When you accelerate,the ball will slam against the rear of the trailer. When you brake,the ball will crash into the front bulkhead. That is how smooth-bore tankers react. However,if you are hauling a tank that is completely full,with little free space in it,the ride won't be as rough. My first trip with Indian River,as I was leaving the yard, I thought someone had run into me...I got out and when there was nobody behind me, I thought Oh Lord, is this how it's going to be?
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Also, things like strawberry purée (thick) don't knock you around as much as,say,apple juice (thin)
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So the surge is pretty powerful eh. What's this I hear about skipping gears and timing your shifts ? What gears would one most likely skip when pulling a tank...
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The way I am imagining this, is that they would handle very similar to the way double trailers handle on a tomato truck. Slow down before entering the turn , etc. my gut is telling me this liquid surge is very similar in principle to the "crack the whip " effect on double trailers; make no sudden moves basically. What do you guys think?
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Hi moloko, 1st, congrats on the tanker yanker job. Of all the jobs I did in the industry, and I did it all, the best job, by far, was the tanker job I had, but was also the most intense job I had. I know this sounds gross, but I hauled liquid waste from 1 treatment plant to another. It was a gross job, but I was driving a new 359 Pete day cab, so I put up with it. We had 3 wagons, 2 waste type tankers with baffles, and 1 old milk tanker smooth bore.. And we switched, so you never knew what you'd be pulling.(not that it mattered) The wagons with the baffles were a piece of cake, you hardly knew you were pulling a tanker, but the smooth bore, THAT got your attention. Like chp56 sez, a full smooth bore is a lot easier to pull. Problem is, especially with the waste, you couldn't fill it to the top, you'd be way overweight, which we were overweight to begin with, but we were only going 15 miles one way,(7 times a night) so it was load the wagon and go. The surge of a smooth bore will indeed ( I found out) make you bang your head on the back window (of a day cab) You have to kind of time the wave, you let the clutch out, that causes the liquid to slosh to the back, and you wait a second , as the slosh comes forward, you then can mash the throttle, and the slosh is kind of neutralized. Same with shifting, time the surge. Corners too, no sudden movements of the wheel, nice slow turns, you'll be fine. Good luck.:smt023
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Smooth bore is much different that doubles. Mash the fuel hard on takeoff with a partial load and you may fell like you're going through the windshield when the load hits the back of the trailer, but only until the surge come back at you and slams you into the seat. Also, slow and easy on turns and curves. Your load can and will climb the sides of the trailer and take you over if you are not driving smooth and/or going to fast.
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Just take it nice and easy.
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How much slower would you say I should take a turn on a freeway, considering the speed limit of 55 in california ?
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