snow and ice on trailer roof... - Page 5 - Truckers' Trucking Forum | Message Board

dockthumper · **^ Top** #41 10.17.2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by soon2betrucking

wait! wait! wait! let NOT forget that the flatbed drivivers sometimes have to clime up 13 6 to tarp their loads..... so there should be no reason the van drivers should not be able to clean our roofs off...

Most companies that load flats that high provide a fall harness, and require you to use it. Some also have tarping machines, even thou they are a pain in the ###.

When I'm on top tarping the load isn't covered in ice and snow, so there is traction. That's if I don't get blown off by high winds.

Not to mention that some of the drivers I've seen pulling vans are....well....they are big boys, and I'm not sure the roof would carry the weight.

Oh well, I can clean off my flat with a shovel. Maybe the van guys can just remove the roof and store the snow and ice inside the van.

Lilbit · **^ Top** #42 10.17.2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by dockthumper

Maybe the van guys can just remove the roof and store the snow and ice inside the van.

That's funny! Turn them all into reefers!

Lurchgs · **^ Top** #43 10.17.2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by rabblerouser12

well ive come up with a rudimentary 3d model design. (the benefit of taking product design class in HS) at the exits of truck stops (where the most trucks will pass thru) a metal framework. coming off that framework hanging down is like a shock absorber. attached to the shock is a metal framework kinda shaped like a skeleton of a V plow, which the actual face of the plow is hard plastic (to save weight). the plow would have either a metal or hard plactic edge, with 2 roller wheels spaced about 4 ft apart, with an angled up guide track for vans that are slightly taller than 13 6 so the top wont just slam into it. set the bottom edge height to about 13 5, when a truck pulls up, the guide tracks travel up the front edge, and once over the edge the roller wheels keep the blade just off the top to prevent scraping which removes paint and leads to rust. the v blade splits the ice/snow and pushes it off to the sides, where it came be collected and moved via bobcat bucketloader etc. then for summer months, un bolt the top cross span, remove, and you have no problem handling overhieght loads.

What y'all think? Wouldnt take more than 1 min to clean all but like 1/4 an inch off, effective, no major delays, and other than the initial purchase/install wouldnt cost a damn thing to maintain. but we all know the truck stops would STILL charge like 3 4 bucks to use it lol.

Don't do it that way... you'll need longer guide tracks - a lot of trailers are 14 ft plus in height. Add in whatever packed snow they're driving on at the time, and ... well, you can see what's gonna happen.

However, you do have the advantage of simplicity. What I'd been considering is a revolving brush (like on those construction sweepers), split in the middle and angled back like the blade of a plow.

Spin the brush against the direction of travel of course,

Also, have 3 100 pound wheels (separated by about 2 feet each) to break any ice - riding out in front of the brush by about 2 feet.

The whole thing is mounted on a spring-loaded rig.. when no trailer is underneath, the brush stops spinning and swings up. Drive a trailer in and it bumps against soft rollers. The rollers are pushed up and the brush comes down- activating in the process.

Yeah - a bit more complicated ( a lot more complicated) but you don't have to sweat oversize trailers.

I just had a brainstorm hit - brushes are stupid. Just use about 18 moderately high pressure jets of air - along with the ice-busters.

As for that roof cleaner...I used to have one in Juneau. Works great on sloped roofs, but bites the big on on flat roofs. Of course, there may be a design for flat roofs that would work...

rabblerouser12 · **^ Top** #44 10.17.2008

I thought about the air, its a possibility, but after a truck goes thru, you got that recharge time for the compressor to refill the tank. thanks for the tidbit bout trailer height... im still in school and learning. goo thing is my mom calls me the human sponge, i take in just about every piece of knowledge i can get. Its also earned me my soon-to-be handle, "brainiac". ive got few other ideas i have to model up, and then run thru computer simulations. my first one isnt looking so hot anymore. an yes, i am a geek, an proud of it.

rabblerouser12 · **^ Top** #45 10.17.2008

better yet, if i can figure out a way to protect the intake from freezing, a couple of 4 wheeler car wash squirrel cage blowers would do the trick very nicely with your ice crunching roller wheel idea.

Lurchgs · **^ Top** #46 10.18.2008

I thought about the squirrel cages. Not sure they have they oomph for things like deep wet snow or 2 inches of ice.

I wasn't going to bother with air storage tanks - just a couple of heavy duty compressors. Think about those compressors they use these days at gas stations to air tires. No storage thank that I know of.

It's more about pressure than volume at this point.

Roadmedic · **^ Top** #47 10.18.2008

Great ideas for when the snow happens and you are in the truckstop.

But these laws are also a big problem for when you pick a trailer up and the nearest truckstop that may have it is 30 miles away. To pull it to the truckstop is illegal under the law.

It is unsafe to even consider cleaning off the top of the trailer. I see this as another revenue enhancer.

Lurchgs · **^ Top** #48 10.18.2008

Roadmedic - absolutely - another example of "our constituents are too stupid to take care of themselves AND we can grab some money at the same time"

Fortunately, any snow removal device we dream up is going to be expensive, so it COULD be installed at any given shipping yard. Further, the layout I'm modeling can actually be made portable - so it could be taken to a yard and use to clean all the parked trailers before the driver ever shows up - and then taken to another yard...

That would not be optimal, of course. You'd want to figure 5-10 minutes per trailer (getting the rig aimed properly, etc), so a SMALL yard would take 2-3 hours, minimum. Go someplace like.. oh.. the Coors loaded yard (which is only medium size), you'd be at it all day, and probably still not get done.

Roadmedic · **^ Top** #49 10.18.2008

I really believe they should focus this law where it needs to be.

The majority of cars and suv's do not clean their vehicles off. Then when they drive down the road, the snow slides down the glass or blows off.

There is clearly no way that the trailer can even begin to be properly cleaned off unless you keep the temperature above freezing.

I will not climb around and try to clean a trailer off.

Lurchgs · **^ Top** #50 10.18.2008

you won't find me arguing about that. I used to be one of those "Ooooh look at the snow blow off the roof of my car" guys. Then my wife beat some sense into me

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