Jake-Brake

That's the wrong kind of thinking. Just because nothing had happened so far does not mean it won't happen in the future. The simple fact here engine brakes are a tool and not a toy. You are right in the view that you can feel your truck. But in ice everyone should be slowing down and running an engine brake on ice is asking for trouble. If you want to be out there you can go slow where the engine brake wouldn't really help anyway. Maybe I'm different because I drove a oversize tanker with alot of gasoline and the load had to go through. Taking a truck down a grade at 20mph or slower will not lose you that much time.

 

I haul 48,000 Liters of diesel at a time and I have to go down the hills at 20mph just for the Jake to hold me. And I don't need a lesson in how going slow doesn't lose that much time. I have 412500 miles on the truck and 17000hrs which works out to an average speed of 24mph over its lifetime. I am not trying to act like a super trucker as I am not one, I still have lots to learn and I know that but I have learned from some of the top old school drivers up here and have always asked them these types of questions. I never went to driving school, I rode around in the trucks, drove them around the yard and when I turned 18 got my commercial license. I was on my way back from a trip last night and ran into a 25 yr veteran that I know and asked him this question and said what was said on this thread and all he did was laugh and asked where the responses came from. I am not saying that you are wrong I am just thinking that maybe the conditions up here are different.

We all drive our trucks our own way and the bulk of my experience is winter off-road in the mountains. And yes I know years ago there were no Jake brakes but the loads were lighter and the brakes were done more often. I am going on 120k miles on the brakes on my tractor and still plenty of life left. Brakes cost money to use, a Jake doesn't. Also for the most part we don't get straight black ice up here. Most times it is either snow or rain, no in-between. I also run a winter tread tire and when I am loaded I have 55,000 lbs on my drives at least depending on how I load.

 

You missed the whole point. When you feel you know all there is to know on your truck and you have a handle of all things you become complacent. When you become complacent you become a hazard. I'm sorry I hurt your ego, I had no intention to do so. I'm sure you know with your 3 years experience that conditions change all the time. You should also know that a heavier truck is much better than an empty one when it comes to sticking to the road. I really don't know why you threw that in since you have to be empty going back to the loading rack. I too drive a super tanker (up to 110,000lbs) and would never think of having an engine brake on when I was empty. And engine brakes cost money to repair too, alot of times more).

There's alot of us that have never gone to school and have done just what you've done. It's not where but how and who is doing the teaching. I'm sure the conditions are different up there than down here. I believe you put too much faith in a driver because of his driving time. There are plenty of bad drivers that have over 20 years. By no means do I described the man you talked to. But a driver that can drive in ALL conditions for 20 to 30 years (or millions of miles) and one that has driven all different types of trucks like vans, flats, tanks, doubles, triples, or any other type of combo and comes out clean with a spotless record is the type of driver I like to talk with. Not the good old boy that's been pulling out of the same shop for 20 years.

Which gets back to my original point. The day you become so proficient that you feel you don't have any more to learn is the day you should close the door and walk away. Especially if you're hauling material that can kill you. I'm not saying that to you and only for the benefit of the newer drivers. You do bring up some very good points and it's very true that you do drive that truck your own way. But the goal is to come home safe and after a few years you can retire with a perect record.

This isn't meant to be a low blow or anything but I'm sure most of us have watched "Ice Road Trucking"? All those drivers their talk how bad the fuel drivers are. It's hard to beat a bad reputation. What are they doing different than the other drivers?

So I'll still stick with my training and that is to leave the engine brake off if the roads are slippery.

 

I let her bark all the time except in residential areas I try to at least appear professional.
We all drive in different areas and terrain and maybe shouldn't lecture other drivers about what works for them

 

Then how do you expect to learn???

 

My ego is not hurt as what is said on the internet or the forum does not affect my life where I am.

I do have a problem with you attacking the drivers I use for my teachings.

The 3 main ones I have learned from Hav driven in some of the worst conditions that a trucker can experience. Look up anything you can find about the Dempster Highway and its road conditions and you will see what I am talking about. These 3 have a spotless driving record and all 3 have pulled vans, flatdecks(both single and b-train), tanks, a-trains, truck and pups, 2 have run 10 axle low-beds and one has run up to an 8 axle lowbed. One of them happens to be my dispatcher, one is my father and the other is another very well respected truck driver up here who used to work for us. Any of these 3 you can mention their name to any trucker up here and they have nothing but good to say about their driving.

Lastly I will state this. I love to banter back and forth about a point and it doesn't hurt my feelings about what someone has to say. This is trucking, everyone is going to have a differing opinion on how to do something. This is very true in life for the most part as well. Line up 10 people and ask them how to go about something and there will be a variety of answers. This I all understand, but before you go critisizing my teachers maybe ask of their qualifications before stating that I am listening to the wrong people because if these are the wrong people then I have no idea who to go learn from.......

 

I appreciate help and information that's why I'm here, but my way or the highway isn't always the only way

 

Been doing some ice driving myself lately had a bunch of snow the other day than a little rain followed by cold and sunny bad recipe it takes a certain kind of person do drive off highway

 

Yes I agree with you and I kinda feel bad as this thread has gone astray from the main focus a bit, partially from me.

I have never stated that my way is right, all I did was state how I did things.

Also Gashauler while it is on my mind, I notice you have 20 years experience and are at the age of 55 and I am not assuming anything but am wondering do you look upon me as some young punk trucker who thinks he is a know it all with a big ego because that is how you are coming across.

I am far from it but I am good at what I do and am at the top of the company I work for because of it, but like I stated before I still have lots to learn and learn everyday I do. Like today I got a good lesson from our mechanics about the amount of alcohol to put in the air system, I was putting too much in and was actuall screwing up the air system instead of helping it.