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So if a truck is dead, and out of air.

Discussion in 'Trucks [ Eighteen Wheelers ]' started by IROCUBabe, Dec 28, 2009.

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  1. Dec 28, 2009 #1
    IROCUBabe

    IROCUBabe Road Train Member

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    Is there anyway that another truck can easily assist? The battery was completelely dead, the cables just smoked so we didnt think that was a good idea, then we tried hooking air hoses up to air it so it could be pull started, and that didnt seem to work.

    Did we do it wrong?

    Hubby swears he's done it before and it worked.

    If it makes a difference dead truck was an older century and live truck was a 2007 Kenworth.
     
    IROCUBabe, Dec 28, 2009
    IROCUBabe, Dec 28, 2009
    #1
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  3. Dec 28, 2009 #2
    kickin chicken

    kickin chicken Road Train Member

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    Use heavier gauge cables and make sure to alternate batteries as you charge.
    You can connect the service and the emergency lines between the two trucks to build the air pressure in the system so you can release the breaks, if you are on an incline that you can let the truck roll off to jump start, at least 3rd gear...one shot..don't let it stall.

    Best to you!!!!
     
    Last edited: Dec 29, 2009
    kickin chicken, Dec 28, 2009
    kickin chicken, Dec 28, 2009
    #2
  4. Dec 28, 2009 #3
    RenegadeTrucker

    RenegadeTrucker Road Train Member

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    If your cables smoked you were using cables that were way too small. Home depot sells a set by husky that have a good gage cable on them, and they are long enough that you can reach from one truck to another in a rest area where the trucks are parked paralell to each other.

    Also charge the batts for 30 minutes with the jump vehicle before starting. You just cant hook up the cables and go.

    If you need to get air into the truck, get a pair of glad hands and an air hose, run it from the red line on the running tractor to the red line on the dead tractor, you can air it up that way, just make sure you push the red handle in on both units after they are hooked up.

    You can completly air the truck up this way.
     
    RenegadeTrucker, Dec 28, 2009
    RenegadeTrucker, Dec 28, 2009
    #3
    kickin chicken and Gears Thank this.
  5. Dec 28, 2009 #4
    25(2)+2

    25(2)+2 Trucker Forum STAFF Staff Member

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    Make of truck makes no difference, you either need a coupling or a valve to admit air into the other truck's tanks, not all trucks have these installed.

    It may not have run anyway if a battery was shorted dead and you had no voltage, something was seriously wrong if the cables were smoking.

    You need to get air in the tanks to release the brakes or you need to cage them. probably only 2 on the tractor with spring brakes (a few have all 4 drive axle cans with springs).

    If you cage them you can't use the pedal to stop because service brakes need air, you have to figure out how to stop it. I have helped drag a dead truck from under a trailer and run it into a couple of large stones to stop it, then another could hook up to the trailer load of live chickens.
     
    25(2)+2, Dec 28, 2009
    25(2)+2, Dec 28, 2009
    #4
    kickin chicken Thanks this.
  7. Dec 29, 2009 #5
    farmerleach

    farmerleach Light Load Member

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    Welding cable works good for making jumper cables. The good heavy stuff, I have a couple of sets on the farm like that. I have never had a problem with them getting hot when boosting equipment, these cables are 40+ foot long.
     
    farmerleach, Dec 29, 2009
    farmerleach, Dec 29, 2009
    #5
  8. Dec 29, 2009 #6
    IROCUBabe

    IROCUBabe Road Train Member

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    Well we wound up having to have a two truck pull it, we tried hooking the two emergency lines up, that was no dice, air just leaked out. But for future reference I will note the cables might have been wrong gauge they were marked trucker ones.
     
    IROCUBabe, Dec 29, 2009
    IROCUBabe, Dec 29, 2009
    #6
    kickin chicken Thanks this.
  9. Dec 29, 2009 #7
    lovesthedrive

    lovesthedrive R.I.P.

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    LOL yeah them 2 ot cables are a dream for jumper wires. Make good battery wires too, a bit on the over kill side (but then again on 3 feet drop its what 10.000 amps?).
     
    lovesthedrive, Dec 29, 2009
    lovesthedrive, Dec 29, 2009
    #7
  10. Dec 29, 2009 #8
    black_dog106

    black_dog106 Road Train Member

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    :yes2557: just as farmer said. It is expensive and seems overkill, but you will have a set of cables that will do anything. And put good clamps on the ends....
     
    black_dog106, Dec 29, 2009
    black_dog106, Dec 29, 2009
    #8
  11. Dec 29, 2009 #9
    FYDA FREIGHTLINER CINCY

    FYDA FREIGHTLINER CINCY Light Load Member

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    on some newer trucks u cannot hook up trailer air lines to air a truck up. the tractor protection and quick release valves will not let u. they will just leak air. all u can do is remove the compressor discharge line (steel braided line), install a fitting on it with a red glad hand on it. then use the running trucks red air line to fill it with air.
     
    FYDA FREIGHTLINER CINCY, Dec 29, 2009
    FYDA FREIGHTLINER CINCY, Dec 29, 2009
    #9
    jtrnr1951, fmrbydaytkrbynight and 25(2)+2 Thank this.
  12. Dec 29, 2009 #10
    RenegadeTrucker

    RenegadeTrucker Road Train Member

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    Another thing you can do is put a quick connect air fitting right into the air tanks, takes a bit more time that way because you have to fill each tank.
     
    RenegadeTrucker, Dec 29, 2009
    RenegadeTrucker, Dec 29, 2009
    #10
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