Post flatbed load photos here V2.0

Beaumont, Tx,.. took it up near Tulsa.

Guys I picked it up at were afraid to run it up my ramps. Said they were expecting an RGN. I said here,.. lemme show ya how its done.

Steered like an aircraft carrier. Sucker was long,.. my lower deck is 43ft.

Hurst

 

That looks like a 70s autocar?

 

Yea they are long beasts. I used to run them up ramps all the to to load them they are even funner to load with no ramps just a gin truck. Mine used to have air assist steering which made it even worse to turn.

 

Yea looks like a mid 70's small cab autocar. Mine was a high hat cab before I changed it out with a 95 western star. One of my buddies has a small cab that I have had to gin with a time or two, first time I did my dad was yelling at me to close the door but he didn't realize I had to hang half of my ### out in order to get on the clutch those cabs are small.

 

It was an Autocar,.. I dont know what year. I would guess 78 - 80 ish?

If you like Autocars,.. here is one I did a while back. This was a 79, 400 Cummins with deep reduction. I took it to the Baltimore port. Someone in the Netherlands bough it. First time I really saw how the steering is designed. Kind of a strange set up.





Hurst

 

I only like 1962 and earlier. That's one ugly truck. Sorry.

 

LOL

I didnt design em,.. I just haul em.

But I know how you feel. I think trucks were built a lot stronger with a lot more metal back then. I've driven some early 70's trucks,.. and my only gripe deals with ergonomics and creature comforts,.. like AC that doesnt drip on your head all day long or a fan on the dash that would stay aimed at me instead of what ever direction I was turning.

I was young and eager to please back then. I'd do anything my boss told me.

Hurst

 

I'm guessing you never drove a55 Diamond-T??

 

No I havent,.. but I'd try anything once.

Oldest was a 1970 IH,.. rest were mid 70's Macks and another 1975 IH with the 2 stroke Detroit. 265 I think it was. I'm only 49,.. so they were just old trucks in the mid 80's when I was running them.

Edit.

Same company had a Diamond Reo with a Holmes 750 boom on the back. It wasnt in running condition though.

Hurst

 

Every now and then I get an oilfield load that I can't wait to get off my deck. The Frack trees were set up with valves sticking down, so they couldn't go on the deck like normal. I asked the forklift driver and he said put 4x4's down to support the valves, strap each side, and then chain each side (for 1/2 the WLL per chain.

Each tree weighed about 8K and made for a top heavy load. Thankfully it was a day run, but still broke a new 4x4, split another slightly, and one tree managed to work one end off the 4x4.

I rarely have to retighten loads, this one was a bear. Add to that most of the roads to the Frack site had no shoulders or pullouts, with plenty of potholes and bumps to be sure and put as much stress on those 4x4's as possible. Thankfully no damage to the deck.

Tomorrow I will sign off on a deal to buy my own truck, stepping into another ACME driver's truck and trailer lease. This something I have been looking forward to ever since I got back into trucking in '11.