Big Loads - Post Photos Number 2

@Heavy Hammer, I have never used a jeep, or hauled much in excess of 150K. I have been around equipment all of my working life. The one thing that would concern me in hauling a load such as this 854, is how one estimates whether or not one can make it up even a mild 6% grade when the roads are snow covered. Considering that you are likely around 40Kish on the drives, pushing a 14K steer axle and dragging around 120K of other axles, it seems unlikely that, even with chains on you would have enough traction to pull many hills when they are slick. I know that experience with your outfit as well as road conditions and temperature have given you a good idea as to what can be done, but without actually seeing what a particular grade or hill is like how do you decide whether or not it is good to go? You obviously can wait for better conditions, but you can't wait all winter.The consequences of spinning out with your outfit are magnitudes greater than with a six or seven axle rig. And I am pretty sure that you cannot go from Alberta to California without crossing a mountain range or two.

If I were in your shoes I would worry myself sick about this aspect of your job. My hat is off to you fellows that do this!

 

Every OS/OW I have ever had had a restriction on movement if roads are covered in ice or snow.

 

Not in Canada, apparently as there is less stuff to hit

 

Kinda hard to hit something when theres only 3 people and a few geese around.

I will admit that the majority of my permit loads are east of the Mississippi. I've only had a couple go to WA and never taken one in Canada as my wheelbase is too long for it.

 

We haul all the time oversize and overweight on snow covered roads, with the deciding factor usually coming down to visibility. Our permits usually contain language that is vague enough to allow a bit of latitude. When we guess that it may be bad ahead we usually call the Port of Entry to get a decision from them, assuming that we have phone service. Our chain laws, except for the major passes, say something to the effect of "Chains advised when roads are snow covered or icy". So, on a six axle outfit grossing say 120K we can often get around better than many of the freight haulers. When you go to outfits like Heavy Hammers though I imagine that changes.
This winter, if a person was to wait until the roads are not snow covered he/she might be waiting for weeks on end.

 

It isn't the geese we worry about; it's the darn moose family that gets in line ahead of you and gets the last of the maple-filled doughnuts.

 

Oh man. We better be careful around you. A Canadian who didn't get his Timmy's might just lose it.

 

BC/AB are pretty relaxed when it comes to travelling in the winter time. Drop the jeep at the bottom of a pass if you feel like it might be dicey. With the single axle I just jump the jeep. It comes down to driving confidence. If I feel I'll need chains I'll throw them on at the bottom. A wise person once told me it's easier to chain up on flat ground than on a hill spun out. I've kept that in my head for the 6 years I've been driving. The coquihalla which is the big pass from the coast is pretty good. I've had 3 plow trucks wait for me to put chains on and head up the mountain in front of me. They'd rather make sure you get up the hill then spin out and block all traffic.

 

Ok. Like I said most of my permit stuff is 6 axles now and I mostly run the east half of the country when under permit. No chains allowed here and the roads don't stay covered for more than a day in a big storm.

Thanks for the info.

 

Thanks Nate, I didn't realize that dropping the jeep was an option with the Provinces. Perhaps some of the Northwest States allow that as well, but I don't recall seeing many jeeps setting by themselves at the bottom of a grade.
I share your thoughts about chaining up at the bottom of a hill. Most of the time we won't have trouble ourselves, unless someone else spun out and blocked the road causing us to have to stop, at which time the "I hope to ### this thing doesn't start sliding backwards" feeling comes on. If conditions are at all bad we usually throw something just for a bit of insurance. For you guys pulling jeeps though even chaining up may not be enough I suspect.