Muck Boots 'n' Slickers - Life of a Livestock Hauler

I had the same thoughts one winter morning last year at 3 am when my rig wouldn’t start at the hotel. The engineer for the company that built my new rack and trailer thought relocating my batteries underneath the driveshaft was a bright idea. I have covered catwalks which are removed in the picture but not so easy to do on the road. A couple weeks in to using the new rack I found they left a couple cables loose and of course the roads rattled them loose quickly. Crawling under a rig that sits on the ground in the dark and cold on gravel to jump it caused me to relocate them over top of the driveshaft within a couple weeks.

 

That second photo’s setup is top notch, that first one looked like trouble

 

Dad my truck ain’t pulling like it should will you run overhead while I change oil, an airbag, blower motor and a couple other odds and ends?



Son I run that back in summer you got other troubles. What’s your temps? Whats turbo sound like?

Not a boost leak it still makes 60 psi…….


At least he covered that blow out with a clamp I’ll give him that

 

I didn’t realize exactly where they relocated them to until I had problems. Since I was loaded with a unit over the catwalk access from the top wasn’t doable. I am just glad I didn’t loose a driveshaft first because it very likely would have burnt my rig to the ground.

 

That’s kinda what I was thinking looking at the driveshaft, I don’t know how common that is, but it could be catastrophic with batteries in the fall and spin zone

 

I was back at the factory a few months later for some warranty work. I asked the service writer who’s bright F@@@@@g idea it was to mount my batteries where they did. He pointed to the guy surveying my warranty repairs and I just shook my head. He got the point and should have known better but unfortunately with one off custom work things don’t always initially get done as they should. Since it was covered up nice and neat with polished catwalk covers I didn’t realize the problem I had when I picked the rig up.

 

All Dads' are wonderful; but one who can (and will) fix your truck... Priceless/irreplaceable/as in rare....

 

Can you access them now when loaded?

 

Some of y'all should ask @homeskillet which engineering was most adept at misplacing things you needed to get out, road trucks or forklifts.
He did a stint in a dealers shop once.

 

I have a remote jump post mounted on the side of the rig now that I can access when loaded. If I absolutely had to access the box when loaded I could pull that unit forward and access the battery box if needed.