What 40,000$ Looks Like

This story is awesome. It was his first time behind the wheel of a semi AND he wrecked the truck AND he jumped out of the truck before it went down the embankment.

Wish all that had been on video.

 

Someone with more knowledge than me,please explain how he could have lost his brakes. I've heard they can glaze, but I don't think the new type pads can do that.

Brake pads used to be make of asbestos and ground coconut shells. What are they made of these days?

 

Jumped out took some gnads to say the least. Then again, im not sure I would want to ride off the side of a mountain either tho.

 

New brakes fade just like old brakes, get them hot enough and they don't hold.
Probably less than half a mile of riding your brakes on a big down hill and they are worthless.
Once they start smoking they are gone to quote a famous song
" kind of like stepping on a plum"

 

There isn't much difference between brakes of yesterday and today. Even with modern ingredients that make up the shoes, it can only absorb so much heat, and once it gets hot, it loses it's braking ability.

The crazy thing is, Black Mountain isn't all that tricky of a hill (or for east coast drivers, not that tricky of a MOUNTAIN). I guess his trainer didn't educate him on how to descend a hill with a load.

 

Been down that thing dozens of times. That's where I really learned to like an automatic transmission; climbing Black Mountain with a tanker load of liquid. I tested it and it worked perfectly; did all the down shifting just right.

 

Headed east, and assuming he had driven non-stop from somewhere in TN, it's very possible his brakes were already warm, especially considering he was a newbie.

I experienced this early in my driving career. Got it down the hill with the brakes smoking like a chimney. Brakes smelled for three days.

 

He must have been near 80k, and then proceeded down at "his usual 64 MPH" like he was in Kansas. Then was probably applying 50+ PSI of application starting about 1/4 mile down and never let off, probably still exceeding 60 MPH. A mile down the brakes would have been so hot they'd be almost useless.

 

Is it just me or does this lady sound like a ##### in this comment?