Winter Driving Refresher

Get in the habit of ice shifting now if you aren't already. Keep glancing at tach when hammering up the mountain if you suspect the roadway slippery. Your tach will tell you if your drives break traction. Keep glancing at your driver's trailer blood lite coming down and keep geared in lower rpms so you can pull the load back behind you. Gently brake early on wet slushy days, not to slow you, but to dry
and de-ice your pads and drums. When parking in accumulated fresh snow for the night, do the back and forth thing to help the morning get out. After an hour or so, when the tires are cooled, roll your truck again a couple of feet to keep them from freezing in place. Protect your batteries, in severe cold they don't keep all your stuff running all nite and let you have enough juice to fire up in the morning. If you reefer, carry cables. Along with thr supplies and gear previously mentioned in other posts, a cheap bag or container of cat litter works great in icy sunken docks, apply it to your drive runway before your back down for the load.

 

Don't use your jake or your cruise in adverse conditions. I know, common sense, but every year on I 80 the median, especially right past a bridge, looks like a junk yard full of trucks. Don't let it be you.

 

I can tell you one thing, I used to deliver mail from boston to the bronx,ny. you are expected to keep going as long as the roads wern't closed. My rule is when you feel your steering slip and don't steer . Get a safe place to get off the road right then. If you can't run 35 45 mph you don't belong out there with a big truck. You newbees, When I trained my sons and others we drove to a big lot clear of cars poles etc, put the truck and trailer into a slide and they learned from me, You need to be in a gear that lets you instantly rev up with no hesitation, practice giving it the fuel and using your trolley to straighten it out along with your steering,this is the place to learn,not on the highway,when you start off riding a motorcycle you are far better raising heck on dirt than crashing on asphalt, then you are much more careful for road rash,if you stay safe. I don't believe the schools do this ,but you are far better off slipping and sliding in a big lot than learning on the higway. There's nothing wrong with shutting down and parking the truck if you are not comfortable. I will tell you a true story, on I75 a friend of mine and I teamed together once, I was driving up this steep incline losing traction with a flatbed loaded with a 20000lb heat exchanger, when I got to the top it was really icy, I told him that's it until they sand the roads.we were parked on the right side out of the way,with 2 or 3 other smart drivers,i told him i used up all the neves I had,He laughed and said I was chicken and that he would go down,I said I'd rather not have him do it, he listened we were in a brand new 75 kw cabover,not a scratch on it. at 10 am the next morning the sun was out roads all sanded ice melted and we started down the hill,when we got 3/4 down there was no word of a lie at least 30 cars all wrecked and 8 to 10 18 wheelers all wrecked and were being picked it. my father drove mail truck in ma.,I called him and told him how lucky we were,he said i know all about it,it made the front page of the boston herald that time and the picture covered the whole hill with all the wrecks,he saved the clippings till I got back,let that be a lesson for all of you,I was lucky,God told me I had better stop,I didn't know it at the time,but I listened to him and my conscience,if you have a feeling somethings not right stop and check your rig in a safe place,for it could be the man upstairs trying to help you stay safe and return in one piece home with your loved ones. When a truck passes me I watch it all the coming up on me and going by until it is not a threat to me. Inexperienced drivers in trucks go faster than their guts let them,when they pass you they stay on your lane a foot or two forcing you to hit the edge,if they or you get outta a snow rut mark and hit a berm of snow it will pull you right off the road, I have travelled I80 across to oh and back,many more times than alot of you, have seen hundreds of truck and car wrecks in the winter especially. I don't want to scare you newbees,but think,practice and practice,chk your brake adj. We have always backed the trailer slack adjusters off about a half turn after you fully tighten them,the tractor brakes 3/4 turns. you want the trailer to slow first then the tractor,that keeps you straighter, when you have self adjusters like today,practice using the hand trolley,just to feather it,even if the road is dry going down a mountain light or empty you can jackknive, make sure your fifth wheel is always greasy on top. This is a leading cause of jackknifing as when it doesn't slide your trailer is pushing you,especially going downhill in the rain. I used to race stock cars on dirt in ne, when I drive in snow or ice you need to be really aware of how that truck and trailer is reacting, countersteer every little wiggle, feather your trolley just emnough to keep that trailer straight and fully behind you. If you get tired or lazy that thing will surprise the heck out of you and make your head spin, and jackknife in a second,stay far enough behind the vehicle ahead of you,that even if that driver intenionly tried to crash you he couldn't, his brake line can fall off lock everything up and where are you gonna be? safe or Hurt,make the right choice. Theres at least 5 or 6 drivers killed in ct. rear ending another truck,This is just truckdrivers,you can ask the state police and dot they will describe to you in more details the horrible things they see every day in ct. Don't get caught toying with suicide,following too close is usually deadly,you will go to jail,lose your house ,cars etc not to mention your career, one more thing do not ever park or cross rr tracks without looking for trains,gates and especially lighted railroad warning signs,if an amtrack comes by your gone,no doubt about it,stay aware always, My Favorite Saying Is'STAYING ALIVE IS NO ACCIDENT, keep that in your mind and you'll do fine, 38 plus yesrs,have helped many hurt ones',but 'knock on wood' have never hurt anyone in my car or truck career. Good luck guys,you'll do fine out there.

 

Buck and a Half wrote

"I listened to him and my conscience,if you have a feeling somethings not right stop and check your rig in a safe place,for it could be the man upstairs trying to help you stay safe and return in one piece home with your loved ones."

I can't count the number of times I've found this to be true. Your truck will always talk to you, you just have to listen to it.

I will add three items to winter driving.

-In the am after the the sun has rose. Watch for shady spots that the sun has not hit yet as the frost can still be on the road in those areas.

-Bridge decks will always ice up first as they cool the fastest from the airs ability to go underneath the structure.

-The third item is a bit more complicated. When you are climbing a hill select a gear that is lower than one you would normally use. In summer conditions you will use the gear the truck will pull the hill in and nothing lower usually. In poor traction conditions using a lower gear, if your tires spin, you can quickly reduce your engine rpm and try to regain traction WITHOUT shifting.

 

When going downhill on slick roads and your trailer is very heavy do not try to go down in too low a gear or your trailer will want to outrun you...I learned this the hard way.

 

Have trouble with snow melting on the windsheilds, then freezing into iced up wiper blades and windshield? Here's a cure if you're willing to endure a bit of discomfort in the cab.

Dress warmly: cap, coat, gloves, longjohns, etc. Turn down the heat. Set air controls to direct air down to your feet. Close the vents in the dashboard, and cover the defroster vents. Don't let any warm air rise to the windsheild. When the air in the cab gets cold, so do the windsheilds.

Snow doesn't melt on cold windsheilds. Therefore, no water to freeze and build up on wipers. Clear windsheilds for driving.

When you bunk down, turn up the heat. Turn it down again 15 minutes or so before you resume driving so the windsheilds cool off again.

 

Along with previously mentioned gear, be sure to have a hammer. Much ice will build up along your trailer tandems sliding mechanism and require busting away each time you need to slide them. The ice builds up so much that often when you come to scale you will be told to turn in and bust 2 or 3 hundred pounds off. They may or may not DOT insp your paperwork and rig because of it.

 

The best tip I can give is move to miami and run local,just kidding.

 

heres some pointers for a Refresher Course

1. i think the most important DO NOT Drive If You Do Not Feel Comfterable with the Driving Conditions!

2. Do not use your jake Brakes on High Setting this can Cause a 5th wheel Slide Resulting in a Jack-Knife..
(basically using the jake brake only slows the Truck Down not the Truck and Trailer Resulting in uneven Breaking which can Cause the Trailer Tandems to Break Traction and the Trailer to Jack-Knife)

3. Keep your CB on and Be Extremely Cautious when Entering Tunnels their may be a Accident on the other Side..

4. Watch for Shaded Areas during the winter IE: Tree Shade on road, Unter a Bridge, or anyplace where a shadow is cast on the road it may have a thin layer of black ice..

5. Ensure you have 5 sets of Chains on your truck you dont have to use them but they are required to be carried on your Truck during Certain Times of the year

6. Increase Following Distance DO NOT TAILGATE

7. Make Gental Lane Changes

8. Ease into Brakes

9. Take it slow down Mountain Grades depending on how bad the roads are

10. Make Sure your Heat and Defrost Work

11. Carry at least 2 extra Gallons of Windshield Washer Fluid
(it may not make the window clean but when the mud starts getting slung onto your windshield it will enable you to see good enough)

12. IF you Drive on Solid Ice and your Truck is Equiped with Rerar Differential Axle Lock Enguage it.. if ATC dont worry about it your truck doesnt have the option..

13. Carry Heavy Blankets, Candles, some type of portable Nonelectric Heatating source, Thick Gloves for when you pump Fuel..

14. Utilize 3 Points of Contact and do this Religously you Can Die if you Slip and Fall or be Seriously Injured..

15. If you Notice you have a Death Grip on the Steering Wheel Find a place to Pull over and Take a Breather you are being over stressed and you will be less reactive

16. this is a personal Suggestion when you Park for your 10 hour Rest Do Not pop your Trailer Brakes because your Brakes can Get Frozen inplace and create plenty of problems in the morning

17. Wear Sunglasses.. you can get Snow-Blindness due to the Reflection of the Sunlight off the Snow and into your eyes..

18. Be Aware of where you Park if you Park on Solid Ice your Truck Can Slide even after being Parked and stopped.