18 wheels on that semi or 10 ?????????????????????????????????

Hi Sheep, that's right, listen to Gordon, he's right on the money. Heck, I didn't have tubeless for the 1st 10 years, at least, and like Gordon says, either it was full or flat, and you knew it. Flat tires were a regular thing, if you didn't have a flat in a week, you could bet several were coming up the next week. Same with no A/C, you had those dash fans , if you were lucky, otherwise, it was wing windows( remember those?) and that's just the way it was. As far as P/S, I did have that for most of my trucks, but did drive several with manual steering, and it was rough. Manual steering, I think, had a better feel going down the road, but, I'd get "charley horses" in my arms by the end of the day and you could arm wrestle anyone and win. It's OK, you youngun's enjoy your luxuries, and I do too, it is better, but don't let them kid you, equipment wise, these are the good ol' days.

 

I enjoyed the cab-overs back than.. I want one so bad and if all goes well, I will have one and restore it to its factory beauty. I remember the one my dad had, it was a Red International with a "K" on the front of the radiator shroud. "K" stood for Karen, my than stem-mom. I remember riding in it and I remember it sitting in the parking lot of the apt. we lived in. I also remember the trailer sinking in the assfault....lol Looking back, I can laugh at that..

Yes, I remember the "wings" and I can imagine the "charley's" you got driving in the city with that no-ps truck... What were they thinking..lol

 

Hi agin, yeah, what's a cab-over? HA, kidding, I wrote a little story about cab-overs to a magazine not long ago. Either you loved them, or you hated them. I knew guys that would call in sick, if they had to drive a cab over. I drove an IH 4070 Transtar that was a good truck, rode terrible, but could back in anywhere.Had a "shiny" 290(300 Cummins) and a 13. Drove a Freightliner C/O that was HORRIBLE. God, I hated that truck. Terrible blind spot on the right side. It's a testament to my driving ability I never ran over anything with that POS. I've posted this before, little cheesy, but this is how it was.('70's-early '80's) Look at how popular the C/O was. And if it wasn't for P/S, there would be no women truck drivers, sorry ladies.( not sure I would want a girl that could drive a manual steering truck!) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=le2bPRGvKXE

 

@"semi"retired.
Don't forget those old trucks put a lot off good drivers out off the trucking bussiness.(their bodies no longer be able to do the demanding work)
Most common being those who got a bad back from all the vibrations they suffered in those trucks.

 

Hi daf, tell me about it. Probably a subject for another thread, but my back is in terrible shape. The first TT I drove was a Mack R model and that thing shook so bad, it would pop out of gear. I had a tarp strap around the shifter. In 35 years, I never hired a lumper either, always unloaded my own trailers and I'm paying for it now.

 

So that was a 6 horsepower(or donkey power)rig.

 

Gordon A, you are so right

 

They were all 3-axle tractors.

 

Compared to today we did not have the problems that many are having today.
It is not all on the new driver of today but society's attitude towards truckers. We and I mean us old hands, did little to stop this down hill transition to what we have now and are being treated like today.
The COE was in it's self a great truck. Considering the transition from horse drawn wagons a few short years ago as history evolves to today's sleek modern hi tech luxury rides.. My 68 Pete was a very nice truck. One day after servicing it I forgot to lock the cab down ..
I had to hit the brakes hard and the cab began to tilt over. I am still in the seat hanging on for dear life as the pavement is getting closer and closer to my windshield. Seat belts in that era were not the revenue enhancement tool they are today. Everything came out of the bunk but luckily no broken windshield that day. Had to fall out of the cab to get out. Pumped the cab back down and never forgot to lock it again.
I drove the 9670 IH for a short time.Many called it the thirteen letter sh 1T spreader. Not a bad truck in it's day . Spring hangers on the 9670 were poorly designed and now and again a 9670 would be off the ramp due to being locked up .It got towed. The springs hangers would lock up and had no movement fore and aft and created a serious steering problem. The spring hanger pivots was one place on the truck you could not over grease or grease too often.

I too did not mind unloading my trailer. I would even help other drivers with a floor load. I did not do every load , It just depended on the receiver.
I now and again have cause to compare how it was 30 -40 years ago to how it is today.
I remember many years ago that I could be sitting at a table in a restaurant and now and again if another patron found out I was trucker my meal was bought by them with a smile. We were the knights of the road in another life.

 

Back then there was no air ride suspension.It was all spring ride. Tractor and trailer. You got a double whammy on RR crossings .RR crossings were dreaded and you grabbed the wheel and lifted your self up off the seat on the crossing you knew were rough. Many a spring was broke going too fast over them and if you had a 4 leaf suspension you were in for a rough ride. NO air ride seat.no power steering as a rule. You were lucky you got the scissor action seat suspension.