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

Mule power, they were popular back in the day. A friends father had a big mule, he was stronger than a horse & we used to ride him, & it was fun!

 

Yall got me LMFAO reason thru this---course the old new banter will Never change--&as long as it is good natured im good with it--Hell you shoulda heard my ol man when I bought my 359w/a 10 speed & not a set a boxes....
Now fer you youngins complain bout trucks--an r model& a 4070 they were ####tin in Tall Cotton--I ####### adored my R Model--got me outta that #### Emeryville cabover! The one I begged my Grandad to give back to my cousin--& demote me(lol) back to my B76!
And to the real newbie's--your mostly right all the tech etc has made things easier(not necessarily better)But those starting today in today's trux--with very rare exception wouldn't have lasted the 1st trip 30-40 years ago...
But the real difference is--today it is just a job tomost--Back then we Loved it&wouldn't have had it any other way

 

We were and are part of trucking history. We set the standard but as time went on out side forces reduced the standard to what it has become today. I won't go in to it as most know what I mean.
How will we be remembered? Or will we be forgotten?
I have memories of those times. Most good, a few not so good. I have stories of exploits that if done today would land us in jail or to be more precise under the jail.
I could tell stories about how I got out of tickets and a couple of how I earned some. How cop friend ran front door for me at near 90 mph in a 55 mph . back in that time frame. We were of course selective as to when and where this happened. usually.. . to helping get a HP officers cruiser in IL out of the median when he hit a black ice patch. Mostly good memories. We were always ready to help. Yes I do miss the old days in trucking. I miss the camaraderie we had. I miss the sit down at the round table in the truck stop and making new or seeing old freinds. We will not see those days again. Greed has taken over that has led to the ankle bracelet called the ELD because we are not trusted due to a very very few .

 

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but only 1 axle has power...

 

Hey 'olhand, we're drifting off the original subject, not sure it's ok, I love where this subject has gone though, maybe we should do a thread on "the way it was". Trucks of the past, the "beeper" Mack, the "crackerbox" Jimmy, the White "Road Commode", the R190 "cornbinders", and maybe you'd see a Dodge "Bighorn", the "Bullnose" K Whoppers, ANY gas job, and although before my time, the chain-drive Sterlings. Man, that's when trucks were trucks!!! (did I miss any?)

 

You say we set the standard, that's partly true, but there were some before us that helped set the standard too.

I was wondering about this as I read your post.

With all the computer stuff, added wiring, connections, switches, on the motors, & add to that computer controlled transmissions, with even many more wires, many connections, different kinds of switches. Are they more breakdowns today, wit the breakdowns being much more costly? I would think they would have to be. And is that not the reason the large trucking companies trade out truck quite often?

In years gone by the trucks just did not have near as much that could or would go wrong.

And today I would think it would be near impossible for the OO to do much of his own mechanic work, in yesterday years many of them did much of it.

 

Today with all the smog, CARB and EPA devices and programing and the ever present EGR valve and waste gate many of today's trucks from about 07 to present have a very high shop time . Companies trade trucks for several reasons. One is at certain mileage to give better trade in value. Some to avoid engine tear down for major repairs and overhauls at high mileage. A lot of trucks have had many drivers in them and that alone will wear out a truck in a hurry.. Insurance for older high mileage trucks can be a bit higher.

 

I agree, I would never buy a new truck, as service would kill me. Back in the day, trucks were relatively simple, and I did most of the work myself, and saved a lot of money. These things may be fine when new, but a couple of years in the "salt bath" has got to be hard on those electrics. When electronic throttles and pumps came out, I never liked it. Give me a metal rod from the foot feed to a mechanical pump, any day!

 

Every industry changes including trucking. Complaining about it wont get you any ware. Adapting to the change will. For better or worse, it is what is it. Running 90 in a 55 is reckless with or without a cop and could have got someone killed. Thats why the industry changed. Guys like you put us in danger.

 

Hey Richter, for what it's worth dept., that 90 mph could be stretched a little. Years ago, a very few had trucks that would do 90. (maybe down Monteagle in "Georgia Overdrive". All the trucks I drove, I was lucky in some cases to get the last gear, and struggling along at 54 mph was the norm.