Cabover More Dangerous??

It's not so much that you necessarily need it....But it's shure nice to have it.

My wife is on the truck with me so we do need it.

 

Cab-overs and conventionals each have their own personalities, good and not so good features, and situations where one may be beneficial over the other. The Big truck truckin' school I attended back in the day utilized a fleet of well used Astros. For those not familiar with that breed, it was a General Motors product and, for the most part, rather easy to learn on and in. I was so excited to be piloting a Big truck, it could have been a chain drive with solid rubber tires for all I cared.

About the only gripe I had with the cab-overs was cleaning the windshield. I was usually one of the first to arrive in the morning and thoroughly enjoyed the casual and educational conversations with the instructors before classes began, and it gave me a chance to clean the windshield of the Big truck without wasting drivin' time. We were assigned to the same road instructor so we experienced that instructor's points of view concerning their personal methods of showing us wannaBees the tricks of the trade. Each instructor had their own style and I didn't fault them for that. All of the instructors were well qualified so I learned a lot from my assigned instructor.

I was pleased and grateful when my assigned instructor invited and encouraged me to join them in their lounge each morning before classes began. I learned as much, or more, from just listening to their road stories. In fact, I found it easier to remember the important things listening to them relate their experiences. The school had a set way that they expected the instructors to follow while conducting our training exercises, but there was no rule that prevented them from providing examples of other ways prior to and after official classes. The students who arrived just in time for class, and were gone within 5 or 10 minutes after classes, missed a golden opportunity to expand their horizons by investing thirty minutes to an hour before and/or after classes, IMO.
I remember wondering why, if they were really serious about Big truck truckin', they didn't take advantage of the free extra time the instructors were willing to provide.

I heard the good, the bad and the ugly aspects of the different types of Big trucks on the road, complete with examples. We drove cab-overs, so that's what my training experiences consisted of. Back then many truckin' companies ran cab-overs, so it worked out in our favor having them as our first experience. After graduation, I was hired by one of the truckin' companies that ran International cab-overs, --- 9670's and 9700's. They became my favorite because I knew no others, and drove C.O.E.'s for nearly five years.

When I switched companies, my first experience with a conventional was a W-900. I had only driven a friend's Peterbilt with a nose a few times for a few miles, mostly in a straight line. I was pretty sure I liked the difference, but concerned what they'd be like in real life drivin' situations. I noticed a big difference in handling characteristics immediately. Turning and backing, especially in tight situations, taught me exactly what the term, "sweating bullets" meant. Yet there was no doubt in my mind that it would become a love affair for me with conventionals.

The first thing I noticed was how much smoother my shifting was with a longer shifter instead of that short shifter International used. I just couldn't get the feel of it, and thought I'd never get past scratchin' gears. I used to listen to tanker yankers shift as smooth as a hot knife through butter and longed to be able to do that myself. After only two or three months in a long shifter conventional I even impressed myself with my MUCH smoother shifts. And impressing me ain't easy to do.

Some of the students I attended schoolin' with were reluctant to make the change, and therefor remained with the companies runnin' cab-overs. They claimed they preferred cab-overs. But when I asked them how they knew that for sure when they'd never driven anything but C.O.E.'s, they himmed and hawed and repeated the bad reports about conventionals they claimed to have heard from other drivers who quit the company with conventionals to return to what they learned on, --- cab-overs.

What they claimed may, or may not have, been entirely truthful. But, HeY!
If they were content and happy sittin' on top of the engine, who am I to dispute their preferences?
One thing I did notice though, was how much cleaner my windshield remained due to the ease of cleaning it.
The voice of one of my first instructors still reverberates in my head.
Clean glass shows class.

Not to mention it's next to impossible not to slop soapy water all over a cab-over's body when scrubbin' the glass with a broom sized brush at the end of a long, clumsy pole.
Which brought back memories of the Vernon Truck Wash and their motto.
Class Is A Clean Truck.

Combine the above two memories with my own personal favorite sayin'. .......
Y'all never get a second chance
to make a first impression.

To me, the choice is obvious.
I call it "conventional thinkin'".

 

Yeah- If I had to share the space I'd want as much as possible!

 

aftershock your post brought back memories, i also was trained in a coe in '77,
all my experiences were in coe's. thanks

 

COE's are no more dangerous than conventionals and in all the years I drove one I never saw one flip the cab over. They do ride harder tho 'cause you're basically sitting over the front axle. You did have to make sure everything in the bunk area was secured tho; otherwise it'll vibrate it's way right up front with you.

Likwise for "furnishings". Watched a guy tilt his cab to service something on top the engine and put his Tv right out thru the windshield.

 

You're very welcome, Saddle Tramp.
But I have a confession.
As I started collecting my thoughts before beginning that post,
I thought I was gonna write something like,
Cab-overs ARE more dangerous.
Especially when I'm driving one.

And see how it turned out instead?
A trip down memory lane, --- for two, as it turned out.
Fond memories indeed for me, and I'm glad it brought back memories for you as well.

Sometimes, people call me strange, --- and I'll agree with that assessment. As long as folks don't call me "normal", I'm ok.
There are times when I know I'm gonna write SOMEthing, but I don't really know WHAT I'm gonna write 'till I'm finished writin'.
I often surprise myself in the process.
That post was one of those times.

I learned a lot in cab-overs and had a lot of fun along the way.
Cab-overs wouldn't be my first choice for a Big truck to drive, but I've settled for second choices many times, and enjoyed it. I figure drivin' a cab-over again would be no exception.

It seems we both started drivin' Big trucks around the same time.
I'm thinkin' you can remember those who had already been drivin' for years before us, and how they remarked that Big truck truckin' just wasn't the same as it used to be. But I had no way of knowing or realizing that at the time.
Now I catch the same comment coming outta my mouth. It just ain't what it used to be. I reckon change will never change, --- and I find myself wishin' I could roll back time to before the 1970's and experience those changes I heard so much about before I started my truckin' career.

No doubt those who are just now beginning to drive Big trucks are hearing about how truckin' has changed, --- and it sure has. Give 'em 10 years in the industry and they'll be sayin', Big truck truckin' sure has changed since I started drivin'. It seems some things DO change, and at the same time, some things remain the same.

I remember when I was younger and bein' anxious to purchase a new car every couple of years. I couldn't wait to get rid of the new cars gone old. Now-a-daze, I find I get excited at the thought of buying a new, old car, --- like the cars I drove back in the day. I even like the cars I didn't like back then.
Now they call 'em "classics".

Hmmmmmmm,
I wonder if that title applies to me now?
Or would "antique" better describe what I've become?

I used to feel like a Mustang.
Now it's more like a 4-door DeSoto with a flat head 6 and curb feelers.

It won't be long until it's a wheelchair, -----
with flames and mag wheels, --- tuck-n-roll and lakes pipes with glass-packs. Just for the effect though. No internal combustion engine, but I'd have that electric motor wound for 440 volts, --- connected to a Moon pedal.

 

Thats all right you can have a COE! I drove them until I bought my first hood and you couldn't get me back in one holding a gun to my head!

Screw that climb up the side or fall out the door! Then there's the deal of cleaning the windows on the side or windshield without a roll around ladder so you didn't break a leg falling off the side! And I don't know if you've noticed but you don't see them on the fuel island any more do you! If you do it's very few and far between!

Or that go into the shop and have to put everything on the floor in front of the passenger seat so it doesn't all wind up on the windshield! Yep the getting dressed laying down and the ac and heat only controled from the dash!

There is nothing cool about a COE! Been doing this for 32 years and been there done that! A COE looks better in a field with trees growing up through the frame or in a front yard with the cab popped open and filled with flowers! Shucks I don't even stop to look at one at a truck show be it a Pete or KW and of course I won't even think of throwing a glance at a Freightliner!

But I guess trucks are the same as women or men! Some people have no taste in either!

 

I drove my first one in a drive tes in the 70's. didn't drive after that for years until my current job. The owner has a 96 fright liner sitting out back that came with the company when she bought it. I asked why it wasn't out on the road, she told me no one wanted to drive it. I told he #### It , I'll drive the old wreck! and I did till it started having problems. It was a trip getting my 60 yr old wrinkled butt in and out over the dog house ! My dog liked it! she had a good place to sit and look out!

 

Dogs like to sit on the dog house.

 

Just take a gander at this cabover and tell me you wouldn't like to be behind the whell rolling down the road in her.

http://www.truckpaper.com/listingsdetail/detail.aspx?OHID=2342612