Dangerous Bobtail?

Why?

It's the top gear of my lower end. I take most city corners in fifth gear. I only use first (granny) when dropping a trailer, entering a shop/truck wash or when nothing else will get me going.

If I don't have to come to a complete stop because I have the green light or I'm entering the git-on ramp, I downshift to fifth and roll around the corner. Why would that be weird? Sixth is too much and fourth would irritate the driver behind me.

 

I get what you're saying, and I understand how once the trailer starts to hop, those brakes are doing nothing. At that point, you're pretty much just stopping things with the tractor brakes.

Going by nothing more than "seat of my pants" feel, so I could easily be wrong, but I am still not convinced. As unscientific as it is, it just feels like it's shorter to me.

 

I doubt the difference would really be that much.

Properly working anti lock brakes will make the big difference.

 

I had a codriver that would never be in less than 7th gear to make a corner. I will never forget it, i'd wake up every time he pulled into a truckstop to buy more pills to pop to stay awake, cause my head would slide into the top of the sleeper making the turn.....gawd...

 

Your truck must be geared a lot lower than mine because in most cases fifth is pretty high to be going around corners in town in my opinion.

Yes...It is the top gear of your low side...Regardless fifth gear for city corners seems kind'a high to me.
I rarely ever use low....unless I'm off road, or starting from a stop on a grade.

I couldn't care less if the guy behind me gets irritated...In fact I think it's kind'a funny when they do get irritated!
I run my truck at the speed that I fell is safe around corners and let the other drivers around me sort out their feelings regarding my speed.

I considered for a minute getting a sticker for the back of my trailer that says "If you wish to comment on the way this truck is being driven..." and then putting my own cell phone number on it and then take the calls like I'm really interested in their comments just to see what people woud say.


But I honestly don't think I could listen to them for long without bustin' out laughing.

 

I didn't know all trucks now had the same rear ends.

 

I agree with Red Fox. Most company trucks are not set up in a way that lets them be taken much past the governor. My werner truck if it was ungoverned would hit the rev limiter at 80....the old CRST internationals topped out at about 90 without a governor.....

I'm thinking your driving a fast truck....

When I drove for CRST (10 speed), 5th gear was alright to make a turn (10mph ish) but i typically did it in 4th. in my werner truck I have to do them no higher than 3rd gear. I shift into 5th gear around 20 MPH.....

Also, since we're all arguing and just assuming we're right.

Yes, bobtails stop with less pressure than a loaded truck in good conditions and normal stopping. However, do an emergency stop, and you'll find that your brakes lock up waaaay too early. Or try it in the rain.

I remember last year it was raining in indianapolis, near Harding St and I65, light turned yellow when i was pretty close to it, I was bobtailing, and i tried to stop with normal pressure. It became obvious very quickly that I was not stopping, so I just stomped on the throttle and I was able to legally cross the intersection, it turned red after i was 100% past the stop line... Felt like I was on ice when i got on the brakes...


Hell, a while back i was on highway 401 and was heading to the drop yard in Milton, to pickup my preassigned load--before the actual load info had been sent. Load info got sent after about 20km, so i pulled over on the shoulder and stopped. I had smoke rolling off my tires after i stopped, lol. Didn't stop very quickly either. And this is a dry highway...

 

The truck will handle a bit differently, especially when braking hard, but it's not particularly dangerous if you are paying attention.

 

I had to drive across Michigan on I-96 bobtail one January after it had dumped about eight inches the night before. Plenty of ice on the road. If I eased it above 47 mph, the drives would start to slide. I was running across at 45mph listening to all those drivers who had trailers b***hing about having to pass me. Finally turned the radio off.

 

I'd have turned it off too.

They never run bobtail, or were they merely super truckers that ran dangerously above speed for the circumstances?