Engine brakes and windshield wipers

No story here. 30 #### years running up and down. My first few months playing with a jake truck running cement tanker you learn VERY fast what is what. If you don't learn, you will not be allowed to continue your trucking career.

Flip the jakes on a strong Mack R model from the early 80's and she will snort, drives start digging in and actually trying to hop itself into rotation... By the time you clear the stars from your vision.... you will either be folded or slid sidways.

 

Wipers not required.

 

The thing is, following jackknife type crashes [in other than dry conditions] an examination of the various data boxes will indicate an engine-induced jackknife ("drives kicked out of line"). Either too much power applied (rapid RPM increase) or too much engine braking applied (rapid RPM decrease)

To be sure, just using Swift and CR England crash history data, there was probably sufficient evidence to indicate engine brake usage was enough of a problem where somebody felt that something needed to be done. I don't see a truck manufacturer implementing such an override system just for the hell if it. And when you consider the average experience level of today's truck driver ...

But again. It's a dumb and flawed "safety feature", regardless.

 

Also. I've no experience with automatics. Maybe someone else can chime in ... can an auto potentially exacerbate or mitigate the issue in question?

 

No. An auto will apply power whatever the situation. It will even shift mid jackknife. It literally does not know anything except engine information, gearing and wheel rotating on your drives. I ordered the spouse to freeze and do not apply anything in her hands and feet, and the truck understood it to be a idle condition, dropped a gear and kept moving.

YOU The human have the potential to really make it worse if you don't catch it in time as it comes around...

 

I don't want to get in a pissing contest here but to me, it comes down to experience as to HOW to use them on slick roads, and that there are IN FACT different levels of slick. New drivers need to know this early on, or possibly end up like so many crash drivers we see on the news every week in winter.

I copied this from the Jacobs Systems Owner's Manual pdf document. The experienced guys can disregard it I suppose, but the fact is, the device manufacturer(s) warns against using them on slick roads until such time as you can determine how they may or may not affect positive traction. This should count for something, at least for the new guys to understand that there can be an issue and they need to be used with a lot of care, especially as conditions change ... Buy hey. What does the manufacturer know or care. Right?

Yes, we get it. In 90% of slick driving conditions, and assuming you're somewhat weighted down good, engine brake usage is safe. But I think weight is a factor some newer guys don't realize the role weight plays in helping traction in sub-par conditions. Lot's of new guys don't appreciate how dangerous it is when running light or empty (where traction is concerned).

 

I just don't want a new driver to view this thread later and come away thinking engine brake usage is safe, no matter. We tell new drivers to be very careful with throttle/torque application on slick roads ... conversely, we should also tell them to be careful with engine brake application on slick roads. Just leave it at that. We don't need to say "don't use them", either.

 

Eh, anyone can put in 30 years. Just have to be lucky a little bit. I could have been good for another 30 if the medical situation did not develop, but we don't get to say how many tomorrows we have.

I adapted to technology ok, but in 2001 Had no idea what was coming, camera in your face while you drive etc plus other configurations to the computer by the carrier officers and shop to take away things from your truck's operation such as one person not being able to use jake when wipers are going etc. GPS fences put in to prevent you from choosing a better storm road and firings over the smallest offense. Elogs too. That pretty much have destroyed trucking towards the rise of the Otto that has somehow managed to deliver a load of beer under computer control 100 plus miles. We don't need drivers anymore.

My own way of doing is not necessarily someone's else way. I will say as I said in the past no jake on ice period. That is something everyone agrees on. But when I talk about something on the fence such as jake under a load but not empty suggests that I have some thing secret to share, I don't It's just physics and common sense. But it's best not to use it when traction goes bye bye. And it will. Don't you think it wont.

My time left is invested in stories, lunch counter stuff occasionally and a bit of chewing on those who need it now and then. But I remember when I was new. I knew nothing. Here is a truck, a load a set of keys get out of here you are late already. Beat it.

Many people don't have a tomorrow in my time out there anymore. I did not take it away from them. I can say that much.