Negotiating Curves

This is true, it would've been easier to roll a reefer wagon with "bin lettuce" boxes stacked to the rafters than it would've been to roll a dry van with heavier palletized lead solder waste running low down the center of the wagon. The higher the CG, the more dangerous in the curves... and changing lanes in a curve isn't a good idea either, same way passing other trucks in a curve isn't such a good idea. I still remember those funky curves on the Cross Bronx Expressway with three trucks side by side, you had to watch your mirrors closely or risk scraping another rig (or two, lol). Hard to time those curves so you weren't driving alongside other rigs... but I certainly never liked that situation, and did my best to avoid it ever after, lol.

 

I took a left turn a little too fast a couple of years ago and my load shifted. I came extremely close to losing it, my left tandem tires were off the ground.

As many have already pointed out, there’s no such thing as being too careful.

 

Thank you guys for all the tips. I definitely won’t try to out drive my ability. Just waiting on the day I can handle my rig like the vets, safely of course . I was thinking there is something I have to be doing wrong maybe because there’s no way everyone going at least 65 and I have to roll at like 55. I only have trays of mail for the post office, so it’s not necessarily top heavy. My load generally looks like this.

 

It depends on how high its stacked, 8 foot tall means top heavy.

 

This is probably a bit too much, but maybe it'll help you understand some the concepts of what is happening while cornering.

New tires and managing oversteer.

 

It’s me. I’m the one wiggling in the curve making corrections. Some I settle into fine but others not so much.

 

Ain't a thing wrong with being safe.
It's exactly what you're supposed to do.
Ever notice there's awards for safety, but not for spectacular wrecks?
Safe gets you where you're going, and gets you paid.
Safe gets you home to your family.
Safe is THE ONLY WAY TO DO THIS.
Smooth is fast, fast is smooth.
Worry about being smooth. Fast comes in time.
Learn your equipment.
Learn to read it, feel it, know it intimately.
Same way you know your personal vehicle.

 

I wonder if you could also have some issues with your front end on your truck. You didn’t say what year Freightliner it was. Unless you have driven multiple tractors and all feel the same?
Freightliner Cascadia Trucks Recalled for Steering Issue

Also if you ride with the seat high up it could be messing with your mind. Sometimes I raise mine up high during sunrise if I’m being blinded by the sun and it freaks me out! (I need a drop visor for my tractor)

 

Better to be cautious until you get the feel for it. When you get a feel for it continue being cautious until you instinctively think about your load and if its loaded up high and how heavy it is and what could happen if the loader put heavy stuff up high and if it might fall over during your turn or if you properly secured it yourself and its all short stacked stable pallets.

Generally you can do the speed limit but watch for any sharp curve warning signs.

A helpful tip for everything steering or aiming related is to focus on where you want to be. In this case its near the line on the inside of the curve. There’s a thing called target fixation that means you will tend to go where you focus. So if youre going into a curve and get worried youre going a bit to fast, dont focus on the outside line of the lane or that is where you will end up. Focus on the inside line of your lane. That is where you want to be. Obviously your trailer will track a bit so dont get on or too close to the inside of the curve but have your focus on that line.

 

Not for nothing driver, but none of those signs, excepting those marked for trucks, are geared towards us. I remember the typical wisdom 20 years ago, was 10 under the advised speed. Today vehicles are better able to handle the curves, but it's still not bad advice for unfamiliar areas.