Pull starting a big truck

the engine has to be running before it will "shift" into a gear. theres no possible way that i have found to pull start an ultra shift, and ive had 3 of them already.

 

If the air is down you can connect glad hands to the trucks and build pressure. The dead truck will have to hold the brake release down untill it has enough air. Thats if you can get close enough.

 

I know from personal experience. bumper did not come off, but bent out.

 

or if you knew you may have trouble starting, back into a spot that has a incline & roll yourself off.

 

I thought there is check valves in place to prevent this from working. But I am not positive.

Anyone else ever done it??

 

I have used the glad hands to air up trucks in order to pull start them a few times. I did come across one or two that didn't take the air on one side of the two stage system, don't think it was due to check valves, but possibly a relay valve, that wouldn't open due to no air pressure on the trigger side of the relay. The last one I remember that had this problem was a truck ahead of me in the parking lot of a grain elevator, the truck parked along side of it was attempting to air it up, and only getting air to one stage. Luckily there was a valve stem mounted on the compressor regulator, (similar to the ones used to air up a tire). I simply pulled to the other side of the truck, then un reeled my air line. After that, I make sure all my trucks have a valve stem mounted on the regulator, just in case....

 

If you had to get a pull start is it wise to take a 1000+ load right after or should you go to the nearest terminal to get the truck looked at first

 

Need to know why it wouldn't start.
Dead batteries?
Alernator charging?
Bad starter?

I would if it was a bad starter. Don't shut truck off.
I would plan to have problem fixed within a day or less.

 

Sure.

Just has to be done carefully if a Ford 150 is pulling on your tractor trailer to get it moving enough to try a dead rolling start.

It's not common. Even now I have to sit and think it through carefully before doing that. It has to be done just so to do it right.

I tell you right now. If you aint got a computer anything alive in that semi. It's probably going to stay dead.

 

Very good point anything that doesn't have a kill cable needs enough juice to turn stuff on so to speak.

I hate pull starting one especially loaded I been told all my life it's a good way to have a broke crank shaft. I will admit to doing a few times. Couple of times with a half ton pick up with a loaded grain wagon. Had to be drug backwards so used reverse in the truck being pulled, you need to quick on the clutch I will say that lol