Suicide knobs

Legality aside, reality is what counts. The old trucks with no power steering could knock your knuckles on a pothole, but these days we have better roads and power steering, which has minimal feedback. I've always had them and feel that the name "suicide" is outdated due to power.
One thing I'll recommend is NOT to put the spinner on the rim of the wheel, where you have no way to "pass" it by your control hand. If you put it on the spoke of the wheel inside of the rim, you both have use of it and non-use of it as needed, and it can't hit your hand or catch a sleeve so easily...although I've never done either.
You get used to having it very quickly and when you drive something without one, you still are expecting it to come around, subconsciously. It's not like it gets you by surprise.
If you can't get it tight, you need to remove it. It should stay put and spin freely.

 

I dont understand ?
If you set your self up correctly it shouldnt take more then 4 turns(either direction) of the wheel to get into a parking space dock or whatever.

Spinners only induce over-steer which is very hard on steer tires.They do a real nice job of tearing up the steering wheel which isnt good.

Just aquire better backing skills and save the $20

 

that's what i do

 

I never said I couldn't back. Oversteer is relative. I'm not talking about backing at the truck stop. I'm talking about real tight areas where you need to really work the wheel. Either way I do just fine without one I just figured it'd be nice to have.

 

Yep, thats the reason I've always heard for them being illegal in many states, if they catch on your sleeve or front of your shirt while turning you'll end up in the ditch in a hurry.

I've used em on farm tractors a few times but even there they're not really needed, you can turn just as fast with the palm of your hand.

 

I have one in my Silverado, and find it really handy when backing my 14' construction trailer around jobsites, but there is often a lot of wheel work there. As I said, I don't notice it much because of where I mounted it, but it's right there when I need it.

 

I have no idea as to their legality, but back in the old days, heard MANY times they were illegal, and the reason was lack of power steering. If you had ever driven a truck WITHOUT power steering, on Lousy-ana's pothole filled highways, you would learn pretty quick to temporarily release the steering wheel before your front falls in. A quick release, then grab and correct became automatic response. Those non-power steering trucks, even the ones with "center point" steering would transfer a lot of shock, and arm jerking spin to the driver. The amounts of bumps, and bruises sustained by just the steering wheel convinced me not to put a spinner on any truck I drove. Some fellows had them, but I think it was more for the "cool factor".

 

I know that my company will not allow one on the company trucks.

 

I've used them in the past, got stopped at the Wa poe on I-5 and was told to take it off, I jumped out of the truck(on the scale) and opened my side box- the scale master asked me what I was doing, I told him I was getting out my tols to take it off, he told me to get the%^$# down the road. I don't have one on the truck anymore, not worth the effort in my mind.

 

one of our yard jockey trucks has one and it is nice to have for backing especially 53 footers to turn the wheel quicker