Too late to get chains, what can i pour down for traction?

ROFLMFAO!!!

Yeah right! Buy the time you get them out of the bag, pail or untangled off the rack I'll have spread a pail full of sand down the ramp into the dock and backed in and in the building paying the lumper before you have the stupid things laid out behind the tire!

The dock scenario is actually funny! Many years ago while still wet behind the ears on a beautiful snowy day I pulled into a receiver and got my door assignment and started to back in and down the ramp. Well that 39,000 pounds in the trailer being in the lead down a fairly steep ramp decided to screw with me! Even setting the brakes tying to stop the truck from sliding down that ramp didn't work and when I hit that dock every pallet shifted to the back and what was a straight pull off was a complete hand unload! Sand became the idem of choice after that! Yes salt is nice but costs more than sand as sand can be found along rivers, the side of roads and in back yards in a box for kids to play in! Salt gets wet in the truck or soaks up moisture from the air melts into pretty lumps not much good for spreading! And kitty litter I've already beaten to death! BUT preferences are what you prefer. I just like my sand and if I have to pound it well shucks I got it to pound! LOL! Have a gret winter people! Hopefully you'll never have to use any of the stuff mentioned!

Oh yeah I guess we did forget that one about NOT setting the trailer brakes, but that's where the heating up the brakes before parking helps! Say that you have to shut down for the APU to work (no idle state or company) and you have an air leak and the brakes set and you don't wake up to the loud snapping noise from the knob doing it's thing and you sleep on till the alarm goes off! Having dried your brakes off, they won't be frozen!

I do not think anyone covered HOW to beat a frozen brake with a hammer or whatever!

Release the brakes on the trailer. THEN go back and hit the side of the shoe. Try NOT to hit the drum as you could dent it or miss shape it to even cracking it! It does not take a Hulk Hogan to beat a shoe loose as it's just ice thats frozen the two together and will crack loose with a few hardy taps not a crushing blow! Or use your propane torch just don't put the flame directly on the drum! If it's cold enough you'll hear a beautiful cracking sound like listening to the cracking of ice on a lake in springtime! Cracked drums are an OOS if caught and expensive not to mention a time killer while waiting for the work to be done!
Hold the flame away and it'll work just as fast!

The drives? Just put it in gear release the brakes and pull forward. Not to many trucks have parking brakes on the steers so that's not a problem (cheap owner at speck time!) but if you do, these are the easiest! Pop the hood and step in and tap away!

 

CAT LITTER!!! you can also use it if you have a smelly trailer or spilled liquid in a trailer, pour it down and let it do the work.

 

Easier to just go get the thing washed out!
Coffee works better for getting odor out of a trailer! It absorbs bad odors while it releases that coffee aroma! Sweeping coffee grounds out of a dry van doesn't PO the truck stop off as bad as kitty litter! Besides when you spread litter in a trailer then go to get it washed out it'll cost more!
Oh, yes, you CAN wash a dry van out!

 

Good to hear that. We used good old Nabob's Coffee 50 years ago when I started driving.

 

Complete set of snow tire chains never used still in bags 11R x 22.5

asking $150.00 o.b.o.

Please call Ron 313-673-1707


Read more: http://detroit.ebayclassifieds.com/...tire-chains-for-semi/?ad=607537#ixzz1CJXyuXHa

 

until you hit pavement and snap an axle

 

They would be better than nothing but, just barely.

 

27 years experience and you giving that stupid advice?? All you do is dig a hole with an ice wheel chock in front of you. Then what?

I always carry a logging chain with me in the winter time. Mainly to help others. But who knows, you might get someone to pull you out.

 

Originally Posted by rjmcgee
I really think it would be faster to toss on a couple chains before backing down into the mess.

I think he meant that it's faster when you know how to use chains

If they are frozen hard, without lockers, you'll just skid the frozen wheel and if you DO have lockers, that's a good way to snap an axle especially with a highway tractor with light diffs (40's or super 40's)