van to tanker-advice

Something simple; get some good hearing protection. I bought mine at a gun store; they're like plastic ear muffs. There's some high pitched noises & some you may not even notice from pumps. It's easy to develop serious tinnitus; there is no cure and you live with it 24/7. I know; I have it.

 

yes, tinnitus is a real pain. I've had for a number yrs.

your going to have to relearn your driving skills. lol

I'd been driving for 15yrs, when I went to tankers for a few yrs.

the liquid moving around can really through you off.

it can actually move the truck around on snowy roads.

or roll you over in a curve.

 

Good advice both from China and Numb.

That surge can really through ya' around when you're first starting out. You'll swear you're being pulled/forced off the road at times. I remember before I began hauling product other than fuel (fuel has adequate baffling, most other stuff does not) I was prepared for the back-to-front surge but wasn't at all aware of that side-to-side pull that we experience. You'll get used to it. The longer you do it safely the better you'll become. Forget everything you know about vans. This is a whole new world. Drive slow and watch those curves.

 

Easy & smoothe makes your day. rule of thump for Exit ramps is 1/2 the posted ramp speed; kinda keeps all the wheels on the road!

 

Noguns, I was born and raised in Minnetonka...

 

Although I've only been pulling tankers about 4 weeks now I found (learned) that when upshifting with a smoothbore, gently apply a little pressure to the throttle until you "feel" the liquid is at the rear of the tank then give it more throttle. It helps to prevent those sudden and often rude 'jerks'. Like wis bang said, smooth and easy is the name of the game, keep the liquid happy.

Fuel hauling is the best so far. Love those baffled tanks!

 

i posted a thread entitled "surge control." Check it out, may help you figure it out.....and keep your braking steady. Welcome!

 

You mean this thread?

http://www.thetruckersreport.com/tr...trucking-forum/215669-surge-control-help.html