Semi/Truck Performance

[PAB]

Originally posted by: Jahee

Originally posted by: Thorny

Those things are as graceful as an 8 year old girl carrying 2 five gallon buckets of water. When you've got 1500 gallons of water, you don't stop or turn fast. They have plenty of power to get to those speeds, but they are lacking in suspension, brakes and tires to handle it. Not to mention the wind speeds of 120mph would likely toss all your hose right off the truck. Driving one is like riding on a jackhammer too. Just riding down the highway can cause your can of coke to overflow if its more than half full.

Lol, i like the analogy

Do you mean because the suspension is set up hard to help with handling, or because they are so sloppy and lumbering that the coke is spilt?

Truck suspensions are extremely stiff. You feel every bump in the road, period. I had to ride in a class 6 dump truck, not even a big one - unloaded and the ride was absolute hell.

 

[Jahee]

Originally posted by: Thorny

Originally posted by: Jahee

Originally posted by: Thorny

Those things are as graceful as an 8 year old girl carrying 2 five gallon buckets of water. When you've got 1500 gallons of water, you don't stop or turn fast. They have plenty of power to get to those speeds, but they are lacking in suspension, brakes and tires to handle it. Not to mention the wind speeds of 120mph would likely toss all your hose right off the truck. Driving one is like riding on a jackhammer too. Just riding down the highway can cause your can of coke to overflow if its more than half full.

Lol, i like the analogy

Do you mean because the suspension is set up hard to help with handling, or because they are so sloppy and lumbering that the coke is spilt?

The coke overflows from the vibration and bouncy ride, it literally shakes the fizz out of it. The ride is rough because the trucks are so heavy and built to take abuse, the ride is actually better with a full tank of water though, thanks to the weight. The handling really isn't that bad, but I would NOT drive one over 65-70, they just were not made to go that fast.

Yea thats what i would have thought...


PAB: The ride would be better loaded right? Unloaded dumper trucks i see driving about do bounce along over every little bump alot when unloaded, must be quite tiring after long periods.

 

[PAB]

Originally posted by: Jahee

Originally posted by: Thorny

Originally posted by: Jahee

Originally posted by: Thorny

Those things are as graceful as an 8 year old girl carrying 2 five gallon buckets of water. When you've got 1500 gallons of water, you don't stop or turn fast. They have plenty of power to get to those speeds, but they are lacking in suspension, brakes and tires to handle it. Not to mention the wind speeds of 120mph would likely toss all your hose right off the truck. Driving one is like riding on a jackhammer too. Just riding down the highway can cause your can of coke to overflow if its more than half full.

Lol, i like the analogy

Do you mean because the suspension is set up hard to help with handling, or because they are so sloppy and lumbering that the coke is spilt?

The coke overflows from the vibration and bouncy ride, it literally shakes the fizz out of it. The ride is rough because the trucks are so heavy and built to take abuse, the ride is actually better with a full tank of water though, thanks to the weight. The handling really isn't that bad, but I would NOT drive one over 65-70, they just were not made to go that fast.

Yea thats what i would have thought...


PAB: The ride would be better loaded right? Unloaded dumper trucks i see driving about do bounce along over every little bump alot when unloaded, must be quite tiring after long periods.

I dont know. Thats the first and last time I'm going in. I've been in car wrecks that were less bumpy.

 

[Jahee]

Another thing i've wondered, Why are all trucks diesel powered i just realised i've never seen a petrol truck, bus or any heavy vehicle, is it just for the economy, durability, and natural 'torquey' nature of diesel engines?

I guess those are the 3 top characteristics you'd be looking for a truck hehe 😱

 

[Sukhoi]

Originally posted by: Jahee
Another thing i've wondered, Why are all trucks diesel powered i just realised i've never seen a petrol truck, bus or any heavy vehicle, is it just for the economy, durability, and natural 'torquey' nature of diesel engines?

I guess those are the 3 top characteristics you'd be looking for a truck hehe 😱

You just answered yourself.

 

[McCarthy]

Pretty much all three. Many an engine out there with more than a million miles on it, aside from replacing bearings.

Surprised nobody showed some engine specs. The CAT C15 is a nice engine.
http://ohe.cat.com/cda/layout?m=85523&x=7
Actual power depends what pump/turbo you put on it.

Cylinders In-Line 6
Bore/Stroke 5.4 x 6.75 (137mm x 171mm)
Displacement 15.2 L (928 cu in)
Weight 2890 lb (1311 kg)
Horsepower 435 to 625 @ 2100 rpm
Torque 1550-2050 lb-ft @ 1200 rpm

 

[Thorny]

Originally posted by: Jahee

Originally posted by: Thorny

Originally posted by: Jahee

Originally posted by: Thorny

Those things are as graceful as an 8 year old girl carrying 2 five gallon buckets of water. When you've got 1500 gallons of water, you don't stop or turn fast. They have plenty of power to get to those speeds, but they are lacking in suspension, brakes and tires to handle it. Not to mention the wind speeds of 120mph would likely toss all your hose right off the truck. Driving one is like riding on a jackhammer too. Just riding down the highway can cause your can of coke to overflow if its more than half full.

Lol, i like the analogy

Do you mean because the suspension is set up hard to help with handling, or because they are so sloppy and lumbering that the coke is spilt?

The coke overflows from the vibration and bouncy ride, it literally shakes the fizz out of it. The ride is rough because the trucks are so heavy and built to take abuse, the ride is actually better with a full tank of water though, thanks to the weight. The handling really isn't that bad, but I would NOT drive one over 65-70, they just were not made to go that fast.

Yea thats what i would have thought...


PAB: The ride would be better loaded right? Unloaded dumper trucks i see driving about do bounce along over every little bump alot when unloaded, must be quite tiring after long periods.

I can answer that. The truck rides MUCH better loaded than unloaded. Driving empty can shake the everliving piss out of you.

 

[Jahee]

Originally posted by: McCarthy
Pretty much all three. Many an engine out there with more than a million miles on it, aside from replacing bearings.

Surprised nobody showed some engine specs. The CAT C15 is a nice engine.
http://ohe.cat.com/cda/layout?m=85523&x=7
Actual power depends what pump/turbo you put on it.

Cylinders In-Line 6
Bore/Stroke 5.4 x 6.75 (137mm x 171mm)
Displacement 15.2 L (928 cu in)
Weight 2890 lb (1311 kg)
Horsepower 435 to 625 @ 2100 rpm
Torque 1550-2050 lb-ft @ 1200 rpm

A million miles! whoa.... and you can buy aftermarket turbos to inrease power?

Do the engines typically have 6 cylinders? the strokes are almost as large as the bore! thats a big piston! and alot of momentum

 

[Demon-Xanth]

Straight sixes are easy to slide between frame rails, very durable, don't need balencing to be smooth, and are very easy to work on compared to other configurations. But they're far from the only engine configuration. In europe where space is more of an issue and they usually have cabovers, I think they use flat sixes alot more.