My New Truck (almost as proud as CK)

[Bro. Noble]

Mark,

We have an old chev.  (63- C60)  with a dump bed.  When we get a load of logs that is pretty top heavy and hauling over sloping ground,  we chain the load to the frame rather than the bed.  This may not be necessary where you have down pressure on your hoist.  Ours sometimes wants to dump sideways othewise

[Joe W]

Mark,nice truck.The mud flaps in front of the wheels protects the back of the cab when running onsanded or salted roads or on gravel roads.Power down on the dump body helps should you dump a load and something heavey like a stump  gets caught in your tailgate you just power down where a one way power  system you would be stuck in the up position.One thing to remember always power down.If you don't the hydraulic fluid gets airated and will probily over flow the tank.Good luck with it,Joe

[Mark M]

Thanks for the advice everyone. It does have a 2 speed axle, but it has been so long since I've used one that I can't remember how. Seems I used to remember just pulling up the know and then taking my foot off the gas. The book mentions something about pushing in the clutch too so I'll have to read a little.

Noble how full do you think I can fill this truck with logs? Right up to the top or will that be too heavy?

Mark

[Bro. Noble]

Mark,

We haul 1500-2000bdft which would be considerably above the cab.  Watch your spring to see how heavy you're loading.

You need to clutch when down shifting,  but don't need to when up shifting.

The local loggers often leave two logs together and buck them at the mill so they can get more on.  Sometimes they have trouble turning while going up hill cause there isn't enough weight on the front wheels   Don't load yours that heavy

[beenthere]

As I remember the two-speed axle (vacuum and electric) was best shifted when either accelerating or de-celereating (not coasting) when changing the rear from low to hi, or hi to low. (Never clutched when down shifting).  Then after changing, let up (and/or step down) on the accelerator.  There will be a moment of "buzzing" noise when it shifts, but matching the drive shaft speed with the new rear end gear should engage it and the noise will go away. In the '58 Chevy directions to shift down from hi to low, one was supposed to have the accelerator down when changing. But when going down a steep mountain road, and needing to shift down, the last thing one wants to do first is step on the accelerator (wrong feeling for sure). Found out having back pressure on the engine does the same thing as when power is applied, to shift the rear axle.

Once upon a time, I almost couldn't accelerate the engine rpm enough going down a long mountain highway road, in order to match the drive shaft rpm to the low rear end gear. I'd waited too long and was going faster and faster in 4th gear, and too fast to shift down to third. So tried to get it into 4th low rear end but it didn't immediately match up. After a couple tries, finally just held the accelerator to the floor, the engine wound up real tight, and the match was made. Lots of rpm noise but it was better than trying to stop that truck with just the brakes. Sweat a few drops of blood that time, cause I thought I had lost it for sure. Best not to wait too long to shift down!

[etat]

If you ever feel a need to fill it up with used shingles bring it on down here and I'll load you up!!!!!!!   No charge!!!!!!!

[Captain]

Mark,  we almost had the twin sister to that truck in the Fire department when I was younger up in Vermont.  It was a water tanker, 1250 gallons worth if I remember it correctly.  Like most other trucks in the department, it started its life as a town highway truck, dump and sand/salt spreader.

It had a manual transmission and a split rear end.  I remember it well, as it was the first 2 speed rear axle I had ever driven (I was about 18 years old at the time).

One piece of advice I was given and always gave to any other drivers, was know what gear you need to be in to climb this hill fully loaded, and make sure you are in it before you come down.  I can remember 3 fire tanker accidents where people missed a shift going downhill.  

Captain

[J_T]

On those trucks I never down shift rear going down hill It can get in mid posison and stay as have been pointed out .I don't split shift . Put rear in low on take off shift all way into fourth when you get up some speed pull button up let up on gas clutch at same time if you goofed and don't have proper power shift to third leave button where it is .If I stop I shift button down for take off . That is just how I do it may not be right but works for me .In  my wilder tims I use to split all shifts threw the clutch out the dust cover    Not in a big hurry anymore I try to make them last now .Got to get some picturs my IH 1960log truck soon.It is a cab over gear binder five speed.

[ADfields]

Never shift any thing when you are on a down hill.   It is very dangerous and it's even agents the law.   The law states that you "MUST" be in the proper gear "BEFORE" starting down a down grade and "MUST NEVER" shift on a down grade.   It's no small fine, they call it reckless driving and give it enough points to revoke a license in most states.   Not that it's sumtin Mark will ever need to know down there in Bismarck, ND.
Andy