What Line Of Work Are You In

[Flewis]

I started in high school on 6 wheelers in 69, big trucks in 72. Been doing the TV stuff for 42 years. Yeah things have changed a lot, but this new generation of trucks suck. The TV stuff is still fun and I’ve seen lots of things most people don’t get to see. The best for me were the shows we did on aircraft carriers.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

@Daniel Cary
Brings a tear to an old driver's eye.
Memories of an old twin sticker Flintstone Mack with a big 237hp motor. Just don't miss a gear when swapping cogs going up hill. Now that's fun trying to find another one. Better to just stop and start again.
No power steering, no suspension seats, no power. Going up hill 1st gear, jam a rock on the loud pedal, walk up hill and boil the Billy for a cup of coffee while waiting for the truck. As it gets there throw all the coffee gear in the cab and keep driving. Ah the good ol days.
The young with their 6 and 700hp jiggers don't know the meaning of driving.
Get one of those old girls humping at 70 to 80mph and you know your living and DRIVING. The old 70s W model KW I drove was capable of over 100mph with a Cummins Pt 320 opened up to 380, 15 speed double overdrive road Ranger box and 2 speed Eaton diffs. A bit slow up I'll but went like shit out of a shanghai down I'll and on the flats when you open the old girl up.
Bob

 

[Flewis]

@Daniel Cary
Brings a tear to an old driver's eye.
Memories of an old twin sticker Flintstone Mack with a big 237hp motor. Just don't miss a gear when swapping cogs going up hill. Now that's fun trying to find another one. Better to just stop and start again.
No power steering, no suspension seats, no power. Going up hill 1st gear, jam a rock on the loud pedal, walk up hill and boil the Billy for a cup of coffee while waiting for the truck. As it gets there throw all the coffee gear in the cab and keep driving. Ah the good ol days.
The young with their 6 and 700hp jiggers don't know the meaning of driving.
Get one of those old girls humping at 70 to 80mph and you know your living and DRIVING. The old 70s W model KW I drove was capable of over 100mph with a Cummins Pt 320 opened up to 380, 15 speed double overdrive road Ranger box and 2 speed Eaton diffs. A bit slow up I'll but went like shit out of a shanghai down I'll and on the flats when you open the old girl up.
Bob

Yeah Bob they were fun times or were we just too young to know better? Will never forget the sounds or the glow of the fire in the stacks at night. How about the air conditioning, yeah none.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Yeah Bob they were fun times or were we just too young to know better? Will never forget the sounds or the glow of the fire in the stacks at night. How about the air conditioning, yeah none.

@Flewis
Just to young to know better back then
We had 2×60 air con in all our trucks.
Two windows down and 60mph.
Bob

 

[Flewis]

@Flewis
Just to young to know better back then
We had 2×60 air con in all our trucks.
Two windows down and 60mph.
Bob

100 percent right.

 

[Hogpatrol]

@Bob & @Flewis Brings back memories of my triaxle dump days, 250 Cat, 73,280 lbs, plus, if you could dodge the scales, 16 speed road ranger, no ac, double clutch, miss the shift loaded going up the hill, stop and go to granny gear with your buddies behind you on the horn. WTF was I thinking doing that for a living?

 

[Flewis]

@Bob & @Flewis Brings back memories of my triaxle dump days, 250 Cat, 73,280 lbs, plus, if you could dodge the scales, 16 speed road ranger, no ac, double clutch, miss the shift loaded going up the hill, stop and go to granny gear with your buddies behind you on the horn. WTF was I thinking doing that for a living?

We know the feeling!

 

[Flewis]

Guys, been smiling and laughing since we started talking about the old days. People who haven’t done it can never guess what its like.

 

[Hogpatrol]

The dumps were old Diamond REOs. Never did have AC but the shifting got better with a 16 speed Spicer air shift. Memory's a little rusty but IIRC, the road ranger was 13 speed.

 

[Daniel Cary]

I'm really Glad someone Found that well & the Stories shared .. Thank You!
.. I have an Intrigue for the Antique's: 743ci Small Cam Cummins/Thermodyne's. Split Manifolds, (ATHS) etc .. That is a beautiful Ride & Sounds Magnificent, excellent driver.

Couple Advil, I'd love to Own one someday ;

 

[Uncontrolled_round_feed]

CPA nerd…started Big4 accounting in Chicago, worked as an auditor and/or controller in either Chicagoland or (thank God these days) across the border in Milwaukee.
Where there’s muck there’s brass, and I’ve been blessed to travel to over 20 countries and all over the US, plus met some wonderful people along the way, due to working for a great company.

 

[Flewis]

The dumps were old Diamond REOs. Never did have AC but the shifting got better with a 16 speed Spicer air shift. Memory's a little rusty but IIRC, the road ranger was 13 speed.

Drove them both ways. 2 sticks before they went to air. Fun fun!

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

@Bob & @Flewis Brings back memories of my triaxle dump days, 250 Cat, 73,280 lbs, plus, if you could dodge the scales, 16 speed road ranger, no ac, double clutch, miss the shift loaded going up the hill, stop and go to granny gear with your buddies behind you on the horn. WTF was I thinking doing that for a living?

@Hogpatrol
Mate haven't heard of a,16 speed road Ranger. To the best of my knowledge they came in 9,10, 13,15,and 18 speed.
Throw in overdrive and double overdrive but no 16s. That's back to the 70s.
A clutch was for 1st and reverse . When you got used to the box and the reves you can change gears without the clutch they just fall into gear. It takes practice but once mastered its easy as. Love the 14 and 20 speed Spicers as well.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

The dumps were old Diamond REOs. Never did have AC but the shifting got better with a 16 speed Spicer air shift. Memory's a little rusty but IIRC, the road ranger was 13 speed.

@Hogpatrol
Amateur using a clutch
Bob

 

[Flewis]

Oh Bob that hurts, I even double clutch my little beater dog car.

 

[Hogpatrol]

@Hogpatrol
Mate haven't heard of a,16 speed road Ranger. To the best of my knowledge they came in 9,10, 13,15,and 18 speed.
Throw in overdrive and double overdrive but no 16s. That's back to the 70s.
A clutch was for 1st and reverse . When you got used to the box and the reves you can change gears without the clutch they just fall into gear. It takes practice but once mastered its easy as. Love the 14 and 20 speed Spicers as well.
Bob

Bob, Yep, my bad. It was a 13 and driving someone else's rig, no clutch was a no no.

 

[RR 314]

Assistant Production Foreman for a small oil and gas company. Pretty much just a glorified pumper (lease operator)/roustabout.

I think I still carry my certification as OFT. . A good friend in the Permian basin started a servicing company just before oil dropped to $12 a bbl. I helped him (pro bono) on Saturdays and some Sundays for a couple years. Fairly certain I have a valid FLSA claim. Well, I should say “had” as I’m sure any claim has expired. .

 

[dchamp]

This conversation brings back memories. My introduction to trucking was with a 1953 GMC dual axle tractor. Of course there was no power steering, no AC and if memory serves me right it had a split shift manual 16 speed transmission. My father showed me the placard for the shifting pattern and said to allow 4ft for making right hand turns to allow for trailer drift. Then had me take a load of down hole tubing out to the oilfields. Taking both hands off the steering wheel while shifting both levers to make certain gear changes was always fun.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Oh Bob that hurts, I even double clutch my little beater dog car.

@Flewis
Real truck drivers in Australia only use the clutch in a crash box for 1st and reverse. The rest just fall into place with the right revs. It's called experience. Syncro boxes you have to use the clutch.. Spicer boxes flick button lift foot off the loud pedal and reapply, gear change done.
But then again I'm lazy as well.
To show you how lazy I am my doctor as how much exercise I do.
I told her I walk around the block at least 6 times a day.
She said that's great.
I pulled a 2 inch wooden block out of my pocket and put it on the floor. Stood up walked around it then sat down. I said there's another lap around the block only 5 more laps to do and I'm done for the day.
Her reply isn't printable.
Bob

 

[Flewis]

The new transmissions shift easy with out the clutch but I still feel them into gear like the old days. Never look at the tach.