Make HGVs and rigid lorries carry snowchains

[loko]

4 winter drive axle tyres for a truck are approx £2000

[Cataldo]

PugwasHDJ80 said:

Seriously- trucks don't have diff locks anymore? is that really commmon?

Seems bonkers to me.

sadly they're becoming less common, i believe some offer them as optional extra's and some are still fitted as standard depending on the type of work the unit is specced for. they've replaced them with some marvellous electronic traction control software, which is next to useless. Infact i can't honestly say its of any advantage whatsoever.

i've had most experience of the ZF AStronic box. and to be honest unless you're on flat dry tarmac it's totally flumoxed by the task of shifting gears in a commercial application, sure they increase clutch life but fitted to a tractor unit results in a poor tool to do a tough job.

[Tunku]

andym1603 said:

As with anything usingchains, they are okay as long as you are driving on snow. When you get to a clear roasd the chains should come off again. Then if you get to an untreared road on they go again. It would not be feasible in this country as there is not enough snow.
OP did you get the idea from Ice Road Truckers? They have a totally different scenario over there.

I was thinking of scenarios up here in Scotland where a large vehicle going uphill blocks it for everyone else. Cars can usually do a u turn or reverse out of trouble but to be able to fling on chains on a lorry to get out of a fix seemed to me to be fairly sensible. I didn't expect 'petrolheads' to imagine I meant lorries on motorways with chains on flailing away on tarmac at 56mph!
Using them as a last resort was what I was thinking about. As soon as they are out of the trouble spot, stop and take the chains off.

[The Game]

Snow chains at the flick of a switch

http://youtu.be/DEsSCcnSoiY

[andym1603]

Tunku said:

I was thinking of scenarios up here in Scotland where a large vehicle going uphill blocks it for everyone else. Cars can usually do a u turn or reverse out of trouble but to be able to fling on chains on a lorry to get out of a fix seemed to me to be fairly sensible. I didn't expect 'petrolheads' to imagine I meant lorries on motorways with chains on flailing away on tarmac at 56mph!
Using them as a last resort was what I was thinking about. As soon as they are out of the trouble spot, stop and take the chains off.

Where abouts in Scotland are you? Up here in Inverness there doesn't seem to be a problem everything gets through. Maybe our
gritters are out working more.

[JREwing]

The Game said:

Snow chains at the flick of a switch

http://youtu.be/DEsSCcnSoiY

'Sentrifagal' force, eh?

[Tunku]

The Game said:

Snow chains at the flick of a switch

http://youtu.be/DEsSCcnSoiY

Is that the things fitted to Fire Engines?

[davepoth]

Getragdogleg said:

Bluebarge said:

No reason for them not to have winter tyres - they all use remoulds anyway so it's not like it would be a massive expense. I think winter tyres should be compulsory for all public service vehicles - emergency services, buses and essential logistics (food + fuel delivery).

Don't be daft, "not expensive", go and price up 16 truck tyres (6 supersingles,
10 normal width for the tractor unit) and come back and tell me how much they are, oh, I don't "use remoulds" at all so price up new ones.

Then we can work out how long it will take to pay for them.

Another thing, I work in Cornwall, we don't get snow here so we have never needed to worry about traction unless we go further afield, but then we are mostly on motorways anyway.

I read that a truck tyre lasts about 50,000 miles. Eddie Stobart have a fleet average of 365 miles a day for their trucks, which is as near as damn it 100,000 miles a year. If those two numbers are anything like correct for the general trucking population then it doesn't seem like too much of a stretch to put a set of tyres on for summer, and another set for winter.

[cptsideways]

Bluebarge said:

No reason for them not to have winter tyres - they all use remoulds anyway so it's not like it would be a massive expense. I think winter tyres should be compulsory for all public service vehicles - emergency services, buses and essential logistics (food + fuel delivery).

The cost v lost income for many when they get stuck would obviously make the benefits clear. Germany introduced the rule for all when foreign trucks without were the major blockages on the main routes.

[loko]

the trouble is winter tread patterns have an affect on fuel economy and to reduce the mpg of a truck by 1mpg would be unacceptable to most big fleets

[vrsmxtb]

I know they're only vans, but Tesco have apparently equipped most of their fleet of online shopping delivery vans with winter tyres. I think the RAC do as well?

If they can, why don't the emergency services or larger haulage companies? I suppose HGV size winter tyres are available, and would at least give a better chance of keeping their fleets moving.

[xRIEx]

fathomfive said:

WeirdNeville said:

Only if they also carry bitumen and gravel and a small but dedicated road repair team to fill in the gouges/trenches they leave behind.

Could they not get the illegal immigrants they shuttle around in their trailers to do that?

And it gives the perfect opportunity to bury the dead hookers.

JREwing said:

The Game said:

Snow chains at the flick of a switch

http://youtu.be/DEsSCcnSoiY

'Sentrifagal' force, eh?

'Centripetal'

[s p a c e m a n]

This

davepoth said:

I read that a truck tyre lasts about 50,000 miles. Eddie Stobart have a fleet average of 365 miles a day for their trucks, which is as near as damn it 100,000 miles a year. If those two numbers are anything like correct for the general trucking population then it doesn't seem like too much of a stretch to put a set of tyres on for summer, and another set for winter.

Plus this.

loko said:

the trouble is winter tread patterns have an affect on fuel economy and to reduce the mpg of a truck by 1mpg would be unacceptable to most big fleets

My one averages 7mpg, make that 6mpg over 50,000 miles and you may have the reason.

[Getragdogleg]

davepoth said:

Getragdogleg said:

Bluebarge said:

No reason for them not to have winter tyres - they all use remoulds anyway so it's not like it would be a massive expense. I think winter tyres should be compulsory for all public service vehicles - emergency services, buses and essential logistics (food + fuel delivery).

Don't be daft, "not expensive", go and price up 16 truck tyres (6 supersingles,
10 normal width for the tractor unit) and come back and tell me how much they are, oh, I don't "use remoulds" at all so price up new ones.

Then we can work out how long it will take to pay for them.

Another thing, I work in Cornwall, we don't get snow here so we have never needed to worry about traction unless we go further afield, but then we are mostly on motorways anyway.

I read that a truck tyre lasts about 50,000 miles. Eddie Stobart have a fleet average of 365 miles a day for their trucks, which is as near as damn it 100,000 miles a year. If those two numbers are anything like correct for the general trucking population then it doesn't seem like too much of a stretch to put a set of tyres on for summer, and another set for winter.

FFS, we are not all Stobarts size you know.

I am out, once again I hve been sucked into discussing something I know about with people who know nothing about it yet think they do and seem to want "something done" about a problem that does not really exist.

[GC8]

s p a c e m a n said:

My one averages 7mpg, make that 6mpg over 50,000 miles and you may have the reason.

Thats impressive - Ive seen 6mpg from a 32 tonne eight wheeled tipper.

[s p a c e m a n]

GC8 said:

s p a c e m a n said:

My one averages 7mpg, make that 6mpg over 50,000 miles and you may have the reason.

Thats impressive - Ive seen 6mpg from a 32 tonne eight wheeled tipper.

I'm in London so we have to run all of the spanking new economical rubbish for the LEZ. Some of our Scanias sip diesel and almost run on air, they couldn't pull the skin off of a pudding though.

[XDA]

No, trucks don't get held up in snow but they instead jackknife and block the whole road. Presumably due to some drivers believing they are invincible.

[Getragdogleg]

XDA said:

No, trucks don't get held up in snow but they instead jackknife and block the whole road. Presumably due to some drivers believing they are invincible.

Yes, it's such a problem. The country grinds to a halt and everyone has to stay at home because of all the jackknifing trucks. Hell, I jackknifed 9 times today taking my total for the week so far to a record 83 full twists resulting in gridlock all over the country. Good job we are an island or I could have locked up mainland Europe all on my own as well.

I wish I was just a car driver, those guys are perfect.

[Tunku]

andym1603 said:

Tunku said:

I was thinking of scenarios up here in Scotland where a large vehicle going uphill blocks it for everyone else. Cars can usually do a u turn or reverse out of trouble but to be able to fling on chains on a lorry to get out of a fix seemed to me to be fairly sensible. I didn't expect 'petrolheads' to imagine I meant lorries on motorways with chains on flailing away on tarmac at 56mph!
Using them as a last resort was what I was thinking about. As soon as they are out of the trouble spot, stop and take the chains off.

Where abouts in Scotland are you? Up here in Inverness there doesn't seem to be a problem everything gets through. Maybe our
gritters are out working more.

I think our gritters are out enough, it's just that when it snows here (East coast, Dunfermline way) it seems to always do it just as Monday mornings commuters are on their way, meaning that the gritters can't get through. This means that the roads get compacted snow, which is alright until the traffic is slow and uphill.
Cue the unprepared car driver who slides stopping the big truck behind him. It's east to shove a car out the way, but once the big truck is stopped no-one is going anywhere.
Stick the snow chains on the trucks driven wheels and off we go, well the truck and people like me in cars with the proper tyres or snowsocks or even chains on. Once we hit tarmac, stop and take the extra st off.
What is so hard about that?

[GC8]

XDA said:

No, trucks don't get held up in snow but they instead jackknife and block the whole road. Presumably due to some drivers believing they are invincible.

On your way, fool.