Question:
Let me give you a couple of tips. I'm NOT going to go too in-depth with this because most of it has been covered (use the "Search Feature" at the top & bottom of the page.
One thing I will advocate getting, that's what's called a "Ice Warner" This is the "truckers' equivilant" to a homeowners indoor/outdoor thermometer.
The $20 you spend on it is DEFINATELY WORTH IT! I have my "sensor" mounted on the passenger side mirror bracket. When sitting still, it reads true (unless it's like 110 degrees out ) Rolling down the road, it reads about 3-5 degrees colder than it really is. That way, you're prepared!
***NOTE TO ALL*** This will read temeratures down to waaaaaaaaaay below.
Black ice starts to form at 37.8 degrees if the conditions are right. This Ice Warner has a "warning beep" when the temperature gets low enough.
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"Got the bird dog on...
Dodgin' the scales...
80 miles an hour and a step outta jail..." From "Rollin' Home, Pirates of the Mississippi)
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"I've always been different with one foot over the line.
Winding up somewhere, one step ahead or behind.
It ain't been so easy, but I guess I shouldn't complain.
I've always been crazy, but it's kept me from going insane." (from Waylon Jennings)
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Member: Happy Dweller Society
Owner Operator Division
[This message was edited by Hoss on November 16, 2003 at 13:50.]

Answer:
You know, in 13 days, I will have been driving 2 weeks.
Do you think I will need one of these things?
I mean, being as that this will be a long hard winter and all...
RC
Member, Happy Dweller Society, Owner Operator Division
Proud to be a Truck Dweller! "Cats are intended to teach us that not everything in nature has a function."
(Ret) Member, Happy Dweller Society,
Owner Operator Division

Answer:
RC: Where is "the dark side of the moon"?
New Jersey?
I don't know.....there's just this sense out west that this will be a very hard winter. We're overdue -- the drought and all -- and the weather's been pretty weird lately anyway. We got off easy again last year....it won't last forever and last winter may have been our easiest western winter for a while.
I was -5 degrees in western Montana on 90 a couple weeks ago. I use a little battery temperature unit like Hoss. I also have a pulp thermometer strapped to my mirror chrome so I can read that too...a second opinion..
Santa...
Knows when drivers are sleeping,
he knows when they're awake.
He knows when they've been bad or good,
so......put down that porn and get back to work...
.

Answer:
The Sprinter van has a digital read out of the temp of the air intake. Kinda nice to see it there on the dash.

Answer:
Originally posted by Hoss:
!
_***NOTE TO ALL***_ This will read temeratures down to waaaaaaaaaay below.
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I was always told there was a way to tell if the better half is FRIGID
left lane for large cars

Answer:
"RC: Where is "the dark side of the moon"?
New Jersey? "
Bite your tongue young man.
The Darkside of the Moon, the Darkside of the Henhouse, its all the same. You've been past the road that leads to my house. You know where Harris Ranch is, on I-5? Im about 25 miles east of there, between 5 and 99...
RC
Member, Happy Dweller Society, Owner Operator Division
Proud to be a Truck Dweller! "Cats are intended to teach us that not everything in nature has a function."
(Ret) Member, Happy Dweller Society,
Owner Operator Division

Answer:
It is only mid-November and I have already had to "sling-iron" on Donner,and do some real fancy "skating" in upstate NY........I think it is time to head south!!
CD
"I dont like small cars or real big women,but somehow I always find my self in 'em" (Kid Rock) recovering dweller..........oilfield trash division

Answer:
Not me!!!!! Find a place to stop. That'swhy they built Boomtown at Verdi NV. wasn't it? But to the newbies out there, just put them chains in the side box or on the frame--whatever. Then check out my quote.
Better to have it and not need it as need it and not have it!Just remember:If the world did'nt suck, you'd fall off!
The more I see and read about Republicans and Democrats, the more I wish we had an Independent Party.
IMPEACH BUSH!!!!!!!!!!

Answer:
One winter a while back, I decided I didn't want to screw around in Laramie waiting for the ice to clear off one bright sunny day, so off I went, heading for West Wendover, Nv. With 3000 lbs. in the box. Winds are nearly always high through there, of course, but, hey, I'm a 'good driver'.
WRONG !!!! I was an absolute moron, and acted on impatience, based on what I wanted to do, and not what conditions dictated.
I didn't wreck, didn't cause an accident, none of that, but it was more dumb luck than anything else; I was in a safe place, didn't have to go, and I paid for it by working so much harder, for no real gain, than was necessary, and took a very stupid risk, only to end up having to shut down at Big America, anyway.
So, when it is bad out and requires chains, that means it's time to shut down, period. Let the other morons battle it out for whatever Big Prize they get by entering Big Truck Stunt Driver Derbies. Listen to real weather reports, and not just driver BS on the CB. Get a CB that has the weather channel feature; the other channels are relatively useless comparatively.
You will have to drive on ice, sometimes quite a bit, but there are decisions that need to be made, like weight and how it is distributed in the trailer, condition of your tires, all that stuff, so make all your driving decisions based on these factors, not on what you want to do, and you should do okay.
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Humans are amazing creatures. "With all the things you can train them to do, I've been considering getting one."-Stoney
[This message was edited by Dominoes on November 16, 2003 at 23:24.]Jay Gould
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This post coming to you live, from Jesus Land !!!

Answer:
Most of the 'adverse' winter driving conditions I experienced, showed up, unannounced. And never, as I remember, while I was having lunch and could make the Highway Hero decision of 'staying' parked.
I did notice, however, that if I WAS moving, my chances of moving out of the "conditions" had just DOUBLED. Many drivers would prefer to let the storm 'blow over' rather than exercise the self-confidence required to drive out of the trouble, which, I believe is a characteristic vital to a truckdrivers makeup.
A weather system can dump 6 meters of snow on a 6 kilomtere square and leave everything else dry and dusty. Do you really want to spend all weekend shovelling yourself out only to find dry roads for the next 500 (miles)
An experienced winter driver is under no greater risk because of winter roads or conditions. An experienced driver should know better than to depend on fancy gadgets to give you information that you should already know. And anyway, it is usually the weather anomalies that cause the most trouble.
Black ice has many warnings that you will miss, if your attention is on your outside thermometer........
Pay attention to geography, meteorology and your beliefs in physics. Or go home and watch television.
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Answer:
Well, in that instance, I did have a choice, and didn't make the right one. 20,000# or more in the trailer, and it would have been no big deal. I've driven in ice quite a bit, and yes, you do get caught sometimes, the lake effects around the great lakes area and all that stuff.
I've never put on a set of chains, though, just to keep going; there is usually some warnings before you get caught somewhere and forced to put them on in the mountain areas. I stop somewhere and check the local and regional weather reports fairly often when I know ice storms are around. Running the plains or Ohio or Ontario on ice is no big deal.
Wrecks and road closures in the U.S. make it kind of pointless most of the time, you just end up sitting in traffic, so might as well sit somewhere when you have a choice of places, grab some food and read the papers, or sleep until late night and no traffic.
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Humans are amazing creatures. "With all the things you can train them to do, I've been considering getting one."-StoneyJay Gould
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This post coming to you live, from Jesus Land !!!

Answer:
It is a matter of one degree that can make you go from happy as a clam to sorry. And seeing that one degree on an outside reading thermometer while in damp conditions may just save the sorry feeling from happening. I have been OTR for 13 years. I will never winter drive again without one.
BUMP!
Westline264 - What was that?
Hoss - A Vneck.
From the conversation in Hoss's truck as we cruise the 'Roundtable' Highway.
Happy Dweller Society - Canadian Division
Answer:
When I pulled into the chain check@Applegate the nice fellas from Caltrans said,"It's all clear have a nice ride" Okie dokie I will....I get to the top of the hill and the troopers are motioning everyone over and making them put on chains(even the 4 wheelers) and it was snowing like a sumbitch!! I dont even have a key to unlock my chains(but another driver had bolt cutters) thus I did sling some iron....It was the first time in 3yrs that I had to and I certainly hope its the last for quite some time,as I subscribe to the "if its bad enuff to chain,its bad enuff to park it" point of view!!
CD
"I dont like small cars or real big women,but somehow I always find my self in 'em" (Kid Rock) recovering dweller..........oilfield trash division

Answer:
Best advice is " ITS WINTER DRIVE LIKE ITS WINTER LEAVE TWICE THE ROOM and ALLOW more TIME"
Avoid using cruise control if the roads wet as chances are they are going to be getting slippery .
Keep the revs up abit higher than you normally do on a hill, less torque at higher RPM , less torque less chance of spinning your drives.
Watch your tail / marker lights as the new LED lamps do not create enough heat to melt off the ice / snow buildup and with the NEW EGR engines running hotter than the old versions watch for ICE / SNOW buildup on your grille if you have the bug screen and no need for the winter fronts the new engines NEED AIR FLOW.

Answer:
on the International Eagle I drive, the grille really gathers the snow and overheats the engine fast. Last winter I had to stop several times in a storm to dig out the snow/ice from the grill.
Better to have it and not need it as need it and not have it!Just remember:If the world did'nt suck, you'd fall off!
The more I see and read about Republicans and Democrats, the more I wish we had an Independent Party.
IMPEACH BUSH!!!!!!!!!!