Road Train. Typical troubles on the road
The main focus of the towing service «ПАРОХОД» - is truck towing, and below we will examine typical situations involving road train breakdowns that we have had to deal with.
The very first, cheapest, and simplest case from the standpoint of towing services is an ICE (internal combustion engine) failure. The causes of the breakdown can be quite varied. But the main thing is that such a breakdown usually does not affect elements critical to towing. In such situations the semi-trailer truck is usually unloaded and transported using partial loading or towing to a service station. Transport without unloading is also possible, but only if the gross weight allows it and the carrier agrees, and provided that along the route there are no particularly dangerous sections: switchbacks, steep slopes, icy roads, long mountain descents, etc.
The most typical situation of a loaded semi-trailer truck leaving the highway is brake failure and the subsequent run-off into the ditch. The most common cause is a failure of the braking system (for example, all the air bled out). How this could have been prevented: during a long descent with a loaded truck-trailer combination, use the so-called engine (mountain) brake (far from all tractor configurations have it...but on all of our truck tow trucks it is present), and brake with the engine. Of course, brakes can also fail for other reasons, and that is exactly why pre-trip maintenance and inspections exist.
Tip:
“If the brakes have failed anyway and the situation is especially critical, engage a low gear (1 or 2 depending on the speed and whichever one you can shift into), turn off the engine, release the clutch. Together with the above: use the shoulder and careful side-to-side swerving maneuvers: friction is force„
Note:
Such manipulations with the gearbox can damage it, so set your priorities wisely: sometimes it is cheaper to scratch a body part during an almost painless glancing (sliding) braking.
How to achieve this? Make the center of mass as low as possible - load heavy items as low as possible.
Note that only the most common situations have been covered - that is why this is a brief article. But whatever trouble you may find yourself in, and however deep your vehicle has gone into the ditch, our towing service is ready to take on the job. Our equipment undergoes regular maintenance, and our hangar has its own tractor to unload a semi-trailer truck. An archive of photos of the work we have done is available at the link for your reference.
Be careful and have a safe trip!
Abbreviations used:
ТО - technical servicing (maintenance);
ДВС - internal combustion engine;
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