Automatic?! Well, there you go...

Hey Swishey, That photo is about the middle of the 70's or there about's, so, it's only a 12 foot widener. That float was originally pulled around by B models when new, so she's an oldy even then. As and when the laws changed, then that extra bit was put in between #2 and #3 axle giving the floats a greater carrying capacity, that happened to the 3 different 4 x 8 floats, the only one that didn't get any extra bit added, was the old 3 x 8. Those floats must have done a couple of million MILES or MORE, in their lifetime, all done the real hard way.
The bent 8 - R 700 Thermodyne, was the first one Brambles acquired, think it was the second one built in Cyril's shed at Rocklea, slow truck but she had some grunt, when pullin' loaded heavy, you got about a kilometer per litre, boy, those trucks were thirsty ol' bugger's all right.

All 3 bent 8's were rigged the same way, bloody wonderfull sound comin' out the pipe at full noise, you could rattle windows with 'em when pullin' hard through a town.

Last I heard of that truck was that the infamous Dean Bros of Brisbane, had their grubby little claws on her, dont know where it is now though.


regards greenie [smiley=vrolijk_1.gif]

Hi Greenie and Swishy, I definately remember the 'Drake" low loaders on the Brambles rigs.
Were they aussie made? I suppose you probably think blokes like me are a bit of a joke with our 'toy' trucks when you guys made your 'bread and butter'out of them.
anyway regards Harleigh.

JimmyDodge
Drake made in Brisbane
www.draketrailers.com/

Greenie
We have had our share of 'B' models also

Dedly
Bullens Lion Park @ Melton Twaz where I picked up the elephant on float n yes we did side load her
have got it on our movie also

Our Drake we have had since the mid 70's
tiz a led sled
mild steel with the deck made to cart 100 ton
we R only legal with 65 t on the beast
the trailer alone weighs in @ 19t
N here an animation of the principle in widenin the float
Release lok pins
drive forward n apply trailer brakes till it pops out















cya

Hi Greenie and Swishy, I definately remember the 'Drake" low loaders on the Brambles rigs.
Were they aussie made? I suppose you probably think blokes like me are a bit of a joke with our 'toy' trucks when you guys made your 'bread and butter'out of them.
anyway regards Harleigh.

Toy trucks be buggered, I started out drivin' them things, you had to start somewhere and doin' the A T C was the way to go. Some of these posts about some of these old trucks gives me goose bumps when I read about them.

Drake trailers are definitely Aussie made, the owner was a fella called Col Drake, a very innovative man for the times, he saw what was needed and with other operators input, his output was what they wanted and the bits did the job quite adequately.
His yard/workshop is now in Formation St at Wacol, can't remember where his original workshop site was, only remember that it flooded quite often and he had to move.
He's since passed away but the business is still running, one of the Allison boys is in charge of production now, that's from the Allison trailers family from down in Victoria.
Just went and had a look at the Drake web site and it looks like Col Drakes son John is the main man now, check it out.

www.coolcat.com.au/sites/drake-trailers/index.html

follow ALL the links, it's quite interesting to see what they build.

regards greenie [smiley=vrolijk_1.gif]

A - around
T - town
C - clown

Release lok pins
drive forward n apply trailer brakes till it pops out




cya

And if'n they dont pop what then?
Stuck pins on one of 'em, got a chain and anothert Mack, hooked 'em up and away we go. Nope, bullbar of the Mack attached to the trailer took orf, boss was the one who done the hookin' up so he said nought, very red faced though.

You just had to laugh when it happened !

regards greenie [smiley=vrolijk_1.gif]

Greenie
GuddayM8

RE:And if'n they dont pop what then
We have air operated pins th@ R easy 2 C
n ifn they need a bit of persuading
we oblige with a F B Hammar

LOL
cya

Gday Jarrod,
Well I have to agree with you now, drove a fairly new Isuzu 2 tonner with 6 speed AMT and not at all impressed. It botched all the upchanges by letting the revs drop down to idle during the shift. This was the case in power or economy or if you shifted it manually. Also settings were all wrong, was in 6th gear by 60ks and then total confusion, finally selecting third when I went to accelerate.
I stand by what I said about the Ford Transit and Volvo AMTs, they are pretty good but that Isuzu one needs a total brain transplant.
Didnt like the seats on that little Isuzu either, just a thin bit of foam for the passengers and no suspension seat for the driver.
Cheers Pete

Gday Jarrod,
Well I have to agree with you now, drove a fairly new Isuzu 2 tonner with 6 speed AMT and not at all impressed. It botched all the upchanges by letting the revs drop down to idle during the shift. This was the case in power or economy or if you shifted it manually. Also settings were all wrong, was in 6th gear by 60ks and then total confusion, finally selecting third when I went to accelerate.
I stand by what I said about the Ford Transit and Volvo AMTs, they are pretty good but that Isuzu one needs a total brain transplant.
Didnt like the seats on that little Isuzu either, just a thin bit of foam for the passengers and no suspension seat for the driver.
Cheers Pete

Pete,

Just to echo your sentiments about the Isuzu AMT - worst design of transmission in any truck! Having been for a drive in one, I'd sooner go for a full manual gearbox rather than a semi-slush box like them!! Worst thing is when some clown stuffs around with the switches under the little grey cover at the front of the transmission shift console - could bugger everything up!

Joe

I tell you these of to day sure have it easy i sat in a fairly new KW on Saturday.

I was looking the gear stick and i see these letters D-N -R etc and i said to the driver is this a auto and he says sure is only have to use the clutch when stoped and taking off the rest is auto. Dave

Gday Joe, Maybe someone had been fiddling with it, it was bad. In fact , if you made the gear selections that it did, ie 6th gear at 60ks, during your driving test, you would fail down here. Every upshift was rough, would get on your nerves after a while.
Cheers Pete