A truck drivers worst nightmare

Pretty right there Swishy,

The Jake engine brake was the best thing since sliced bread,

I did a stint once takin fuel out west a bit with a 250 Cummins in

front of a 12 speed spicer (8125U).

Goin down Victoria Pass was a 1st gear job, on the brakes ALL the way,

A Jacobs was fitted & then you could use at least 4th & hardly touch the anchors.

However, once i got a bit worried on Bulli Pass .

I was in an ex Grey Ghost with a load of bricks on board

The eng brake cut out half way down & in an instant she was off.

A foot up under the clutch pedal made no diffrence, so with no where to go

it was on with the anchors & hope for a good result.

All turned out ok but the rest of the decent took a while.

So you never know whats around the corner!!!!!!!!!!!!

.................Billy.................

Jeezuz Billy U're sho n u're age

RE:12 speed spicer (8125U)

Me thinks they were the 1st multi speed cog box in Oz

The Spicer 12 Speed tort me sum good lessons

wiff me duble OD 18 speed RR

Me run the lever thru neutral wen splitn for a qikr change

LOL
cya

Yeah Swishy,

I think im comin down the range with no emergency exit in sight.

The 8125u was a bit of a challenge, especially if you jumped outa a KW

into a DCOF inter where the stick pattern was mirror reversed.

I knew a coupla blokes (that wernt the best of friends) yet drove 2 up

together for Jack Seaton in one of his KWs. The one in the bunk would

sneak his claw out & flick the splitter across. Now you can guess what

happened at the next gear change......things sorta went pear shape

with the 8125U & its usually smooth change.

The multi speed bit..............before the RR twin counter shaft box

as we know it , was the single counter shaft box &2 speed aux

I think it was a 10 speed unit but was about fifteen feet long

It may have been around at the same time (im not really sure now)

A bit of water has passed under the bridge since then.

...............Billy..................

Its a sad ending for these blokes but we have travelled that road for many years and if you treat it with the respect it derserves its not a drama. Unfortunetly old mate in the 2nd truck either didnt know the road or missed the warning sign just prior to the drop off and apparently just ran out of brakes.
This road is used by the loggers and for a few of us that cut across from Tamworth area to the coast road. Saves quiet a few klm's and time.

Logging trucks go down that big hill at walking pace but I have had trouble keeping up with a grocery semi in a ute - 12% is 1 in 8 in the old money and the hairpins and blind bends give no room for relief. That crash site looks like the top bit so old mate had probably got cocky on the "easy" part. Relying on jakes on hairpins in the rain would be risking a jack knife?

Its a sad ending for these blokes but we have travelled that road for many years and if you treat it with the respect it derserves its not a drama. Unfortunetly old mate in the 2nd truck either didnt know the road or missed the warning sign just prior to the drop off and apparently just ran out of brakes.
This road is used by the loggers and for a few of us that cut across from Tamworth area to the coast road. Saves quiet a few klm's and time.

a few years back i remember going up the long climb there (probably at about 5mph) & ol M8 in the logging truck heading down as we chatted over the CB neither of us could decide what was worse going down or going up . . another thing to mention about that road is it is often covered in fog/cloud .. at a guess she is prob around 1100metres above sea level

On the NSW Police website this morning,there is a report that the driver of the second truck has been charged with negligent driving causing death, so maybe all is not as it seems.Not knowing the exact story it is difficult to make any judgments , I guess.

it could be a sad case of one mistake too many

I have gone up that way once years ago and that drag earnt my respect straight away although I never have been back that way sad for the ole mate..

went through that road about a mth ago in a bit of a hurry and near that bit the brake warning light came on.. never had that happen before... shows how steep it is... jk