Sweepers

Yep Sweepers (me thinkz th@ twaz wot they were called)

Hoo can remember way back when
a short mudflap Btween the axles on a spread bogie trailer
the idea bein th@ the lead axle tyres on the spread bogie would/could turn up nails when driven over them n were upright for the following tyres to get a puncture
but haven a sweeper Btween the bogie would nok the nails back down
the sweepers tuched the ground n thru cornering n time they wore down a little but still nokd them nails down flat

LOL

Cya

[ch9787]

Hi Swishy

Some people used to use them here in NZ years ago but I don't think we really had a name for them. The idea seems to have some merit, and there is no doubt that the rear tyres of a bogie used to get more punctures than the front ones so I'm sure that the theory of the front tyres standing the nails up for the rear ones is right.

Maybe I should have had a sweeper ahead of my front wheels to knock the bolt down flat the other day

I think that, with the axles that far apart, they count as separate axles and have to have their own mudflaps. The Kiwis had some odd trailer setups, eg a bogie midships on the trailer and a single steering axle at the back.

Sweepers seemed to be more popular years ago, but they were a good idea. The principle is proven, and they work. They also keep stone throwing to a minimum, because errant big stones can do damage.

All we need now, is someone to invent roo sweepers, to keep the roos flat, instead of bumping their way down the drivetrain, all the way to the back wheels ..

I remember clobbering a 'roo with the Mack between Southern Cross and Coolgardie one night .. and he just went under and bumped and bashed his way out the back. Next thing, up the road a little, the air pressure buzzer comes on! .. "Oh, f**^%$#@!!! - you mongrel of a 'roo!! You've taken out an airline, and I'm gunna be here for the next 2 hrs, repairing busted air fittings, and torn hoses!! .. F*%*%$#@!!" ...

I climbed out and could hear air hissing everywhere .. I rolled underneath to find it .. and found the lever handle of the tap on the air drain on the main tank, had been whacked by his tail, and flicked 90

Lucky with the air valve handle Onetrack.
I had one take out the cross over hose between the tanks. Everything was going good until the noise stopped half way up the hill near the Northam army camp.