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Thread: Hardest vehicle to drive

  1. #1
    Respected Member Ako Si Jamie's Avatar
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    Hardest vehicle to drive

    Someone once told me that a butchers wagon was the hardest thing to drive because of the swinging carcasses in the back transferring the weight around.

    I'd imagine though that farm and plant machinery was quite difficult too.

    Anyone had any experience with driving different kinds of vehicles/machinery?


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    I have driven all sizes of HGV vehicles and also had a plant operators 'card' for driving dump trucks of all sizes (artic' 6x6 ones and 4x4 up to 200 ton or more), Back hoes (excavators) and Front Loaders.

    HGVs not much fun in today's traffic, and pay is rubbish for the skills involved.

    Big dump trucks are nice, but lots of greasing before starting work. Scary at first, especially when tipping a load over a 100ft drop. Everyone gets out of your way.

    Excavators need lots of practice and skill. Biggest I've driven weighed 60 tons, you could fit a kingsize bed or 4 tons in the bucket and could reach down and dig you a hole nearly 30ft deep.
    This is the actual one...

    .


    Front loaders not too bad...got to be quick and accurate. They articulate in the middle, so can work fast in tight spaces.

    This is like the one I used to drive...30 tons weight. Good for shifting stuff.
    .


    My friend drove dozers and graders, as well as the vehicles I drove, and he reckoned those two were the most difficult to master.


  3. #3
    Moderator fred's Avatar
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    I would have trouble backing up in a single trailer.. But this?



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    Any articulated trailer with a single axle right at the back is a pain in the ass to reverse
    cuts corners badly when going forward also
    Old hgv's with "dave brown" crash gearboxes were never much fun either


  5. #5
    Moderator Arthur Little's Avatar
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    ... I don't even have a Driving Licence ... so ALL motor vehicles as far as I'm concerned.


  6. #6
    Respected Member imagine's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by grahamw48 View Post
    I have driven all sizes of HGV vehicles and also had a plant operators 'card' for driving dump trucks of all sizes (artic' 6x6 ones and 4x4 up to 200 ton or more), Back hoes (excavators) and Front Loaders.

    HGVs not much fun in today's traffic, and pay is rubbish for the skills involved.

    Big dump trucks are nice, but lots of greasing before starting work. Scary at first, especially when tipping a load over a 100ft drop. Everyone gets out of your way.

    Excavators need lots of practice and skill. Biggest I've driven weighed 60 tons, you could fit a kingsize bed or 4 tons in the bucket and could reach down and dig you a hole nearly 30ft deep.
    This is the actual one...

    Front loaders not too bad...got to be quick and accurate. They articulate in the middle, so can work fast in tight spaces.

    This is like the one I used to drive...30 tons weight. Good for shifting stuff.
    .
    My friend drove dozers and graders, as well as the vehicles I drove, and he reckoned those two were the most difficult to master.
    no parking problems with these tho


  7. #7
    Trusted Member stevewool's Avatar
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    drawbars with a Aframe trailer o what fun they are to reverse


  8. #8
    Respected Member Ako Si Jamie's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by stevewool View Post
    drawbars with a Aframe trailer o what fun they are to reverse
    I bet these are too



  9. #9
    Respected Member Ako Si Jamie's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by grahamw48 View Post
    I have driven all sizes of HGV vehicles and also had a plant operators 'card' for driving dump trucks of all sizes (artic' 6x6 ones and 4x4 up to 200 ton or more), Back hoes (excavators) and Front Loaders.

    HGVs not much fun in today's traffic, and pay is rubbish for the skills involved.

    Big dump trucks are nice, but lots of greasing before starting work. Scary at first, especially when tipping a load over a 100ft drop. Everyone gets out of your way.

    Excavators need lots of practice and skill. Biggest I've driven weighed 60 tons, you could fit a kingsize bed or 4 tons in the bucket and could reach down and dig you a hole nearly 30ft deep.
    This is the actual one...

    .


    Front loaders not too bad...got to be quick and accurate. They articulate in the middle, so can work fast in tight spaces.

    This is like the one I used to drive...30 tons weight. Good for shifting stuff.
    .


    My friend drove dozers and graders, as well as the vehicles I drove, and he reckoned those two were the most difficult to master.
    Was this at the construction of Hong Kong airport?


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    Quote Originally Posted by jamieXXXmaria View Post
    Was this at the construction of Hong Kong airport?
    Yes, and also on other projects there, plus working for a plant hire company here in the UK.

    When I was in my early 20s I used to drive HGVs delivering truck and earthmover tyres.


  11. #11
    Trusted Member stevewool's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by jamieXXXmaria View Post
    I bet these are too

    driving is easy its reversing thats hard ,


  12. #12
    Respected Member Ako Si Jamie's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by stevewool View Post
    driving is easy its reversing thats hard ,
    That's what put me off going for my HGV, reversing down narrow streets etc. I'm only good at reversing in a vehicle when I can see out the back window.


  13. #13
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    One of the HK airport (under runway) 'cut and cover' tunnels being constructed. View from my cab.

    .


    .
    Lunch time:

    .


  14. #14
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    Nice video 'CV' here...

    .


  15. #15
    Trusted Member stevewool's Avatar
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    my first bike was hard to ride but a few hours later i was brilliant


  16. #16
    Respected Member Ako Si Jamie's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by grahamw48 View Post
    Nice video 'CV' here...

    .
    I was expecting to see a Russian HGV driver!


  17. #17
    Respected Member Ako Si Jamie's Avatar
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    Anyone fancy driving a Dumaguete fire truck?



  18. #18
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    Only if it's a Bar-B-Q that needs putting out.


  19. #19
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  21. #21
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    Looks like the chassis cab of a Caterpillar 797 dump truck Peter.

    If you want to read some jumbo figures....here they are.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caterpillar_797

    The latest ones carry a 400 ton load....about the same weight as a diesel loco with 10 passenger carriages...or a couple of empty 747 Jumbo jets.


  22. #22
    Respected Member Ako Si Jamie's Avatar
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    I bet those tyres cost a lot.


  23. #23
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    42,000 dollars each + £6,000 to fill the 1000 gallon fuel tank.

    I'd love to drive one that big. Biggest I've driven is a 777D.

    Here's the Company spec.

    (press the specification tab at the top of the page, and you'll realise when I laugh at people who call those little pickups with fat wheels 'monster trucks' ).

    The 797 is 32 feet WIDE.

    .
    http://www.cat.com/cda/layout?m=413188&x=7



  24. #24
    Respected Member Ako Si Jamie's Avatar
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    Looks a bit dinky in that pic so I found a vid.



  25. #25
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    Yeah...I've worked near them, and they're the size of a detached house.

    Don't bother going to kwikfit to get those 4+ tons (each) tyres changed either.

    .


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