Trip

[Kpar]

Hi Lawrie, I meant to catch up with you before you left. Just a question, How did the alternator under the van go with all that mud ?.
Keith

[Talkwrench]

Glad you had a catch up with Danny.. Lovin' the pics Lawrie and your adventures! I'll call you soon .

[Lawrie]

Keith, I’m sorry I didn’t catch up before I left, but had a pile of stuff to do, alt never missed a beat,, but the underneath of the 33 looks worse for wear ,as it is covered in baked on mud, but going great.
Rob, yes I’m having a really good time, the 33 feels like a hot rod when I tour around town with out the caravan on today.
So far used no oil even considering I reved the cr—p out of it in 2 nd trying to get out of the mud, I gave up before I broke something
Lawrie

[flatford8]

I’m enjoying your trip and pictures......I think I’ve posted on one of your trips before about the roadtrains. I’ve driven a trailer truck here in the States for forty years, and I can’t imagine hauling three loaded trailers. The power plant and transmission that it takes to get that all moving must be awesome!!!!.........Mark

[Lawrie]

Mark,check the fuel tanker,it had four trailers
I think they use a mercury engine,8ba of corse,lol
Lawrie

[V8COOPMAN]

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Originally Posted by Lawrie

Mark,check the fuel tanker,it had four trailers
I think they use a mercury engine,8ba of corse,lol
Lawrie

Yeah....loving those "Mercury" exhaust pipes, too! What I really want to know is just how all of those trailers go around a corner when it comes time to change the direction of travel. I mean, us 'Mericans had a fireman on the rear of that hook 'n ladder fire truck just to drive that ONE trailer around the corners better. Heaven help him if he makes a wrong turn onto a dead end road.

Coop/AMERICAN

[ssffnomad]

Thinking back , I have had a heavy NYS license since 1982, that’s only 42 years.
Dump, Dump w/ Trailer, then Tractor with detachable low bed .
Past 25, Engine, Rescue & very heavy Tower Ladder.
All this time, I have been very fortunate to be safe . O sure, a tire , a airline , a driveshaft.
But have always thought very deeply about front rubber.
Never have had a front tire misfortune.


NOW , THINK ABOUT 4 TRAILERS of GAS behind your BUTT.
With 72 Tires behind your Butt.
And only 2 Steer tires in front of your Butt


No Thank You .
Stretch

[JM 35 Sedan]

Sounds like an exciting trip Lawrie. I'll be following this thread to see how it goes. Good luck!

[48-710]

Trevor, that paddle steamer was out of the port of Echuca about 300kms up stream of us in Mildura. A local Mildura houseboat builder had the job to float it onto the trailer. I'ts great to see that it has made it that far.

[cas3]

I've had a commercial drivers license since about 82 or so, did some over the road in 18 wheeler's for a couple years, then spent 30 years doing finish grading for an asphalt company, but still had to haul the equipment to the job, so big trucks every day. Now these road trains have always intrigued me mainly from the tire stand point. In the old days we checked tires with a hammer. A low tire sounds like a thud, and a 100 lb tire has a nice ring to it. Good enough for me, but the modern world say's even a truck tire that is 5lbs low will have a shorter life. Now, where I used to work, they make the drivers take a picture on their phone of the gauge, then text it to the office, where I'm sure no one ever looks at it...glad I am gone. So, if you are not asleep yet, my point is these guys must spend an incredible amount of time checking tire pressure. Then keep in mind they are miles from any place that will come out and fix em, and when a big tire goes flat, if you are not paying attention it flops around and can tear out air lines and lights, and fenders, and again, you are many miles from anyone to help. Just the pulling several trailers is not such a concern, they are always on flat ground, and I'm sure they unhook at the destination and a mule does the parking. No snow, no Rocky mountains, etc. just drive, and spend several hours a day checking tires !

[aussie merc]

180 tonnes 18or 20 gears and around 550/650 HP @ 2500 ftlbs torque takes a little getting use to and you definitely dont want to try a hill start been to many a breakdown with busted axles exploded diffs and tailshafts that look like candy canes the guys that drive these are at a different level

[petehoovie]

Any Peterbilt's or KW's used for these Road Trains? Locally manufactured or imported?

[danliveshere]

Pete you can get a kenworth like this with the cat v12, delivering up to 1000 hp. The engine weighs around 5000 lb so that’s why they’re built with twin steer. Not many Peterbuilts here in Australia. Only personal imports I’m aware of.
https://i.redd.it/sou891z8tys71.jpg

[danliveshere]

Here’s a photo

[mercman from oz]

Kenworth with Cat v12, delivering up to 1000 hp Road Train - danliveshere

[V8COOPMAN]

Originally Posted by mercman from oz

Kenworth with Cat v12, delivering up to 1000 hp Road Train - danliveshere

Now THAT, folks....is a bloody TRACTOR!

Coop/AMERICAN

.

[flatford8]

Ya...it’s gotta be a 4in.crank to make that go! LOL...We’re kind of running astray on Lawrie’s post.....“What I really want to know is just how all of those trailers go around a corner when it comes time to change the direction of travel.”......from what little I know, the rear trailers follow the “tire path” of the front one. And I don’t think backing up ever happens, too many joints between the front and the back.........Mark
PS....I would love to have some seat time in that tractor!!!

[V8COOPMAN]

Originally Posted by flatford8

Ya...it’s gotta be a 4in.crank to make that go! LOL...We’re kind of running astray on Lawrie’s post.....“What I really want to know is just how all of those trailers go around a corner when it comes time to change the direction of travel.”......from what little I know, the rear trailers follow the “tire path” of the front one.

I realize that this is just a video, but the concept seems valid. Click link BELOW! The 10:00 minute mark is interesting. Coop/AMERICAN


https://youtu.be/nbleC0-YJ88

.

[Lawrie]

Update,
I have been ou of reception range the last few days,
But I have travelled on some lovely remote outback roads,
The 33 is going great but the generator charging played up again so I took the moder;regu off and punt on a cutout, that has fixed it,
But K par must have jinksed the altinator on the caravan as it stopped feed 12v to the car this arvo and there for no brakes on the caravan, I sorted it after and found the fuse holder and fuse where covered in mud and the fuse had gone rusty on the contacts, and easy fix,
I was miles from anywhere on the road to Yaracka,saw a
Big hill with a road going up so I ventured up, but decided to leave the caravan at the bottom, it was steep and winding but 2 nd got me to the top,what a view, and there was a SS BBQ gas powered clean and free to use, great so I’m coming up later to have my dinner up there.
As for these sheep, they are a special breed that eat dirt,lol
All going great and these outback roads are the best to drive,today I saw brolga,s , emus,roo,s an $wild goats,the goats are the best as they have road sense and take off away from the road,
Lawrie

[mercman from oz]

More great pictures of Lawrie's travels out west