40 ton Volvo Truck Emergency braking

Caporegime
Joined
27 Nov 2005
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Location
Guernsey
Am really amazed at how quick a 40 ton truck can stop
Looks to be in wet conditions as well :eek:

The one at 30 seconds with white car shows it doing 55 to 60 on the truck dashboard
(Can't see if it mph or KMH)

 
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Yeah definitely seen that on here before.

Regardless it's still impressive. Always looks like it's not going to stop in time.
 
Air brakes.

They work on the same principle as standard brakes but work backwards so if you get an air leak the brakes go on. They are a lot safer in that respect and also do produce more power. Air brakes are also not that progressive like hydraulic. It is more an on or off switch.

Even on crappy class 2 trucks it does surprise you just how good the brakes are.
 
They work on the same principle as standard brakes but work backwards so if you get an air leak the brakes go on. They are a lot safer in that respect and also do produce more power. Air brakes are also not that progressive like hydraulic. It is more an on or off switch.

Even on crappy class 2 trucks it does surprise you just how good the brakes are.
Disagree very strongly there, they are - if you use them correctly - vastly more progressive than a hydraulic braking system, if there is a minor air leak in the system or the ignition is off, they are awful, if everything is as it should be, absolutely the opposite.


This is the one you are wanting to see :)

Been in a similar situation (albeit in a Scania equipped with a very similar system) I was convinced I was going to kill someone, somehow my rig stopped despite being around 42tons and a wet road, the system reacted faster than I ever could have, it was incredible.
 
Scania’s system.

MAN’s system, both Scania and MAN part of the VW group.

And DAF’s similar setup.

And how truck braking has improved…

This last one is quite scary, the difference between old and new is quite a few flattened cars….
 
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Had that school kid scene happen to me - I do wish I had been in a truck - Wife and myself were coming home from work on 200cc Honda twin and this kid just ran out in front of us - he was walking the same way -Hit right handlebar and down we went - Sods law says there wasn't anyone behind or in front who saw it.
Cops came round that night and they had been to the kid first -by then the old man had got to him and cop said 50/50 - Typical scotch -money before life (damaged visor and clothing)-Even to this day I wish it had happened 30 min earlier when I was driving 3 ton truck.
 
Scania’s system.

MAN’s system, both Scania and MAN part of the VW group.

And DAF’s similar setup.

And how truck braking has improved…

This last one is quite scary, the difference between old and new is quite a few flattened cars….
Are the improvements mainly due to better tyre compounds or improvements in braking systems? Or a 50/50 split of both?
 
Are the improvements mainly due to better tyre compounds or improvements in braking systems? Or a 50/50 split of both?
Both,plus the radar assistance systems I’d say.

I’m not too proud to not admit this very system has saved me more than once, despite a 26 year clean HGV driving record, meaning whilst I’ve had a few incidents over the years, I’m yet to have one deemed to be my own fault…..

Ultimately, it’s quite remarkable how quickly 44tons can be brought safely to a stop these days.
 
Both,plus the radar assistance systems I’d say.

I’m not too proud to not admit this very system has saved me more than once, despite a 26 year clean HGV driving record, meaning whilst I’ve had a few incidents over the years, I’m yet to have one deemed to be my own fault…..

Ultimately, it’s quite remarkable how quickly 44tons can be brought safely to a stop these days.

Don't you worry about what's in the trailer paying you a visit through the back of the cab though?
 
Don't you worry about what's in the trailer paying you a visit through the back of the cab though?
If (and thats a very big if) it's secured properly, and you brake correctly i.e. progressively rather than standing on the anchors, then no.

I've had 26 tons of goods shot forward under hard braking in the past, to the point the rear 4 pallets were left empty as everything had moved forward compacting what was at the front of the trailer, a few bulging trailer bulkheads over the years, nothing ever come through...

I don't pull steel beams, lost a good friend a few years back due to precicely what you allude to.... :/
 
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