primitives discuss mud-flaps on trucks

[franksolich]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=105x9251165

Oh my.

The things the primitives think of, to overjam their already-crammed minds.

kentauros  (1000+ posts)      Thu Feb-11-10 11:52 PM
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Original message

A Question for DU's Truckers

Yeah, I know it's kind of late in the evening, but I also don't know what y'all's hours are, either

First some background.

Years and years ago, when cable was young and Nickelodeon was actually an educational channel, they had this news and technology show, primarily for teens, with one of the hosts being Joseph Campanella (as I recall.) This was in the mid-80s, and after a quick look-up on imdb, the title was likely "What Will They Think of Next?" and had been broadcast since 1977.

What piqued my interest this one day was talk about how someone had determined that the inexpensive use of astroturf would cut down on the water spray from truck tires. I'm thinking the amount of reduction was on the order of 40% but I'm not entirely sure of that figure. I think it was meant only for the front side of the mud-flaps and don't recall if it was also used in the wheel wells.

So, my question is, have any of y'all heard of this or seen it in use?

It came to mind again today as I drove in the drizzle, alternately flipping my wipers to high when I had to pass the artificially-induced fog surrounding all the trucks on the freeways. If they had a rectangle of astroturf instead of flat mud-flaps, that spray could have been almost halved!

LeftyFingerPop  (1000+ posts)       Thu Feb-11-10 11:54 PM
Response to Original message
 
1. I don't know...what the **** you are talking about, but I just gave you a ****ing heart.

jmowreader (1000+ posts)        Fri Feb-12-10 12:06 AM
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Response to Original message

3. I've seen it used but it doesn't do much

Now, what DOES work is something you mainly see on UPS trucks. It looks like a push broom and it is mounted to the trailer rub rail right above the tires.

kentauros  (1000+ posts)      Fri Feb-12-10 12:13 AM
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Response to Reply #3

4. That sounds like the same principle, just with a substance better able to temporarily trap the spray. That's why I also wonder if something could be done with the wheel-wells, too. There's quite a lot of side spray, and it can be really dangerous in conditions like light rain or constant drizzle. Hard rain doesn't seem to be as bad, probably because people have to drive slower and the downpour takes out more of the spray...

jmowreader (1000+ posts)        Fri Feb-12-10 12:31 AM
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Response to Reply #4

8. No, it's a completely different principle

You're describing a mudflap with plastic grass on the back of it--to catch the spray coming out of the tread. The UPS device hangs over the side of the tire.

One of the big problems with semis is they don't usually have rear wheelwells. They have a mudflap behind the drive tandems, sometimes one in front of them, and the bottom of the trailer serves as the "top" of the wheel area. Some Peterbilt guys have fenders, but most drivers don't bother getting them--they're not required and they can get torn to shit if you blow out a tire.

kentauros  (1000+ posts)      Fri Feb-12-10 12:36 AM
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Response to Reply #8

9. Okay, I didn't realize you meant it was a side-attachment.

I was thinking more like a big "carpet" of push-broom bristles over the top to soften the spray into larger droplets.

auntAgonist  (1000+ posts)      Fri Feb-12-10 12:18 AM
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Response to Original message

5. Monsanto had a mud flap back in the late 70's early 80's I think. They might still make it for all I know. Looks like hairy rubber for lack of a better description.

kentauros  (1000+ posts)      Fri Feb-12-10 12:21 AM
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Response to Reply #5

6. Although Monsanto started out in petro-chemicals, you don't associate them these days with doing something good like that

But the product sounds like astroturf, so maybe the show I saw was speaking of the Monsanto product afterall...

auntAgonist  (1000+ posts)      Fri Feb-12-10 12:39 AM
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Response to Reply #6

10. An Oregon Truck Driver sold his idea for fuzzy mudflaps to Monsanto. Monsanto was the maker of AstroTurf.

There was a lawsuit ...

Short article here

http://www.hks.harvard.edu/fs/dking/mudflaps_notes.pdf

kentauros  (1000+ posts)      Fri Feb-12-10 12:50 AM
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Response to Reply #10

12. Now I'm curious why the railroads were interested.

Do they have a problem with spray obscuring the windshields of oncoming trains?

Mopar151 (1000+ posts)        Fri Feb-12-10 12:28 AM
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Response to Original message

7. Check these out!

http://www.roechling-plastics.us/rochling.asp?id=295&ca...

after which a photograph of a tire

http://www.truckersmall.net/symplasticsmudflaps.html

kentauros  (1000+ posts)      Fri Feb-12-10 12:41 AM
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Response to Reply #7

11. There ya go!

I think I may have seen grooved flaps, but wasn't aware this idea was being put to use. The cost per flap seems reasonable. Do you use them?

Okay, what are "headache racks" one uses on a truck?

The AdBot primitive's advertising them.

[whiffleball]

My goodness, that thread reminded me of an ancient joke that I will not repeat here.

[USA4ME]

Mudflaps are there mainly to stop any pebbles or rocks the truck tires may kick up.  If they reduce the spray during rain, too, then even better.  But I've never viewed that as being the primary purpose of mudflaps.

.

[Texacon]

Frank, A headache rack is a rack that goes over the cab of a truck (usually a pickup) that allows you to carry items above the cab.

KC

[crockspot]

Collecting the spray and combining it into larger drops of water in the immediate vicinity of the tire does not sound like the safest idea to me.

[AllosaursRus]

Frank, A headache rack is a rack that goes over the cab of a truck (usually a pickup) that allows you to carry items above the cab.

KC

A pickup truck????????

Actually, a headache rack is something similair to a roll bar pointing toward the load. It's original intent, was to keep heavy loads from slipping forward thru the cab during heavy braking and hitting you in the back of the head. Hence the name "headache rack".

It was never seen in pickups until the rank and file considered it "cool". Most truckers used them to hang binders and the chains they used to tie down loads and to wrap their wheels with for icy conditions.

My dad drove truck for over 30 years, I'm pretty sure if you google it, you'll find this to be close.

[JohnnyReb]

Does Air Force one have mud flaps and spinning hub caps yet?

[BadCat]

How come I never met a trucker who looks like this...

[Texacon]

A pickup truck????????

Actually, a headache rack is something similair to a roll bar pointing toward the load. It's original intent, was to keep heavy loads from slipping forward thru the cab during heavy braking and hitting you in the back of the head. Hence the name "headache rack".

It was never seen in pickups until the rank and file considered it "cool". Most truckers used them to hang binders and the chains they used to tie down loads and to wrap their wheels with for icy conditions.

My dad drove truck for over 30 years, I'm pretty sure if you google it, you'll find this to be close.

Actually we are both right.  My dad was an over the road trucker for 40 years and yes, they have headache racks.  There are also this kind



And this kind



and this kind



I worked construction for many years and have seen lots of different things called headache racks.

KC

[jinxmchue]

"You Can't Do That On Television" was educational?

[GOBUCKS]

Damn. I was sure this thread would be about democrat chicks.

[AllosaursRus]

Actually we are both right.  My dad was an over the road trucker for 40 years and yes, they have headache racks.  There are also this kind



And this kind



and this kind



I worked construction for many years and have seen lots of different things called headache racks.

KC

There's only one pic there my Dad and I would consider a "headache rack". One is nothing more than a lumber rack, the other is a pipe rack. Like I stated before, a "headache rack" was ment to protect you from "headaches". Racks meant for carrying product just don't do that.

[kenth]

All this useless mental masturbation because flipping on the windshield wipers was too inconvenient?

[diesel driver]

How come I never met a trucker who looks like this...

You'd have to go to Alaska to meet that one....

I've one like that once, but that was 25 years ago....

[AllosaursRus]

You'd have to go to Alaska to meet that one....

I've one like that once, but that was 25 years ago....

Okay, I call bullshit! How do we know she has a "rack"? Or for that matter she's a headache?