Tag: highway hacks: Page 2

Voices

Inexpensive fix for a more-secure trailer-pigtail connection

The VSA PlugSaver is two custom-designed, patented straps built by driver Vincent Archuleta for long-term life that, installed on the trailer housing for the pigtail connection, can reduce motion in the plug and effectively prevent wear.

June 12, 2019

Channel 19

Complete connection: New patented trailer-pigtail securement-assist device designed by trucker

Got flickering trailer lights? Vincent Archuleta’s VSA PlugSaver is essentially two custom-designed straps built for longer-term life that, installed on the trailer housing for the pigtail connection, can reduce motion in the plug, maintaining a secure electrical connection and effectively preventing wear.

May 28, 2019

Business

Re-purposing dry van space as a small shop

This four-foot walk-in storage compartment Daniel and Phyllis Snow built into the front of their spread-axle dry-van trailer, is accessible from the tractor’s deck catwalk via a door assembly. The Snows built it on a budget — slightly more than $200, and plenty sweat equit — to house tools, parts and other supplies.

May 17, 2019

Voices

Rates hack: The spot market 3 o’clock hustle

Though it’s certainly lost some of its luster now that mandated electronic logging devices are putting more value on planning loads for maximizing time efficiency, this scheduling hack from independent Chad Boblett is simple enough. It hinges on an old cliché: The best things come to those who wait.

May 2, 2019

Overdrive Radio

How-to: Custom walk-in storage at the front of a dry van; bulk tank niche explored

Daniel and Phyllis Snow detail their four-foot walk-in storage compartment they built into the front of their dry-van trailer, accessible from the tractor’s deck catwalk via a door assembly, to house tools and other supplies. Also in this edition of the Overdrive Radio podcast: liquid-bulk-tank insights from owner-ops Mike Landis, J.D. Howard.

April 26, 2019

Voices

Old socks: Alternative to greasing hood supports

Dave Marti’s solution to the squeak that can emanate from his six Peterbilts’ hood supports is an alternative to sometime messy greasing: “These aren’t new socks, they’re my old socks,” Marti says, placed just so over the supports to take the squeak out for generally longer than six months per sock.

March 13, 2019

Channel 19

New tool for placing hard-to-reach edge protectors and more when securing flatbed loads

The new steel Gavase Tool, designed at the instigation of owner-operator Ricardo Flores, mounts to an extension pole and is suitable for a variety of flatbed load-securement uses, including the basic installation of straps and plastic or metal strap/chain corner protectors and V boards or other wood, and more.

February 19, 2019

Voices

Tapping a handy source for cool cab air

One truck driver isn’t worried about burning fuel to stay cool in his Kenworth truck. His cab gets plenty of cold air with help from the Thermoking SB-210.

February 14, 2019

Channel 19

Zach Beadle’s ‘donor’ cabover Peterbilt — a 1976 model only 7 numbers of separation from his daily driver

“I’ve already put to use the air cleaner can, transmission and numerous other parts. I now have the luxury of refurbishing parts to like-new status before I use them, and also I have the time cushion to do these things before I’m in a bind to need them.” –Zach Beadle on a 1976 cabover Pete identical to his daily driver he purchased last year for parts.

January 28, 2019

Voices

Mobility pays off on the road: Owner-op’s trailer-mounted two-wheeled personal transport

Using a 500-lb. pedestal-mount crane and winch mouted behind his sleeper for load and unload, owner-operator Kenny Capell devised a way to mount a relatively lightweight on-/off-road motorcycle to the front of his van trailer on a platform. His bike: a lightweight 2009 Honda CRF250M.

January 23, 2019

Voices

Grease distribution: Easy, neat and quick

The first in Overdrive’s new monthly “Highway hacks” series details owner-operator and 50-year trucking vet Gordon Alkire’s system of hoses and aluminum blocks engineered with guidance from a fellow trucker more than a half-decade ago to keep his back off the ground — and his history free of citations for excess grease.

January 8, 2019