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slewis

Posted 8/28/2022 20:36 (#9818622)
Subject: Lockers on a semi

SE Washington

I have an older 378 Pete that has been a great cheap truck knock on wood. I use it to pull a smaller grain trailer and my 3200 gal tender trailer around. Problem is I have one place that it is borderline unusable because of the steep rocky grade to get into the field. I put all new drive tires on it a few years back and this quarter mile stretch is just tearing them up. The axle interlock is just barely enough to get it up with an empty grain trailer but the thing gets to hopping something terrible if you're not careful you'll spin out. I can't get my tender trailer in at all and have been using a co-op tandem to get water and fert in. Anyways I came across another truck that what it calls lockers in the ad. I'm not sure if it's the same thing as double lockers or full lockers. Do you semi professional truck drivers think having an extra locker locking an axle solid get me up this grade?

Edited by slewis 8/28/2022 20:40

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(lockers (full).jpg)

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Field (full).PNG (99KB - 145 downloads)
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lockers (full).jpg (59KB - 118 downloads)

IADAVE

Posted 8/28/2022 20:44 (#9818640 - in reply to #9818622)
Subject: RE: Lockers on a semi

It can't hurt.
When I hauled grain commercial I had a few places I never emptied the front hopper so I could get back in. A few hundred pounds sometimes is all it takes.
Shocks may help also. Sometimes letting it idle in first or second is enough..
Trading trucks seems a little drastic. Is there enough dirt to grade the drive way so it is more even?
I assume the terrain is rocky and uneven. If it is just loose dirt may be chains?
If the ground is uneven bigger lines between the airbags may help.
Probably could add lockers to yours for $1200 and a days work.
I think $600 an axle is what they wanted to add them to mine. Front axle may have been more.

Edited by IADAVE 8/28/2022 20:46

slewis

Posted 8/28/2022 21:18 (#9818718 - in reply to #9818640)
Subject: RE: Lockers on a semi

SE Washington

Letting it idle through the tough spots is exactly how we make it up. It basically loose rock on rock so there's no grading to be done. Hauling gravel in would make it worse. I have heard of guys leaving grain in the hopper. I guess my issue is I only have one hopper so I'm not sure leaving grain in it would get much weight over the drive axles but maybe it would. Adding lockers is definitely an option. and maybe I'd do that before swapping trucks.

dewgubbe

Posted 8/28/2022 21:56 (#9818812 - in reply to #9818718)
Subject: RE: Lockers on a semi

Northeast Nebraska

If you love the truck, you could put a locker in just the rear diff for $3500 or so, less if you went with used from a salvage yard

I just converted a 2015 Pete 579 from 2.93 open gears to 3.55 full lockers. Cost about $9000 with reman diffs and 2 new axles

Big Ben

Posted 8/28/2022 23:36 (#9818934 - in reply to #9818718)
Subject: RE: Lockers on a semi

Columbia Basin, Ephrata, WA

slewis - 8/28/2022 19:18

Letting it idle through the tough spots is exactly how we make it up. It basically loose rock on rock so there's no grading to be done. Hauling gravel in would make it worse. I have heard of guys leaving grain in the hopper. I guess my issue is I only have one hopper so I'm not sure leaving grain in it would get much weight over the drive axles but maybe it would. Adding lockers is definitely an option. and maybe I'd do that before swapping trucks.

That would be some real low quality gravel if it makes it worse. It has to be crushed and it needs fines.

I have a couple of trucks with lockers. They might help a little, but like someone else said, they don’t help as much as you’d think they would.

starbuck

Posted 8/29/2022 00:03 (#9818943 - in reply to #9818934)
Subject: RE: Lockers on a semi

Idaho

We found gravel only helped to a point, fine stuff that packed well washed away in the winter, and the course stuff rolled like marbles under you tires, the thing that actually worked the best was a running a water truck up and down but horribly time consuming, so that didn’t last long.

case

Posted 8/28/2022 20:50 (#9818654 - in reply to #9818622)
Subject: RE: Lockers on a semi

Central ND

Empty, I'm not sure full lockers will provide you with much more traction. Loaded it definitely could help.

The picture you posted has full lockers and all 8 with drive. Don't expect to turn at all, straight is the name of full lockers.

Edited by case 8/28/2022 20:52

Expensive Hobby

Posted 8/29/2022 08:32 (#9819214 - in reply to #9818654)
Subject: RE: Lockers on a semi

NW Missouri

+1

That is what I was going to say. One of our trucks locks all 8 together. We thought that would be a good feature pulling out of soft fields - and it is - but you have to be careful and disengage the front/back once you've got some momentum. The first time I pulled out onto a blacktop with all of them locked together, I drove straight out through the gate, turned the wheel, and kept going straight until I slammed on the brakes right before the steer tire went into the grader ditch on the other side. With the OPs situation, I'm not sure locking all 8 together and trying to go up a long drive that isn't straight would work very good.

slewis

Posted 8/29/2022 09:00 (#9819248 - in reply to #9819214)
Subject: RE: Lockers on a semi

SE Washington

Thanks for the ideas, I hadn't given much thought to the steering being locked up. That would be an issue. I have dropped the tires to 80 psi, I'm sure it helped a little.

Someday

Posted 8/28/2022 22:11 (#9818841 - in reply to #9818622)
Subject: RE: Lockers on a semi

You'd be amazed what full lockers would do for you. Driver skill has a lot to do with it too

Glen65

Posted 8/28/2022 23:01 (#9818907 - in reply to #9818622)
Subject: RE: Lockers on a semi

Alberta

I dig sugar beets into Kenworth's (8 bag air ride) pulling triaxle end dump trailers. The older trucks only had power dividers (inter axle locker) but no lockers while the newer trucks had full lockers. Didnt make as big a difference as I had hoped. Good tires and a good operator are crucial in my opinion. What works for me loading beets is "keep the RPM low". Too much RPM causes too much torque and breaks the tires loose.

starbuck

Posted 8/28/2022 23:26 (#9818924 - in reply to #9818622)
Subject: RE: Lockers on a semi

Idaho

I fight a similar situation, rocks too except mine has a switch back in the middle . The trucks with the tall 24.5 s do better than anything with 22.5 s . Sometimes we have to pull the trucks up for the last few loads when the road starts to go to dust.

Edit to add, sometimes dumping the air helps but not if it’s got holes already. Another thing is don’t use first , too much torque, I use 3 rd and let it lug it down less likely to break the tires loose that way but be careful if you kill it your dead in the water. If all else fails our rescue vehicle is A heavily weighted 4 wheel drive tool truck with a good tow strap sitting waiting on top the hill is usual back up plan .

On the lockers we will find out some day as we now have a new to us one with double lockers , however it can’t seem to get past the dealers service doors for more than a a day or two at. A Time be cause of def issues yet. So it’s never been tested on our bad stuff yet. So we don’t know.

Edited by starbuck 8/28/2022 23:52

IADAVE

Posted 8/28/2022 23:35 (#9818932 - in reply to #9818924)
Subject: RE: Lockers on a semi

Have you tried dropping air pressure in the drives? Say go down to 80 or 85? I would hate to go any lower than 70 myself, unless I could air them up to come out loaded.
If it works I would get some cats Eye or some other way to connect the duals together to make airing them up easier.
Perhaps mount some heavy steel plate on the truck frame or over the fifth wheel under the front hopper?
Most of my hoppers I can get 1,500 pounds of mud and gravel real easy up there!

Edited by IADAVE 8/28/2022 23:37

MaineFarmer

Posted 8/29/2022 03:57 (#9818977 - in reply to #9818932)
Subject: RE: Lockers on a semi

coast of Maine

It will climb well with full lockers.Almost all whom haul into the garbage mountains here in Maine want full lockers.The climb is soften steep and loose and snotty.Most think trash when garbage mountains but 1/2 of it is loose cover and a lot of adult diapers make it greasy and gross.You will be amazed.They all work in unison.

Wizard

Posted 8/29/2022 04:59 (#9818988 - in reply to #9818622)
Subject: RE: Lockers on a semi

Fletcher, OH

What air pressure are you running in the drive tires?

The grab release, grab release you are describing is typical of too much air pressure.

You need footprint on those tires to get the work done

JTN

Posted 8/29/2022 06:45 (#9819060 - in reply to #9818988)
Subject: RE: Lockers on a semi

Some of the guys doing beets around here have the in cab auto,deflate/inflate tire systems on there trucks.

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