Job-Rated Log Hauller

[Merle Coggins]

I got this picture today from Byron (Byronb3b). I thought it was pretty cool and thought you guys might appreciate it as well. So I am posting it here for Byron. I believe he said it is a '41 Dodge that his Father drove for a lumber company in Washington. I'll let Byron chime in with further details.

That's a pretty big load of logs. Must have been fun coming down out of the mountains.

[Young Ed]

From the stainless on the bottom that would be a 41 or 42. Thats the only appearance change between pre war and post war.

[Dennis_MN]

From the stainless on the bottom that would be a 41 or 42. Thats the only appearance change between pre war and post war.

My daughter-in-law brought me a bottle of wine from California, called Red Truck Winery. So is that Dodge a 40?

http://www.redtruckwine.com/

Dennis

[PatS....]

I'm assuming that it's unlikely that Dodge had air brakes. I wonder if the rear sets of wheels had brakes? That would be a very hairy ride with a load like that with just the truck juice brakes.

I also notice each row is chained down separately. Nice to see that.

[Thunder II]

Look at the connection between the Con gear, (the axle sets behind the tractor) and the tractor itself. Its my guess that the line between the two would be an air line for the brakes. I know that logger might be a bit crazy, but none of the ones that I know are foolish...

[PatS....]

I wasn't sure that air brakes were very common at that time.

[Byronb3b]

Thanks Merle for posting the picture for me, my Dad told me that the truck had hydraulic brakes with vacuum on the trailer, worked OK unless the engine died and then you could be in real trouble, the drivers would tie a small short log crosswise behind the drivers and drag it up some of the steeper hills if the truck ran out of power and died while pulling a hill they could roll back against the log. The roads in the woods were so crude and narrow that all the logs were cut only 16 ft. long, any longer the trucks couldn't make the corners. Dad also said that the Dodge was way superior to the Ford and Chevy trucks used at the time.

[Merle Coggins]

I had never heard of vacuum actuated brakes until now. Sounds rather interesting. Anyone know how they actually worked? I suppose on a downhill grade with heavy engine braking the vacuum would be plentiful unless, like Byron says, the engine would die. Then HOLD ON!!! I like the log brake idea. Necessity is the mother of invention, right?

Ed, how do you see any stainless trim in that photo?

Merle

[Young Ed]

It looks like you can see the ends of those bars on the lower grill. Could be an issusion. For sure its 41-47. Its amazing to think these hauled that much weight.

[Merle Coggins]

I don't have Byron's email handy today, but I believe he said it is a '41 and that his Father used this truck before the war.

[Byronb3b]

I asked my Dad about the vacuum trailer brakes today, they were actuated by a hand valve on the steering column and were independent of the truck brakes, stated that there was one vacuum line going to the trailer to apply the brakes, worked much the same as air brakes as long as the engine was running, the trucks had a large vacuum tank to help even out the supply of vacuum, also said the Dodge trucks were much better at starting a load than the Fords with the lightweight V8's they just didn't have the torque needed to get all the weight moving, said the only way to start one moving was to wind the engine up tight and start letting out the clutch.

[Merle Coggins]

You'd go through a lot of clutches that way. I think I'd run Dodges too. But then again, I'm kinda of partial.

[TodFitch]

My daughter-in-law brought me a bottle of wine from California, called Red Truck Winery. So is that Dodge a 40?

http://www.redtruckwine.com/

Dennis

Poking through the web site you linked to they say it is a 1945 Dodge.

[Young Ed]

With that stainless trim it should be 41-42. 45s were still blackout models with the trim painted black and yellow.

[Todd B]

My 53' semi has air brakes to the trailer, engaged by a lever on the steering column. I use that to stop the truck & trailer. Very seldom I use the foot pedal. My dad calls the level a cliff hanger.

The only problem is after driving the semi I jump into my 49' camper and reach for the cliff hanger level. You learn quickly when its not there and you dive for the foot pedal.

Todd B