[CARDEEP]

^^^ Food for thought:

Chinese truck driver fined £15.5 million - Latest car stories - MSN Cars UK

This (punishing the culprit by bringing to books) should always happen in India...

[rajeev k]

This is quite common in Kerala since long in line buses doing small distance strips and trucks taking heavy loads. Perhaps the weight these vehicle carries almost always would prevent the vehicle from damping which the shockers does. Many such vehicles are refitted with additional number of rear spring plates too.

[a4anurag]

There is damage done to road by the overloading of such trucks that is why the government is getting rid of single axle trucks and only allowing multi axles to ply on roads so as to decrease the damage done to roads and distributing the weight over the multi axles.

A question to all.

Will adding up of leafs to the leaf spring the loading capability increases. What could the difference be on the chassis and other parts of the body with the dampers removed? Engine, transmission, suspension capabilities?

[W.A.G.7]

I was seeing this, for quite some time now, but now I know the reason. Initially I felt that the shock absorbers were damaged due to non maintenance; but then when I started seeing almost every commercial vehicle with the same setup, I realized that this is a common practice. I have seen this practice even in public transport buses here in Pune.

[baddy]

The main reason to remove these dampers is to save them from damage and ultimately to save money by not replacing the worn out ones. But, the operators also have a misconception that removing the dampers improve the ride quality and reduces damage to the chassis when overloaded. The added benefit of a leaf spring suspension to posses damping capability due to interleaf friction also allows them to use it without the hydraulic dampers.

I also agree to somebody here who qouted about multi axle trucks. The government is bothered about road surface and to reduce accidents. better distribution of load with 6 or 8 contact patches reduces risk of both. I have even noticed trucks with liftable front supplementry axles being driven around fully loaded with the axles up, only because the operator would reduce tire wear and wear n tear of the axle. But what they do not realise is, it does not help them any way. Designers are not idiots!!!

[scopriobharath]

Originally Posted by CARDEEP

^^^ Food for thought:

Chinese truck driver fined £15.5 million - Latest car stories - MSN Cars UK
This (punishing the culprit by bringing to books) should always happen in India...

I really wish this happens in india too (the fine part). Driver also is equally responsible for the accident. Firstly, in Europe we are liable to tell the trucker about the type and weight of Cargo. This is anyway needed for interpol checks.

Secondly, The driver could have refused to drive if he deemed the vehicle was overloaded or if he was "forced" to drive on that bridge by his employer(not take an alternate route). This is an Offence in UK and I am sure he would have won in court if he was forced to drive with an overloaded vehicle.

Concluding the fine must have been 50-50 shared between driver and hirer, after listening to both sides of the argument.

Well Well Well !!

I am amazed. Just for a few Kilos/tonnes more the Rear Dampers are disconnected .

Its really pathetic that no one bothers about safety. Just think what if the inevitable happens that too in a crowded Bus .

I think a loop-hole is throught about for every rule and i dont think those who think are really bothered about Safety. Govt must penalize these fellows with hefty fines(not petty 200-300) and seize the vehicles. Then only these guys would learn a lesson. I really appreciate the UK Govt for levying a "fine" on the driver/trucking company for overloading. I dont think anyone in UK would dare to do it again.

[AJITHAAA]

Actually when Volvo set up shop in India, they did a survey of the usage and abuse of commercial vehicles in India. What they found was startling for them. A 12 ton truck suspension was being modified to carry over 40 tons. This invariably meant that roads were being ripped apart as load per axle was 4-5 times the limit, Axle material thickness had to be increased, Bigger brakes were required, Engine warranty was reduced, cost escalation etc..etc... This was specifically conveyed to us by Volvo Design Bureau when we were working with them to develop axles for Volvo trucks for the emerging markets(BRIC).

[directinjection]

Originally Posted by dhawcash

If you look closely, you'll notice many commercial vehicles have disconnected the dampers of the rear axles.

Originally Posted by MileCruncher

You are right. Most CV owners will increase the number of leaves on the rear leaf spring to over load their vehicles. However the max length of a damper is only so much. With the increased height between the axle and the chassis frame, the dampers cannot be used. However they leave it hanging as they would need to put them back for the annual clearance at RTO that is necessitated by law.

I'd like to add that in India, usually only light duty CVs are fitted with dampers on rear axle. In the heavier CV segment, dampers are provided by manufacturers only on front axles. The CVs mentioned by dhawcash in post no. 1 are all from the LCV segment.

[nec2152]

Originally Posted by AJITHAAA

A 12 ton truck suspension was being modified to carry over 40 tons. This invariably meant that roads were being ripped apart...

I am

When we leave Pune towards Bombay on the old highway, around 1KM before Khadki station, there's a octroi naka which stops most of the passing trucks.
I remember around 1.5 years back that naka came up and a speed breaker was built there. In the initial days, I used to miss that speed breaker many times at night and either brake hard at the last moment or jump that breaker at ~60kmph. Today, the speed breaker is almost flat at the places where the tyres pass and fine in the middle. The car passes fine over it even at 60kmph
Now I know why that speed breaker went flat.

[Autokrat]

[quote=AJITHAAA;2860650] A 12 ton truck suspension was being modified to carry over 40 tons. This invariably meant that roads were being ripped apart as load per axle was 4-5 times the limit, [quote]

Ultimately you have these smoke belching behemoths moving at only 25kmph holding up lng queues of other vehicles behind them causing traffic snarls!.

[carthick99]

Just to share this little story. Interesting thread by the way.

This incident happened a few years ago on the old bombay-goa road. I was following a very dilapidated and unladen 407, which was as usual belching smoke and in my opinion shouldn't have even been on the road. It was really bad! And he was driving a little too fast for his own good (and not allowing me to pass even when i found a small gap in traffic).

His dampers were disconnected as well, since at that point I recall telling my dad how careless truckers were and how they never get caught for not maintaining their vehicles mechanically. That 407 WAS really falling apart.

A couple of kilometers later and he took a sharp right-hander downhill and he lost total control. His left-rear slammed into a couple of trees on the left banking and caused the 407 to spin in the middle of the road. His rear (wooden) load-body disintegrated quite a bit on impact. It's a miracle he didn't turn turtle and that no one smashed into him (or me) and luckily i had more than enough room at that point to hit the brakes and stop (god bless my Esteem and those 185's).

Point is, dampers play a key role in controlling body movement as well as keeping the tyre planted to the road, especially during braking or cornering in ensuring that the tyre has optimum traction. So my guess is that because he had no dampers, and he was unladen, he possibly lost traction and had an accident.

When we stopped to check whether the driver was okay, he was reeking of alcohol and a few moments later a cop who was passing by on his bike stopped and took charge of the situation. No dampers is one thing. Driving dangerously under influence is just pathetic.