Roof Mounted Exhausts for Trucks & Buses

mooza · 10th March 2010, 10:41

Yesterday, while driving my Ford Escort, I rolled down the windows to take in some fresh air. My smile was wiped off instantly, when instead of fresh air, I was greeted with a blast of hot exhaust from a bus travelling alongside! This immediately took me back to my college days of cycling & bike riding, when I would bake in the soot generated by buses, especially at traffic signals on hot summer days. So, no change in the situation inspite of 25 years of technological development!
Why cannot Heavy Vehicle Designers re - route the exhaust pipes heaven wards or wherever, to spare the other hapless road users?
Any thoughts?

esteem_lover · 10th March 2010, 10:53

good question, at least the pipe can be pointed towards the road. Some trucks have it right on the front left/right.

mjothi · 10th March 2010, 10:56

The best thing is to have it as in Tractors, in the front. Even better, the pipe should bent towards the cabin to let them know how "clean" their vehicle is.

praful · 10th March 2010, 11:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by mjothi

The best thing is to have it as in Tractors, in the front. Even better, the pipe should bent towards the cabin to let them know how "clean" their vehicle is.

Lol that was a good one!

With the Volvos and other low GC buses the exhaust is at the back and at a relatively low height, so its not a problem. But for trucks and older buses with a higher GC the exhaust is at a window height of most low slung cars. Directing the exhaust downwards would mean a lot of dust being blown around if the roads are sand/dust covered!

Simhi · 28th March 2010, 10:56

@praful, many times I had no option but to trail Volvos in the cities in a bike. Believe me their exhaust is not low enough. Either the manufacturers should come out with proper design or may be ARAI should enforce it.

mooza · 28th March 2010, 14:09

Yes, Simhi, even I think this must be enforced, at least from the present set of new heavy vehicles being manufactured. Somewhere, there has to be a starting point.

The requirement for enforcing this is more in our Indian Cities, where there is always a huge pile up of heavy vehicles at signals, and it is quite tough to be next to them, with their exhaust fumes choking us.

aargee · 28th March 2010, 17:35

This is the pic of Metro Transit bus plying through the twin cities (StPaul-Minneapolis) in US; I found it polluting in terms of black exhaust fumes

(you can imagine the typical black smoke that comes out of govt city busses), however the smoke was not hitting anyone's face or reaching inside of any car & all the more not sweeping the road to accumulate the sand at one side of the road. Is it very difficult to design an exhaust (at the top left end of the roof of the bus) as attached in the pic in our busses?

Roof Mounted Exhausts for Trucks & Buses-mt.jpg

mooza · 29th March 2010, 07:36

That is really an apt picture, aargee! Just what is needed here too. Wish they make this mandatory for future heavy vehicles, at least.

Even a mod to achieve this configuration in our present buses and trucks is pretty much achievable at a reasonable cost, I think.

Stratos · 29th March 2010, 08:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by aargee

Is it very difficult to design an exhaust (at the top left end of the roof of the bus) as attached in the pic in our busses?

It might not be possible or be very difficult to have that exhaust on front-engined buses. Even though many metropolitan cities in India have a lot of Volvos, Kinglongs, Starbuses going around, major amount of the commercial vehicle population is ruled by front-engine configurations.

aargee · 29th March 2010, 08:37

^^^ right, most busses still plying are front end engines; but why would it be difficult to redirect the exhaust to the top?

Mpower · 30th March 2010, 03:01

If you have ever driven a 2 wheeler, you would have experienced the dreaded blast of black smoke from a bus right onto your face at least once. Its worse if its a poorly maintained vehicle with excessive black smoke.

Even if you haven't, the fact that exhaust tailpipes exit low to the ground means that the air quality at breathing level is still being polluted by these fumes.

If the tailpipe was mounted on the roof, then these exhaust gases will exit high and then rise even higher leaving the air quality unaffected at the breathing level.

In many countries, it is required by law that all commercial vehicles should have roof mounted exhausts. In India we should at least have it for vehicles that primarily spend time inside city limits.

Your thoughts ??

mooza · 30th March 2010, 07:19

Hi Mpower, these exactly have been my thoughts too, over the past couple of weeks ! I also feel strongly that this should be done ASAP, to spare other road users of exhaust fumes of all heavy vehicles.

I have posted my bad experiences with exhaust smoke, a couple of weeks ago in the thread below :

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/street...xhaust-ed.html

Cheers !

Stratos · 30th March 2010, 07:59

The exhaust on a front engine truck is easy to direct on the roof as there is space behind the cabin but it would be difficult in case of buses where everything behind the driver is passengers and luggage.

theMAG · 30th March 2010, 08:02

Its required! I've always wondered why we've not seen them in India.

ottocycle · 30th March 2010, 11:15

This is really a need on our streets. I would never want to stop in the traffic when a bus/truck is blowing hot gases directly to our faces.

Btw, roof mounted exhausts look cool at the same time.

10th March 2010, 10:41	#1
mooza Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,096 Thanked: 368 Times	Exhaust-ed! Yesterday, while driving my Ford Escort, I rolled down the windows to take in some fresh air. My smile was wiped off instantly, when instead of fresh air, I was greeted with a blast of hot exhaust from a bus travelling alongside! This immediately took me back to my college days of cycling & bike riding, when I would bake in the soot generated by buses, especially at traffic signals on hot summer days. So, no change in the situation inspite of 25 years of technological development! Why cannot Heavy Vehicle Designers re - route the exhaust pipes heaven wards or wherever, to spare the other hapless road users? Any thoughts?
	() Thanks

10th March 2010, 10:53	#2
esteem_lover Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Madras/Py Posts: 7,556 Thanked: 502 Times View My Garage	good question, at least the pipe can be pointed towards the road. Some trucks have it right on the front left/right.
	() Thanks

10th March 2010, 10:56	#3
mjothi Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 3,287 Thanked: 231 Times View My Garage	The best thing is to have it as in Tractors, in the front. Even better, the pipe should bent towards the cabin to let them know how "clean" their vehicle is.
	() Thanks

28th March 2010, 10:56	#5
Simhi BHPian Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Pune Posts: 627 Thanked: 1,303 Times	@praful, many times I had no option but to trail Volvos in the cities in a bike. Believe me their exhaust is not low enough. Either the manufacturers should come out with proper design or may be ARAI should enforce it.
	() Thanks

28th March 2010, 14:09	#6
mooza Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,096 Thanked: 368 Times	Yes, Simhi, even I think this must be enforced, at least from the present set of new heavy vehicles being manufactured. Somewhere, there has to be a starting point. The requirement for enforcing this is more in our Indian Cities, where there is always a huge pile up of heavy vehicles at signals, and it is quite tough to be next to them, with their exhaust fumes choking us.
	() Thanks

28th March 2010, 17:35	#7
aargee Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: TSTN Posts: 6,236 Thanked: 9,641 Times	This is the pic of Metro Transit bus plying through the twin cities (StPaul-Minneapolis) in US; I found it polluting in terms of black exhaust fumes (you can imagine the typical black smoke that comes out of govt city busses), however the smoke was not hitting anyone's face or reaching inside of any car & all the more not sweeping the road to accumulate the sand at one side of the road. Is it very difficult to design an exhaust (at the top left end of the roof of the bus) as attached in the pic in our busses?
	() Thanks

29th March 2010, 07:36	#8
mooza Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,096 Thanked: 368 Times	That is really an apt picture, aargee! Just what is needed here too. Wish they make this mandatory for future heavy vehicles, at least. Even a mod to achieve this configuration in our present buses and trucks is pretty much achievable at a reasonable cost, I think.
	() Thanks

29th March 2010, 08:37	#10
aargee Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: TSTN Posts: 6,236 Thanked: 9,641 Times	^^^ right, most busses still plying are front end engines; but why would it be difficult to redirect the exhaust to the top?
	() Thanks

30th March 2010, 03:01	#11
Mpower Senior - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Bangalore Posts: 10,409 Thanked: 1,730 Times View My Garage	Roof Mounted Exhausts for Trucks & Buses If you have ever driven a 2 wheeler, you would have experienced the dreaded blast of black smoke from a bus right onto your face at least once. Its worse if its a poorly maintained vehicle with excessive black smoke. Even if you haven't, the fact that exhaust tailpipes exit low to the ground means that the air quality at breathing level is still being polluted by these fumes. If the tailpipe was mounted on the roof, then these exhaust gases will exit high and then rise even higher leaving the air quality unaffected at the breathing level. In many countries, it is required by law that all commercial vehicles should have roof mounted exhausts. In India we should at least have it for vehicles that primarily spend time inside city limits. Your thoughts ?? Attached Thumbnails
	() Thanks

30th March 2010, 07:19	#12
mooza Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,096 Thanked: 368 Times	Hi Mpower, these exactly have been my thoughts too, over the past couple of weeks ! I also feel strongly that this should be done ASAP, to spare other road users of exhaust fumes of all heavy vehicles. I have posted my bad experiences with exhaust smoke, a couple of weeks ago in the thread below : http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/street...xhaust-ed.html Cheers !
	() Thanks

30th March 2010, 07:59	#13
Stratos Senior - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Belgium Posts: 2,609 Thanked: 1,449 Times View My Garage	The exhaust on a front engine truck is easy to direct on the roof as there is space behind the cabin but it would be difficult in case of buses where everything behind the driver is passengers and luggage.
	() Thanks

30th March 2010, 08:02	#14
theMAG Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: May 2006 Location: Avon, CT Posts: 7,217 Thanked: 1,807 Times View My Garage	Its required! I've always wondered why we've not seen them in India.
	() Thanks

30th March 2010, 11:15	#15
ottocycle BANNED Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 491 Thanked: 589 Times	This is really a need on our streets. I would never want to stop in the traffic when a bus/truck is blowing hot gases directly to our faces. Btw, roof mounted exhausts look cool at the same time.
	() Thanks