It was -6 last night and I slept in my truck w/o heat.

[denbot]

I have three blankets, and flannel sheets on board. My delivery was in Grand Island NE this morning, and had shut down in Aurora NE last night when the temp was still a balmy +5.

I'm picking up two loads in western Iowa before heading home to shakey-town. I will likely shutdown in mid Wyoming, which had -24 temps last night. If that is the case I'm idling my engine to run the sleeper heater..

[IrishAyes]

1. Good grief, be careful! I've driven a rig too, although for a mercifully short time, and I have

some idea of what you're going through. My company didn't maintain its fleet very well, and my brakes went out one night in a snowstorm going downhill on the grapevine. Probably the closest I ever came to buying the farm.

[denbot]

5. Damn that would suck.

My company issued me a Amex to cover maintenance and fuel so I'm good that way. I just don't like idling.

[IrishAyes]

13. That little downhill trip would make anyone believe in miracles.

I was bawling so that made it even harder to see, and swearing like a sailor at the top of my lungs, interspersed with the sincerest prayers of my life - which proves God won't kill you for swearing. I swore BY & AT everything in the universe. If I'd taken a turnout at that speed, I'd have shot off the side of the mountain like a rocket. While that might make a spectacular movie ending, it's not my idea of how to check out.

[denbot]

34. My buddy took over for another driver at Parley's summit just above S.L.C.

When he woke up he could smell that the brakes were fried, but he had no ideal how bad it was.
That is no place to hit 80 mph+ in a big rigg.

[IrishAyes]

49. Well, I tried to stay off the brakes when possible, downshifting as we'd been taught,

but when they insist on failing anyway, there's not much left to do except bawl and swear and pray. And if you live through it, quit! Fortunately I found another dot com gig before going broke.

[intaglio]

2. Take care

If things carry on like this it might pay you to get a decent arctic sleeping bag.

[denbot]

6. I carried one last winter.

In a zipped up bag I feel too confined and they are useless as a blanket because they slip off while I sleep.

[mnhtnbb]

3. Be careful no carbon monoxide coming in your cab if you idle that engine!

Stay warm!

[denbot]

7. Believe me, you notice an exhaust leak in a big rigg.

I was cool but not cold last night, but anything lower then -10 will require a heater.

[Tobin S.]

4. Fuck that shit

Idle that damned thing. When I was an OTR trucker I would idle the rig if the temperature was going to drop below 50.

[denbot]

8. LOL.

Idle it is!

[progressoid]

9. Where in western IA?

It's pretty cold here too. But not Grand Island cold. It's going to be 16 here tomorrow.

[denbot]

10. Right now I'm being loaded in Hospers IA

My dash gage is showing the outside temp as -4

[progressoid]

12. I used to live near there.

Not much but corn, hogs and Republicans up there. What are you hauling?

[denbot]

16. This is a regular run for my co..

I take hog skins to the L.A. area to be made into chicharonies (sp?) A.K.A. pork rinds.

[progressoid]

29. Well that makes sense.

Lots of pigs here - and I'm not just talking about republicans {rimshot}.

By the way, you're in the most Republican county in Iowa. I grew up about a half hour away from there.

[IrishAyes]

15. Try a mummy bag; it won't slip around. And neither will you.

[denbot]

18. I can't take the confined feeling.

I have sleep problems to begin with.

[IrishAyes]

21. Would you be allowed to take benadryl? Puts me right to sleep, and I'm an insomniac by nature.

[denbot]

32. I do on occasion.

This job always has my sinus freaking out.

[IrishAyes]

48. It will ruin your back too, from the driving itself, even if you have lumpers to load.

[NightWatcher]

11. Go deliver something to Key West

The weather is here, wish you were beautiful.

[denbot]

14. You have nice weather but lousy surf.

While I wish I was beautiful too, all in all I'd rather be in - Manhattan Beach Baby!

[IMG][/IMG]

[IrishAyes]

19. EEEK!! At first I mistook you for a guy I used to date. It didn't end well. Never does or it

wouldn't end. But on closer look I see I was mistaken. Whew! I swore I'd make him regret everything he ever did to anyone if he crossed my path again. You look like a much nicer person. Than either one of us! Time frame's wrong too, unless that's an old picture. Can't see enough of the cars to be sure.

Oh, fergit it. He didn't have what it takes to drive.

[denbot]

22. Um.. Sure.. It was that other guy..

[IrishAyes]

28. I could tell after I put my stronger eyeglasses on.

[Paulie]

17. How much fuel would be used idling for a sleep?

A couple gallons? Less than 10 miles worth?

[denbot]

20. A Volvo 670 at idle will burn about .75 gph.

So a ten hour sleep period would burn about 7.5 gallons.

[Paulie]

23. Awesome thank you!

Could I impose on asking what the mpg for an empty and full load trailer too?

[denbot]

24. Empty about 7.9 mpg

At or near gross max of 80,000lbs 6.2 miles per gallon at 75 miles per hour on level ground.

[Paulie]

30. Thanks again

Never know when questions like this will come up in casual conversation. Or a pub quiz.

[IrishAyes]

25. Here's a jolly to keep you awake laughing:

When I drew the biggest blue rig on the road, even with seat boosters (I'm 5') I had to look between the spokes of the steering wheel. When approaching motorists would look in the cab, there was no head above the steering wheel and they'd freak out. You could see the horror on their faces. Probably more dangerous for them than it was for me.

Another reason I never intended to drive any longer than it took to get another dot com job, though, was that the general atmosphere didn't encourage my gentler side. One time in the restroom, two lot rats made fun of how I was dressed and I felt an almost overwhelming urge to beat the crap out of them. Knew I could too. That's a danger signal, though. Time to leave.

[Ptah]

26. Sometimes I feel nostalgic for the Montana Prairie.

.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

Sometimes I am glad to be in the desert.

[denbot]

33. I imagine you woul feel nostalgic for about 8 seconds right now in Montana

At about the 9 second point I'm pretty sure you would just feel numb, and shortly there after, sleepy.

[In_The_Wind]

27. Love's was running a sale on electric blankets you can plug into the cigarette lighter jack.

[denbot]

31. I run a 2,000 watt inverter for my in cab fridge

While sleeping I am always charging my phone, headset, iPad, or even toothbrush. It would be a disaster to wake up to a dead battery under load.

I've thought about a dc heating blanket, but the downside is too much. Love's is my usual fuel, shower stop.

[In_The_Wind]

40. Right. An inverter is a lifesaver.

I cooked in a crock pot while the refrigerator ran. At night we would charge blue tooths and cell phones, watch tv for hours.


I never had a problem with battery drain while sleeping in my Jeep. I was stuck up at Thetford Mines in south- central Quebec waiting to escort a load.

[rug]

35. Count your toes.

[denbot]

36. ..11, 12, and 13!

All good here!

[rug]

37. With three to spare!

You'll survive Wyoming.

[denbot]

38. Whadda' ya mean, spare!?!

[Skittles]

39. you want I should kick your 13-toed frozen ass, denbot?

LEMME AT YOU!!!

[denbot]

41. Is it wrong to say YES!

And may I have another?

[Skittles]

42. YEE HAW

it is 28 degrees here in Texas, will be 15 tonight, and to hear these people whining about it gets old really fast.

[kentauros]

50. Oh come'on! Let me have a little whine

about how miserable I am in this ridiculous cold! It's not like it's all year round. I NEVER whine when it's hot, which is the majority of our days in Texas

And don't ever shake hands with me when it's miserably cold like this. The spark-gap will knock us both on our asses!

[Skittles]

53. oh I constantly whine about the heat

*EGREGIOUS HYPOCRISY*; KICKING MY OWN ASS

[rug]

44. "13-toed frozen ass"

[Skittles]

45. denbot always pulling some weird shit

and not just on the job

[rug]

46. I thought that was his job.

[newfie11]

43. Casper was 22 below last night

Have your heater ready.

[UTUSN]

47. My nostalgic memory, me hippie/hitchhicking, truck picked me up

The 2 dudes knew I was tired. The rest was humanitarian. Thanks.

[Ikonoklast]

51. Webasto fuel-fired bunk heater all the way, baby.

I have to remember to dial it back to about 2/3 setting before lights out or the thing will cook me.

Uses little fuel, and damn does that thing bring the heat.


As far as idling goes, I hate to idle, but when the temps get into single digits, you never have to worry about starting an already running truck in the morning.

Tonight is one of those nights.

[denbot]

52. Had one in my last truck.

The damn thing would cut out after 2 hours or so regardless of setting or outside temp. I do have to admit that when it worked, it really worked well.

[B Calm]

54. Trucker threads depress me, I'm so glad I'm retired!

No more winter driving!!

[A HERETIC I AM]

55. Don't know how much winter driving experience you have, and this may be way too late...

but if you leave your truck running, DO NOT set/lock your trailer brakes, particularly if you have been running in the snow before you stop.

Having to deal with frozen solid trailer brakes first thing in the morning SUCKS!

By just setting the tractor brakes, you avoid the problem of your trailer brakes being welded to the drums by ice.

If the tractor brakes freeze in place, it is easier to free them because you have the torque of the drive train at your disposal.


Like I said, I may be too late or, you already know this.

Heading out this morning on a 2 day trip myself, but luckily I am only going as far north as Montgomery, AL.

Stay safe, driver.

Edit to add, even if you shut the engine down, provided your air system doesn't leak too much, still leave the trailer brakes open. If your air system leaks down, the point is moot though.