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What's the top speed of a Peterbilt semi ???

Started by biziedizie, August 16, 2003, 04:34:26 PM

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biziedizie

  Don't know specific models, but for sake of argument assume the biggest baddest one they make, towing an empty trailer on flat terrain and neutral wind. :P
  Had one fly by me today and I thought they put a govenor in them things so they can't speed???


   Steve  


Jeff

Usually the pumps are sealed but most truckers "Know" somebody that can "mess with 'em"

Several, make that many, years ago we had a driver that did that. Started having engine troubles big time. Turned out the seal on the pump had been faked. The pump was hoped up so much it took out the engine that was not built to take it.

He always got back faster from runs then anybody else but seemed to have to back the rig into the shop twice as much or more.
Just call me the midget doctor.
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Commercial circle sawmill sawyer in a past life for 25yrs.
Ezekiel 22:30

biziedizie

  So Jeff there must be a set speed limit that a truck can go???
  From what I understand most of these rigs with a load can be worth up to a half million so I can understand why they would have a set limit.
  Some of the loads that come out of B.C heading across the boarder are worth more but it ain't the bud that we drink. 8)

  Steve

Jeff

Speed Limit for trucks in Michigan is 55. I followed one on U.S. 2 the other day at about 80. Furniture Hauler. Thats what we call a tandem axle trailer. All our trailers have 6 or 8 axles.
Just call me the midget doctor.
Forestry Forum Founder and Chief Cook and Bottle Washer.

Commercial circle sawmill sawyer in a past life for 25yrs.
Ezekiel 22:30

Tom

We had a two stroke diesel on a generator one time that ran away.  If it had been in a truck with proper gearing, I'll bet it would have been doing over 150 maybe 200 before it came apart.  The only thing that will stop a diesel is lack of fuel or mechanical failure. Give it fuel and it will generate horses till it comes apart.

If you are ever around one that starts running away like that, don't look for a wrench, run like hell!

Bro. Noble

Tom,

My Dad told me that if a diesel started to run away  the best way to stop it was to plug the air intake.

Biz,

I don't know how fast them things will go,  but I heard somewhere that it takes 40 acres to turn the DanG things around :D
milking and logging and sawing and milking

CHARLIE

I don't know how much room it takes a semi to turn around, but in High School football I once scooped up a fumble and had to turn around and head the other direction. I never was known for speed or agility and at our halftime buttchewing, my coach said.......and I quote:  "And Cadenhead looked like a Mac Truck trying to turn around in a plowed field!!"   So, based on that comment, I'd say it takes at least 80 acres to turn one around. ;Dl
Charlie
"Everybody was gone when I arrived but I decided to stick around until I could figure out why I was there !"

smwwoody

As some of you know I drove truck all last winter as I didn't get the building over th mill in time for the snow.  I drove all over the US and some of Canada.

The truck I drove most of the time had a small 10 litre cat motor in it all of the electronic limitations on the motor were removed through the trucks computer by a cat dealer.this put it at about 310HP. This also kept it very safe on the engine.  In high gear wide open the truck would go 93 MPH now add in a load and hills and it got slower.

I also drove my 1989 Western Star. It has a fully mechanical 590 HP Cat engine in it If you do  the math it should run out at about 126MPH.  I have never and never want to be at that speed with a truck.  the limits on these speeds are determined by the speed the motor is governed at and the trucks gearing.  that is why I said if you do the math.

on the newer computer controlled trucks they can be set for a max RPM for each gear.  That way you can get the power you need in the lower gears by running it at  a higher RPM But when you get up in the top gears it is governed so you cant run over a predetermined speed.

The rpm set in the lower gears is set so you wont dammage the motor.  and in the higher gear so you wont dammage us.

I like to have controll of my rpm in the safe for the engine range in all gears and use my head for the safe for the public range.

but that doesn't work for  some of us

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biziedizie

  smwwoody thanks for the detailed reply. :)

  You just answered alot of questions that have been bugging me since yesterday. 8)

  That was very interesting to read. 8)

   Steve

Rick Schmalzried

I can't speak for other engine manufacturers, but the Cat engines have customer programmable features that are determined by the owner.  For fleet trucks, many times there is a governor installed.  For most private trucks these are seldom used.  There is however a max RPM limit that when reached shuts off the fuel, but this is basically set at the red-line of the engine.  If you reach that in top gear, you need to get a different gear in the differential.

One advantage (at least for the owner) of an electronic governor, is that the driver can't cause it to slip by riding against it all the time as he used to be able to do on a mechanical governor.

Finally, the truck racing over in Europe, has a mandated 100MPH top end limit.  The trick there is to get the truck accelerated to 100MPH as fast as possible.

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Haytrader

Like smwwoody said, it is all about the gears. My truck has a 475HP Kitty Cat and will do about 90 but we don't drive that fast as the roads get narrow at that speed.
Some fleets here set their trucks to do a certain speed and some independant truckers want to cruise. I got behind a couple of trucks down on I-40 one time headed west. I was in a 4 wheeler headed to Pheonix. Went from Amarillo to Flagstaff at 85 MPH. They did slow down to 75 going through Albuquerque.
 ;)
Haytrader

EZ

About 15 yrs ago, their was a guy in a peterbuilt going s. on I-77 and the man clock him doing 126mph and loaded with steel. They caught him some 100 miles down the road in a trafic jam. What a nut. :D
EZ

Sawing Logz

I drive for one of the major oil company's and before the computer's were set at the Cummin's dealer 3 of us reached triple digit's when we were comming back from drop's. I personaly think that the risk is not worth the danger's, like a blow out on a steer tire of any semi. But then you have the boy's not men who do not think this way. Buy the way my truck has a 650HP Cummin's and a 10 speed, and we pull 145,000 pound's, or 13,400 gallons of gas, and I can still hit 55 MPH in 1 and 1/4 miles, not bad for being detuned!
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