Quote:
Originally Posted by rob love
When moving track, I always ask for the detachable neck type trailers. A few times I was sent the stepdeck which is about 4 feet off the ground. I don't usually have a problem going onto it, but coming off with something like a M113 really takes it's toll on the nerves. The driver has been ground guiding you to move faster, you just hit the tipping point, and any uneven touch of the tiller bars has you coming off sideways. Luckily at that point you already have about 7 feet hanging over, so you are practically on the ground anyway, but as you come down (and are no longer in line with the deck) you have to wonder how hard the landing is going to be.
I'm too old for that crap.
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Yes, you learn and refuse to do the silly things you once did. Years ago after climbing the beaver tail to get to that 4' deck the driver wanted me to climb yet again the steel ramps to the upper deck over 5th wheel (so he could fit another vehicle and save a trip). I did it but the carrier was pointed 45 degrees up and all I saw was sky. Once the carrier landed on the bed I had about 6" to stop or end up in the the truck's back window. The incident of the sideways parking job occurred when I had the carrier on the steel deck, stopped and the parking brake engaged. But because of the slope and pitch of the road together with the deck checkerplate, well, things just started to move. Other than smoky oil in the cylinders and a bent aerial bracket no harm done...except to my ego.