Fire Engines Photos

Yes, yes - I have learnt - Cleveland, TENNESSEE.

Great photo of a great truck. You can see the legendary Mack Bulldog mounted on the hood [on bonnet, above radiator grille]

The Porta-Tank goes into the side-fixtures, over the left rear wheels ?

Under the rear axle, sharp-eyed readers will notice short lengths of chain hanging down. They belong to a proprietary tire chain system.

When icey and slippery road conditions are encountered; the Pumper's driver pushes a button on his dash-board; actuators then swing free-spinning wheels, with these chains on the perimeters, down against the tires. The turning tyres then cause these wheels to spin, which throw the lengths of chain under the leading edges of the tyres, thus giving extra traction between them and the road surface.

Quickly deployed, while underway, and sure have the old way of mounting tyre-chains actually on the wheels beat 5 ways to Sunday.

There, you had to stop the Engine - lay out the chains-sets on the road, move the Engine over them, crawl under, bring the chains up around the wheels, hook them together and strap the sides, drive the Engine a little distance, then stop, crawl under AGAIN and re-adjust the tension....a messy and time-consuming process....lots of fun.

My son drives Articulated HGV's through the "gumbo" [thick, clingy mud] out in the oil-fields in Canada's Western provinces, and knows the above process all too well.

Now, Modern Progress has replaced it, with a push of the button. Don't think anyone wants "The Olden Days" on that item !

Regards,


Added by Pat_R-B on 24 May 2008.

Hi Pat! The name of it´s On Spot! Here in Sweden, they are more and more common, not only on trucks, even busses are ordered with them!

Anders F. Sweden.

Added by Anders Fallström on 01 July 2014.

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