Why are the Wheelbases of Alaskan Trucks so long?

Jul26

Someone asked a question on Facebook about why the wheelbases of big rigs in Alaska are so long. Jack says they are so long in order to fit extra long loads.

Here is a photo of the long wheelbase being utilized:

Down in the states, the wheelbase would be much shorter on most trucks. In other words, the wheels would be much closer to the body of the truck and this sized pipe would result in more rear overhang, thus needing more permits and a more complicated set up. So to avoid that, the wheelbase has been lengthened, since these kinds of loads are commonplace in Alaska.

Since Jack has a long wheel base he can haul another trailer behind this one, as seen here:

This is the second trailer – it has a load of sheet pile (sheets of metal that are driven into the ground and used for road construction or for bridge construction).

(In the first photo you can see part of the second trailer but it’s hard to make out because there is another trailer of pipe behind it. In the second photo I erased the pipe behind so you can see the load on the second trailer better.)

Here are a few more photos of the Salcha-Valdez pipe haul.

The last piece of pipe being loaded!

Jack is so happy to be on his LAST VALDEZ RUN so he can get back on the Dalton!!

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Push Trucking, Kid Style

Jul21

Here’s Tyson “Bubba” Stollings – Jack’s big fan – showing his version of push trucking. Maybe one day he’ll be doing the real thing!

Still Hauling Pipe

Jul16

Here are some photos of the job Jack is presently working on, hauling huge pipe sections from the port of Valdez to Salcha where there is a railroad bridge being built across the Tanana River.

Empty trailers, waiting for the pipe.

This is a photo from an earlier post: the trucks loaded with 2 lengths of pipe each, and more pipe in the background that still needed to be loaded and hauled to Salcha. Each section is 6 feet in diameter and 43 feet long. That stack has been transported by now but more has arrived from other barges.

Eight inch wood dunnage cradling the pipe. It gives space for the forks to pick it up and set it down, and the pipe chalks (upper wood pieces) stop it from rolling until they get it tied down. Each piece of pipe is 25,000 pounds.

The trucks have to stop at quite a few roadwork sites along the Richardson Highway. This is in the canyon just north of Valdez.

A couple of days ago Jack was held up at some roadwork for almost 2 hours. Since the Richardson is one of only a couple of major highways in Alaska, there must have been a line of ticked-off tourists 10 miles long!

Anyone interested in more information about this bridge project can go to this link: State of Alaska webpage.

Jack & the band Heart at a Special Olympics Fundraiser

Jul7

Jack went up on the stage for a photo-op just to prove later that it really was the band Heart at “The World’s Largest Convoy”, a fundraiser for the Special Olympics in Seattle, Washington in September 2009 (see last post for more on this topic).

Jack and a local radio guy introduce the day’s festivities.

Jack signs “Ice Road Trucker” T-shirts and photos.

The band is rockin’out so hard Jack can’t hear this little guy!

Jack signs a poster someone brought to the fundraiser.

Thanks to Carlile Transportation for taking these great photos and sharing them with us. What a worthy cause!

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World’s Largest Convoy 2009 – Special Olympics Fundraiser

Jul4

In September of 2009 Jack took part in a fundraiser for the Special Olympics in Seattle, Washington. Over 250 trucks lined up and drove through part of the city to create the “World’s Largest Convoy 2009”.