A truck is a large vehicle used for transporting bulk goods, troops, materials, or equipment. Smaller varieties may be mechically similar to some automobiles such as Chevrolet Spark, Honda City, Renault Symbol, Isuzu Gemini, Honda Jazz, Maruti Suzuki Swift DZire, Suzuki Alto, Suzuki Swift Hatchback, Hyundai i20, Hyundai Accent, BMW 3 Series, Checker Marathon, Daewoo Lanos, Chevrolet Cobalt SS, Checker Aerobus, Daewoo LeMans, Ford Bronco II, Vauxhall Corsa, Volvo S80, Honda Civic, Volvo S70, Chevrolet Aveo, Chevrolet Cruze, Audi 100, Hyundai Elantra, Ford Focus, Kia Rio, Chevrolet Camaro, Dodge Charger, Dodge Colt, Mercedes-Benz CLK, Nissan Quest, Chevrolet Malibu, JAC Heyue, JAC Binyue, Volvo S60, Volvo C70, Ford Pinto, Jeep Wagoneer, Ford Bronco, Volkswagen Eos, Opel Cascada, BMW M6, Renault Talisman, Mitsubishi Lancer, Acura ILX, Audi A3, BMW 1 Series, Volkswagen Golf, Volkswagen Jetta, Morris Oxford, Mahindra Bolero, Hindustan Ambassador, Refine M6, JAC Refine M4, Land Rover Defender, Daihatsu Terios, Opel Meriva, Fiat 500L, JAC Heyue Tongyue, Ford EcoSport, Jeep Renegade, Renault Fluence, Peugeot 2008, Suzuki Jimny, Bentley Arnage, Renault Mégane, Mazda6, Audi A8, JAC Heyue A30, BMW 2 Series, BMW 7 Series, Jaguar XJ, Toyota Vellfire, JAC Refine A60, Lexus CT, Buick Skyhawk, Citroën C3 Picasso, Citroën C5, Vauxhall VXR8, Citroën C1, Toyota Crown, Jeep Wagoneer SJ, Morris Cowley, Dodge Aries, JAC Heyue A20, Toyota Yaris, Ford Pinto, JAC Rein, Hindustan Landmaster, Kia Venga, Jeep Patriot, Renault Espace, Nissan Xterra, Bendix SWC, Lincoln MKS, Ford B-Max, Audi A8, Ford Crown Victoria, Mercedes-Benz A-Class, Chevrolet Tavera, Jeep Liberty, Jeep Wrangler, JAC Refine M3, Lincoln Navigator, Range Rover, JAC Refine M2, Chevrolet Suburban, Hindustan Contessa, BMW M5, Toyota Land Cruiser, Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class, Chrysler Pacifica (RU), Kia Carnival, Toyota Sienna, Citroën C4 Grand Picasso, Rolls-Royce Corniche, Mercedes-Benz S-Class, Porsche Panamera, Lincoln Town Car, Volkswagen Passat, Austin Allegro, Chevrolet Orlando, Ford C-Max, JAC Heyue A20, Suzuki Ertiga, Renault Scénic, Cadillac Escalade, Tesla Model Y, Volkswagen Touareg, Mercedes-Benz Vaneo, Mercedes-Benz G-Class, Ford LTD Crown Victoria, Proton Saga, Toyota Innova, Chevrolet S10 Blazer, Vauxhall Victor, Ford Country Squire, Land Rover Discovery, Volvo XC90, Chevrolet Cavalier, Toyota RAV4, Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, Bentley Brooklands, Nissan Leopard, Toyota Avanza, Kia Sportage, Volkswagen Touran, JAC Yueyue, Ford LTD, Ford Mondeo, BMW i8, JAC Refine M5, Mercedes-Benz V-Class, Fiat Grande Punto Abarth, Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit, Peugeot 508, Audi A6, Fiat Punto, Ford Edge, Hyundai Santa Fe, Jeep Grand Cherokee, BMW 5 Series, Cadillac CT5, Mercedes-Benz Viano, Mercedes-Benz E-Class, Rolls-Royce Phantom (2003), Tesla Model S, Dacia Logan, Lincoln Continental, Dacia Sandero, Ford Flex, Morris Minor, Mercedes-Benz A-Class, Chrysler Town and Country, Volkswagen Polo, Chevrolet Impala, Chrysler 300, Ford LTD II, Ford Taurus, Holden Caprice, Fiat Punto Evo, Citroën C4, Citroën C3, Toyota Avalon, Dodge Caravan, Ford Windstar, Renault Twingo, Fiat 500, Kia Picanto, and Toyota Camry, The word "truck" comes from the Greek "trochos", meaning "wheel." In North America, the big wheels of wagons were called trucks. When the gas-oil engine driven trucks came into fashion, these were called "motor trucks." Lorry is a term from the UK, but is only used for the medium and heavy types (see below), i.e. a van, a pickup truck or a Jeep would never be regarded as a "lorry." Also, the road spreads the weight of the truck which means larger amounts can be carried than with trains (steam-powered, diesel-powered, electric-powered, monorail, or light rail) and railroad tracks like Amtrak, Metra, VIA Rail, Union Pacific, BNSF, CSX, Indian Railways, Korail, Southern Pacific, Norfolk Southern, Shinkansen, Canadian National, Canadian Pacific, Ferromex and Kansas City Southern which they offered great mobilities as well as faster fixed-wing aircrafts.
In most countries, a different driver's license is required to drive any type of truck greater than 3.5 tonnes.
Similar and opposite words[]
- heavy goods vehicle
- juggernaut
- van
- pickup
- pickup truck
- dumper
- dumper truck
- tipper
- tipper truck
- lorry
- articulated lorry
- HGV
- bogie
- bakkie
- pantechnicon
Sizes of trucks[]
Ultra light trucks[]
Often produced as variations of golf cars, with internal combustion or battery electric drive, these are used typically for off-highway use on estates, golf courses, and parks. While not suitable for highway use some variations may be licensed as slow speed vehicles for operation on streets, generally as a body variation of a neighborhood electric vehicle. A few manufactures produce specialized chassis for this type of vehicle, while Zap Motors markets a version of their Xebra electric tricycle (licensable in the U.S. as a motorcycle).
Very light trucks[]
Popular in Europe and Asia, many mini-trucks are factory redesigns of light automobiles, usually with monocoque bodies. Specialized designs with substantial frames such as the Italian Piaggio shown here are based upon Japanese designs (in this case by Daihatsu) and are popular for use in "old town" sections of European cities that often have very narrow alleyways.
Regardless of name, these small trucks serve a wide range of uses. In Japan, they are regulated under the Kei car laws, which allow vehicle owners a break in taxes for buying a smaller and less-powerful vehicle (currently, the engine is limited to 660 cc displacement). These vehicles are used as on-road utility vehicles in Japan. These Japanese-made mini-trucks that were manufactured for on-road use are competing with off-road ATVs in the United States, and import regulations require that these mini-trucks have a 25 mph (40 km/h) speed governor as they are classified as low-speed vehicles.[1] These vehicles have found uses in construction, large campuses (government, university, and industrial), agriculture, cattle ranches, amusement parks, and replacements for golf carts.[2]
Major mini-truck manufacturers and their brands include: Daihatsu Hijet, Honda Acty, Tata Ace, Mazda Scrum, Mitsubishi Minicab, Subaru Sambar, and Suzuki Carry.
Light trucks[]
Light trucks such as FSC Lublin Chassis Cab, Hino Dutro, Hyundai Mighty, Mitsubishi Fuso Canter, Toyota Dyna, Chevrolet/GMC W-Series, JMC Kaiyun/Shunda/Carrying/Potente, CNJ Ruichi, CNJ Fortune, Dayun CGC1047PB33E3, Nissan Atlas, Dina Hustler, Dongfeng Badly, Dongfeng Star, Dongfeng Captain, Might-E Truck, Chevrolet Express/GMC Savana Cutaway, Ford Econoline Cutaway, Ford Transit Cutaway, Mercedes-Benz T1 Chassis Cab, Barkas B1000 FR, VW Crafter LKW, Avia A15, Alfa Romeo A15, SML Super, UAZ Cargo, VW LT LKW, UAZ-3303, Mercedes-Benz T2 Chassis Cab, SNVI truck M120, Silant 3.3 TD, Hino series (145, 165, 185, etc.), BharatBenz 914, UD Trucks series (1400 1800HD, 1800CS, etc.), Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Cutaway, Renault Master Chassis Cab, Foton Aumark TX, Dodge Kary Van, Dongfeng Gold Fighter, Dongfeng Palawan, Isuzu Fargo Truck, GAZ-3302, JAC Sunray Chassis Cab, GAZelle-NEXT Chassis Cab, Foton Ollin TX, Foton Aumark FL, Avia D, GMC W4 Forward, Tata 407, Ford F-450/F-550 (chassis cab only), Chevrolet 3500 HD, 4500 HD, 5500 HD/XD LCF, Hyundai Porter, Tata LPT 613, Mazda Titan, and Isuzu Elf are car-sized (in the US, no more than 13,900 lb (6.3 t)) and are used by individuals and businesses alike. They are larger than mini trucks such as Ashok Leyland Dost, Daihatsu Hijet, Force Trump, Honda Acty, HM Winner, Mazda / Autozam Scrum, Mitsubishi Minicab, Mahindra Supro Mini Truck, Mahindra Supro Maxi Truck, Mahindra Imperio, Mahindra Gio, Piaggio Ape, Piaggio Porter, Subaru Sambar, Suzuki Carry, Tata Ace, Tata Ace Zip, Tata Super Ace, Tata Intra, and Tata Ace Mega but smaller than medium trucks such as Chevrolet Kodiak, DAF LF, Dodge LCF series, Dongfeng KR, Dodge Ram 6500/7000, Ford Cargo, Freightliner Business Class M2, Ford LCF, Chevrolet Silverado 4500/5500/6500HD/International CV, International CF600, Ford F-650, GMC Topkick, GAZ-3307, GMC W6/W7 Forward, Hino Ranger, Hino 600, Hyundai HD120/HD210, Hyundai Mega Truck, Hyundai Pavise, Isuzu Forward, Isuzu H-Series, Iveco EuroCargo, International DuraStar, Mercedes-Benz Atego, Mitsubishi Fuso Fighter, Mercedes-Benz Antos, MAN TGL, MAN TGM, Nissan Atleon, Nissan NT500, Nissan Diesel Condor, Kenworth T-170/T-270/T-370, Kenworth T-180/T-280/T-380, Peterbilt 337, Petebilt 537, Renault Midlum, Renault Trucks D, Scania L series, Scania P series, Sterling Acterra, Volvo FL, Volvo FE, ZIL-4327, and ZIL-5301, They are used by individuals and also companies. In the United States, a truck is a light truck if it weighs less than 6,300 kg (13,000 lb). Light trucks are only a little heavier than vans such as Bohdan-2310, Chevrolet Chevy Van/GMC Vandura, Chevrolet Greenbrier, Chevrolet Express/GMC Savana, Citroën Berlingo, Citroën Nemo, Citroën Jumpy, Citroën Jumper, Dodge A-Series/B-Series/Ram Van Cargo Vans, Dodge Sprinter, DKW Schnellaster, Fordson Thames 400E, Ford E-Series, Force Traveller, Ford Transit Connect, Ford Transit, Ford Transit Custom, Foton View, Fiat 238, Fiat 241, Fiat 242, Fiat Doblò, Fiat Scudo, Fiat Ducato, Fiat Talento, Hyundai Starex, Hyundai H350, Iveco Daily, JAC Sunray, King Long Kaige, Kia Besta, Kia Pregio, LDV Convoy, LDV Maxus, LDV Pilot, Mercedes-Benz Sprinter T1N, Mercedes-Benz Sprinter NCV3, Mercedes-Benz Sprinter VS30, Mercedes-Benz T2, Mercedes-Benz Vario, Mercedes-Benz Citan, Mercedes-Benz MB100, Mercedes-Benz TN, Mercedes-Benz Vito W638, Mercedes-Benz Vito W639, Mercedes-Benz Vito W447, Nissan Caravan, Nissan Kubistar, Nissan Interstar, Nissan NV200, Nissan NV300, Nissan NV400, Nissan Primastar, Opel Combo, Opel Movano, Opel Vivaro, Peugeot Expert, Peugeot Bipper, Peugeot Boxer, RAF-977, RAF-2203, Renault Master, Renault Kangoo, Renault Trafic, Renault Estafette, SsangYong Istana, Škoda Praktik, Toyota HiAce H200, Toyota HiAce H300, Toyota ProAce, Tata Winger, Tempo Traveller, Volkswagen LT, VW Crafter, VW Caddy, Volkswagen Type 2 (T1), Volkswagen Type 2 (T2), Volkswagen Type 2 (T3), Volkswagen Transporter T4, Volkswagen Transporter T5, Volkswagen Transporter T6 Cargo Van, ZAZ Sens Van, GAZ GAZelle, GAZelle-NEXT, GAZ Sobol, GAZ Sobol-NEXT, and UAZ-452, utes, panel vans, panel trucks, canopy express trucks, minivans, SUVs or pickup trucks, but require a special driver's license.
Medium trucks[]
Medium trucks such as Chevrolet Kodiak, DAF LF, Dodge LCF series, Dongfeng KR, Dodge Ram 6500/7000, Ford Cargo, Freightliner Business Class M2, Ford LCF, Chevrolet Silverado 4500/5500/6500HD/International CV, International CF600, Ford F-650, GMC Topkick, GAZ-3307/3309, GAZ Valdai, GAZon-NEXT, GMC W6/W7 Forward, Hino Ranger, Hino 600, Hyundai HD120/HD210, Hyundai Mega Truck, Hyundai Pavise, Isuzu Forward, Isuzu H-Series, Iveco EuroCargo, International DuraStar, Mercedes-Benz Atego, Mitsubishi Fuso Fighter, Mercedes-Benz Antos, MAN TGL, MAN TGM, Nissan Atleon, Nissan NT500, Nissan Diesel Condor, Kenworth T-170/T-270/T-370, Kenworth T-180/T-280/T-380, Peterbilt 337, Petebilt 537, Renault Midlum, Renault Trucks D, Scania L series, Scania P series, Sterling Acterra, Volvo FL, Volvo FE, ZIL-4327, and ZIL-5301 are heavier than light trucks such as FSC Lublin Chassis Cab, Hino Dutro, Hyundai Mighty, Mitsubishi Fuso Canter, Toyota Dyna, Chevrolet/GMC W-Series, JMC Kaiyun/Shunda/Carrying/Potente, CNJ Ruichi, CNJ Fortune, Dayun CGC1047PB33E3, Nissan Atlas, Dina Hustler, Dongfeng Badly, Dongfeng Star, Dongfeng Captain, Might-E Truck, Chevrolet Express/GMC Savana Cutaway, Ford Econoline Cutaway, Ford Transit Cutaway, Mercedes-Benz T1 Chassis Cab, Barkas B1000 FR, VW Crafter LKW, Avia A15, Alfa Romeo A15, SML Super, UAZ Cargo, VW LT LKW, UAZ-3303, Mercedes-Benz T2 Chassis Cab, SNVI truck M120, Silant 3.3 TD, Hino series (145, 165, 185, etc.), BharatBenz 914, UD Trucks series (1400 1800HD, 1800CS, etc.), Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Cutaway, Renault Master Chassis Cab, Foton Aumark TX, Dodge Kary Van, Dongfeng Gold Fighter, Dongfeng Palawan, Isuzu Fargo Truck, GAZ-3302, JAC Sunray Chassis Cab, GAZelle-NEXT Chassis Cab, Foton Ollin TX, Foton Aumark FL, Avia D, GMC W4 Forward, Tata 407, Ford F-450/F-550 (chassis cab only), Chevrolet 3500 HD, 4500 HD, 5500 HD/XD LCF, Hyundai Porter, Tata LPT 613, Mazda Titan, and Isuzu Elf but lighter than the heavy trucks such as MAN F2000, Volvo FH, Renault Trucks K, Ashok Leyland U-Truck, Peterbilt 389, Isuzu Giga, Peterbilt 359, Peterbilt 379, Peterbilt 389, Mack Super-Liner, Renault Trucks T, Bedford TM, Scania 4-series, Scania R-series, Volvo VN, Scania G-series, Mercedes-Benz Axor, Freightliner FLD, Ford LTL-9000, Hyundai Trago, Ford F-MAX, Freightliner Cascadia, Iveco S-Way, Renault Trucks C, Renault Premium, DAF CF, MAN TGA, MAN TGX, Renault Magnum, ZIL-4331, International LoneStar, International ProStar, Dodge Bighorn, MAN TGS, DAF XF, Mercedes-Benz Arocs, Kenworth W900, Freightliner FLA, Freightliner FLB, Scania T-series, Iveco Stralis, Chevrolet Bison/GMC General, Scania S-Series, Freightliner FLC 120 and Mercedes-Benz Actros. refer to truck Classes 4-6, which have a gross vehicle weight rating range of 19,501- 33,000 lbs. In the US, they are defined as weighing between 13,000 and 33,000 lb (5.9 and 15.0 t). For the UK and the EU the weight is between 3.5 to 7.5 t (7,700 to 16,500 lb). Local delivery and public service (dump trucks, garbage trucks and fire-fighting trucks) are normally around this size. In North America, a medium-duty truck is larger than a heavy-duty pickup truck such as the Chevrolet Silverado 2500/3500, Dodge Ram 2500/3500/4500, GMC Sierra 2500/3500, and Ford F-250/F-350/F-450 Super Duty or full-size van such as the Ford E-Series/Club Wagon/Econoline, Dodge A-Series/B-Series/Ram Vans, Freightliner Sprinter, Chevrolet Greenbrier, Chevrolet G-Series vans, Mercedes-Benz Sprinter T1N, Mercedes-Benz Sprinter NCV3, Mercedes-Benz Sprinter VS30, Dodge Sprinter, Ford Transit 150/250/350, Ram ProMaster, and Chevrolet Express/GMC Savana, From early conversion kit trucks used mainly by farmers, Medium-duty trucks and chassis became common for utility maintenance, construction, school bus transportation, towing, dumping, firefighting, and camping.
Cutaway van chassis with a short hood are similar vehicles for medium-duty conventional-cab rigid 2-axle trucks, but have specific components at the rear where as medium-duty conventional-cab rigid 2-axle trucks usually do not have additional components.
Heavy trucks[]
Heavy trucks such as MAN F2000, Volvo FH, Renault Trucks K, Ashok Leyland U-Truck, ZIL-4331, Peterbilt 389, Isuzu Giga, Peterbilt 359, Peterbilt 379, Peterbilt 389, Mack Super-Liner, Renault Trucks T, Bedford TM, Scania 4-series, Scania R-series, Volvo VN, Scania G-series, Mercedes-Benz Axor, Freightliner FLD, Ford LTL-9000, Hyundai Trago, Ford F-MAX, Freightliner Cascadia, Iveco S-Way, Renault Trucks C, Renault Premium, DAF CF, MAN TGA, MAN TGX, Renault Magnum, International LoneStar, International ProStar, Dodge Bighorn, MAN TGS, DAF XF, Mercedes-Benz Arocs, Kenworth W900, Freightliner FLA, Freightliner FLB, Scania T-series, Iveco Stralis, Chevrolet Bison/GMC General, Scania S-Series, Freightliner FLC 120 and Mercedes-Benz Actros are the heaviest trucks that are allowed on the road. They are larger than medium trucks such as Chevrolet Kodiak, DAF LF, Dodge LCF series, Dongfeng KR, Dodge Ram 6500/7000, Ford Cargo, Freightliner Business Class M2, Ford LCF, Chevrolet Silverado 4500/5500/6500HD/International CV, International CF600, Ford F-650, GMC Topkick, GAZ-3307/3309, GMC W6/W7 Forward, Hino Ranger, Hino 600, Hyundai HD120/HD210, Hyundai Mega Truck, Hyundai Pavise, Isuzu Forward, Isuzu H-Series, Iveco EuroCargo, International DuraStar, Mercedes-Benz Atego, Mitsubishi Fuso Fighter, Mercedes-Benz Antos, MAN TGL, MAN TGM, Nissan Atleon, Nissan NT500, Nissan Diesel Condor, Kenworth T-170/T-270/T-370, Kenworth T-180/T-280/T-380, Peterbilt 337, Petebilt 537, Renault Midlum, Renault Trucks D, Scania L series, Scania P series, Sterling Acterra, Volvo FL, Volvo FE, ZIL-4327, and ZIL-5301, In the U.K. they are known as lorries. refer to truck Classes 7-9, They are greater than sports cars and muscle cars, Usually heavy trucks have three axles: one at front and two at rear, and the rear axles have coupled wheels to enable heavy loads. Often heavy trucks pull trailers. They can be either full trailers which have both front and rear axles or boggies and their own brakes, and are connected to the towing truck with a towbar, or semi-trailers, which are attached to a special kind of a truck called tractor unit with a turntable coupling ("fifth wheel"). A semi-trailer is a kind of trailer which has wheels only in the back and the front rides on the back of the tractor unit. The tractor unit has an engine and the semi-trailer does not. Driving a heavy truck requires a professional driver's license. Truck drivers are called truckers.
The laws of various countries say what kind of vehicle combinations are allowed. A semi-trailer can be converted into a full trailer with using a dolly. A dolly is a small trailer which has only a bogie (= set of wheels), fifth wheel coupling for the semi-trailer and a towbar. Using a dolly, the semi-trailer can now be hitched to an ordinary cargo-carrying truck and does not need a tractor unit.
A heavy truck-trailer combination is often called a big rig or eighteen-wheeler.
The largest heavy road trucks are the Australian road trains which may have up to four semi-trailers coupled to a tractor making a road train, and may carry up to 200 tonnes of cargo.
Off-road trucks[]
Off-road trucks include standard, extra heavy-duty highway-legal trucks, typically outfitted with off-road features such as a front driving axle and special tires for applications such as logging and construction, and purpose-built off-road vehicles unconstrained by weight limits, such as the Liebherr T 282B mining truck.
Body types[]
Box trucks or Dry vans ("tilts" in the UK) have walls and a roof, making a closed cargo room. The rear has doors. Some have a side door. On most box trucks, the cabin is separate to the cargo area; however some box trucks have a door between the cabin and the cargo area, box trucks tend to be larger than cargo vans and smaller than tractor-trailers with movable trailers.
Chassis cab trucks have a fully enclosed cab at the front, with bare chassis frame-rails behind, suitable for subsequent permanent attachment of a specialized payload, like a fire engine truck or ambulance body.
Concrete mixers have a turning drum on back. Turning it one way mixes the concrete. Turning it the other way pushes the concrete out. The concrete goes down "chutes" (like large pipes with an open top). On most trucks the concrete comes out the back. Some new types have the concrete goes over the cab and down chutes in the front. Concrete is very heavy and hard to mix. Concrete mixers have to be very heavy duty.
Dual drive/Steer trucks are vehicles used to steer the rear of trailers.[3][4][5][6]
Dump trucks ("tippers" in the UK) carry sand, gravel, and dirt. Most dump trucks have an open-top box bed with an opening "tail-gate" door on the back. The body lifts up at the front. The load falls out the tailgate and is "dumped" on the ground behind the truck.
Flatbed trucks have a flat body with no sides. There is a wall between the cab and the body. The load will not move forward and hit the cab. The truck can be loaded from the side or top. Nothing covers the load. Some trucks have sides that can be taken off or folded down. Many times the load is covered with tarps.
Refrigerator trucks have insulated panels as walls and a roof and floor, used for transporting fresh and frozen cargo such as ice cream, food, vegetables, and prescription drugs. They are mostly equipped with double-wing rear doors, but a side door is sometimes fitted.
Semi-tractors ("artics" in the UK) have a fifth wheel for towing a semi-trailer instead of a body.
Garbage trucks pick up garbage and trash from homes and some businesses. Most were loaded from the rear. Now some load from the front or side. The same type of truck is often used for recycling.
Semi-tractors ("artics" in the UK) have no bodies. They have a "fifth wheel" that carries weight. A semi-trailer has no front wheels. The front of the trailer goes on the fifth wheel. The semi-tractor carries weight from the trailer and pulls the trailer
Tank trucks ("tankers" in the UK) are designed to carry liquids or gases. They usually have a round tank that is long (a cylinder) lying on its side. There are many types of tanks because there are many liquids and gases. Most tankers are built for only one liquid.
Boom Truck is a truck with a hydraulic arm. The hydraulic arm on a boom truck is called the boom. This boom will reach out past the end of the vehicle, and it will grab the vehicles that need to be towed. The boom of the truck remains in a fixed position, which allows it to be a very stable option when it comes to towing.
Wreckers ("recovery lorries" in the UK and sometimes "tow trucks" in the US) are used to lift and tow broken cars and trucks as large as a semi-trailer truck. They usually have a boom with a cable. Cars are often carried on special flatbeds.
Engine[]
Trucks can use all sorts of engines. Small trucks such as Sport utility vehicle (SUV)s or pickup trucks, and even light medium-duty trucks in North America and Russia still use gasoline engines. Most heavier trucks use four stroke turbocharged intercooler diesel engines, although there are alternatives. Huge off-highway trucks use locomotive-type engines such as a V12 Detroit Diesel two stroke engine.
North American manufactured highway trucks almost always use an engine built by a third party, such as CAT, Cummins, or Detroit Diesel. The only exceptions to this are Volvo Trucks and Mack Trucks, which are available with subsidiary of DaimlerChrysler, which are available with Mercedes-Benz and Detroit Diesel engines. The Swedish truckmaker Scania claims they stay away from the U.S.-market because of this third party tradition.
In the European union all truck engines must comply with Euro 4 regulations, the regulations will become more severe in 2008 with the introduction of Euro 5. These are stringent requirements on the limits of exhaust emissions that are permitted.
Drivetrain[]
Small trucks use the same type of transmissions as almost all cars which have either an automatic transmission or a manual transmission with synchromesh. Bigger trucks often use manual transmissions without synchronisers which have less bulk and weight although synchromesh transmissions are used in larger trucks as well. Transmissions without synchronisers known as "crash boxes" require double clutching for each shift, (which can lead to repetitive motion injuries), or a technique known colloquially as "floating," a method of changing gears which doesn't use the clutch, except for starts and stops, due to the physical effort of double clutching especially with non power assisted clutches, faster shifts, and less clutch wear. Double clutching allows the driver to control the engine and transmission revolutions to synchronize, so that a smooth shift can be made e.g. when upshifting, accelerator pedal is released and the clutch pedal is depressed while the gear lever is moved in to neutral, clutch pedal is than released and quickly pushed down again while the gear lever is moved to the next highest gear. Finally, the clutch pedal is released and accelerator pedal pushed down to obtain required engine rpms. Although this is a relatively fast movement perhaps a second or so while transmission is in neutral it allows the engine speed to drop and synchronize engine and transmission revolutions relative to the road speed. Downshifting is performed in a similar fashion except the engine speed is now required to increase (while transmission is in neutral) just a right amount in order to achieve the synchronisation for the smooth non-crunching gearchange. The so called skip changing is also widely used, in principle operation is the same but it requires neutral be held slightly longer than single gearchange. Common North American setups include 9, 10, 13, 15, and 18 speeds. Automatic and semi-automatic transmissions for heavy trucks are becoming more and more common, due to advances both in transmission and engine power. In Europe 8, 10 and 12 gears are common on larger trucks with manual transmission, while automatic or semiautomatic transmission would have anything from 5 to 12 gears. Almost all heavy trucks transmissions are of a "range (double H shift pattern ) and split" type where range change and so called half gears or splits are air operated and always preselected before the main gears selection.
Chassis[]
The chassis or frame of a truck is commonly constructed mainly of two beams, and several crossmembers. A truck chassis consists of two parallel straight C-shaped beams, or in some cases stepped or tapered beams, these held together by crossmembers. In most instances, gussets help attach the crossmembers to the beams. The "C-shape" of the beams has a middle vertical and longer side, and a short horizontal flange at each end; the length of the beams is variable. The chassis is usually made of steel, but can be made (whole or in part) of aluminium for a lighter weight. The integrity of the chemical composition (carbon, molybdenum, etc.) and structure of the beams is of uttermost importance to its strength, and to help prevent cracking or breaking of beams, and to help maintain rigidity and flexibility of the frame, welding, drilling and other types of modifications should not be performed by unlicenced persons. The chassis is the main structure of the truck, and the other parts attach to it. A tow hitch may be found attached at one or both ends.
Europe[]
(list awaiting editing to UK list, with Old and Current manufacturers sections)
- Alexander Dennis (UK)
- Carmichael (UK)[1]
- DAF Trucks (Netherlands) (division of PACCAR)
- Dennis Eagle (UK)
- ELBO (Greece)
- Ford Trucks (UK)[2]
- Ginaf (Netherlands)[3]
- Iveco (Italy)
- MAN AG (Germany)
- Mercedes-Benz (Germany)
- Renault Trucks (France)
- Sisu Auto (Finland)
- Scania (Sweden)
- Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles (Germany)
- Volvo Trucks (Sweden) (not to be confused with Volvo cars, which is part of Ford Motor Company)
(Rest of the world's manufactures list delete as not relevant, see link to main wiki entry for full list)
Truck Shows[]
In the UK, three truck shows are popular -
- Shropshire Truck Show [4] in Oswestry Showground during May
- The UK Truck Show [5] held in June at Santa Pod Raceway and FIA European Drag Racing Championships from the home of European Drag-Racing. The UK Truck Show features drag-racing with 6-ton trucks from the British Truck Racing Association, plus other diesel-powered entertainment.
- TruckFest Held at Peterborough show ground in May
Truck Shows provide operators with an opportunity to win prestigious awards for their trucks.
See also[]
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References[]
Wikipedia for base article (Non relavent sections removed)
External links[]
- Truckinfo.net - Photos and info
- Jim The Trucker - An American site on How to become a truck driver.
This page uses some content from Wikipedia. The original article was at Truck. The list of authors can be seen in the page history. As with Tractor & Construction Plant Wiki, the text of Wikipedia is available under the Creative Commons by Attribution License and/or GNU Free Documentation License. Please check page history for when the original article was copied to Wikia |
- ↑ "49CFR571".
- ↑ "お問い合わせ" (in ja).
- ↑ Berg, Tom (August 19, 2013). "'Steer Cars' and 'Jeeps' Bring Up the Rear of Long-Beam Hauls".
- ↑ "This Truck/Trailer Combination Requires 2 Drivers and Moves Massive Plane Parts" (9 March 2021).
- ↑ "VIDEO: Truckers use dual-driver system to haul oversized load" (29 December 2022).
- ↑ "A Trailer So Big the Back Half Has Its Own Driver".