truck driving trivia assist
ok, i ws going down the interstate and saw an 18 wheeler with a plate that said it was a 'semi-tractor' licence plate.
what is a semi tractor?
ok, then what is a full tractor if there is a semi version?
i was always lead to believe a tractor trailor hauled tractors.
so this is the confusion. what is a:
tractor trailor?
semi tractor?
semi trailor?
any others?
[?]
what is a semi tractor?
ok, then what is a full tractor if there is a semi version?
i was always lead to believe a tractor trailor hauled tractors.
so this is the confusion. what is a:
tractor trailor?
semi tractor?
semi trailor?
any others?
[?]
0
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1..Tractor trailer= The cab and engine (tractor) and a trailer behind
2..Semi tractor= the "cab, engine" part of the truck
3.semi trailer= the trailer, whether a van, flatbed, tanker or whatever.0 -
semi trailor is the trailor only, like a boat trailor? 0 -
Correct, whether it be tanker, flatbed, refrigerated, or whatever. It's only the cargo carrying part behind the "tractor" (power unit). The tractor can go down the road alone, without the trailer part. 0 -
ok, now, what do you call those piggy back trailors. just that? 0 -
Not sure what you are asking. Piggyback is a trailer that is hauled on a rail car; not to be confused with a container that is hauled, it has no wheels. Two trailers are doubles, three are triples, one long and one short are Rocky Mountain doubles. Oh, by the way short doubles are each called "pups". There is more but I digress. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by bobski
ok, now, what do you call those piggy back trailors.
In the way![}:)]0 -
ok, its a double then. thanks!
now, can you see why i was confused when i saw a 'tractor trailor' licence plate on a 'semi trailor?'
i get the impression that the trailor should have had a 'semi trailor' plate, not a tractor plate.
im going to assume a tractor w/o a trailor all by itself should have had a the 'tractor plate.'
follow me?0 -
quote:Originally posted by 4440rk
Not sure what you are asking. Piggyback is a trailer that is hauled on a rail car; not to be confused with a container that is hauled, it has no wheels. Two trailers are doubles, three are triples, one long and one short are Rocky Mountain doubles. Oh, by the way short doubles are each called "pups". There is more but I digress.
You left off turnpike doubles!
This is twin either 40' or 45' trailers!0 -
Yeah; get-r-done, but here call them mostly twin 45s. I also did not get into B-Trains and etc. either. Oh; I forgot about about truck and full trailer combos or transfer boxes etc. 0 -
A semi-trailer is a towed vehicle attached to the power unit (tractor) via a fifth-wheel connection (a sliding plate mounted on the tractor into which the trailer locks). A trailer is a vehicle towed via the standard trailer connection. So on a set of double trailers the front one is a semi-trailer because it's attached by a fifth-wheel while the rear trailer is a true trailer as it's hooked to the back of the semi-trailer.
On the 40 and 45 foot single trailers they are usually semi-trailers except for mobile home trailers which are towed using standard trailer connections.
When you see an SUV pulling a trailer it's a true trailer. But you may see a pick-up truck with a fifth-wheel unit mounted in the bed and that's a semi-trailer being pulled behind it.
I drove 18 wheelers for 14 years.0 -
good info.
but it still dosnt explain why i saw a semi trailor trailor with a tractor trailor plate. am i missing something?
see my drift?0 -
You're asking about the logic exhibited by a state licensing agency? 0 -
The tractor is the truck with no trailer.
A semi-trailer is a trailer with wheels on one end. A portion of its weight is borne by the towing vehicle. Most trailers you can think of are technically semi-trailers.
A "tractor-semi-trailer" is a truck and trailer combination.
A trailer (full-trailer) is a trailer with wheels on both ends. None of its weight is borne by the towing vehicle. These are almost never seen on the highways, but are common in agricultural use.
The second trailer in a "pup" arrangement is sort of a hybrid arrangement. The fifth wheel attachment with load-bearing wheels temporarily converts the semi-trailer to a trailer.0 -
ah ha!
so...when the tractor is hitched to a semi trailor, the licence will reflect the entire unit...aka: a tractor/trailor tag.
now it makes sense.
see, take for instance my dads old boat trailor. it has semi trailor tags on it.
i thought the trucking industry was set up the same way.
but i guess tags are issued for entire hitched units.
now it makes sense. thanks gang!0 -
there is a "semi-tractor", then there is a "semi-trailer", hence the word semi{half of two}, you could then say it is a whole{lol}, it distinguishes the difference between a truck with a fifth wheel, and a strait truck
the rest is just slang depending on where you live like soda/pop, crayfish etc0
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