![]() ![]() Traction control should not be on a logging truck. "A good driver would know what’s going on. ![]() "There's no point in having sensors in the vehicle," said Barber. How does a Jake Brake affect the rear end?"īy those standards, he feels, newer, more technically advanced trucks just don't cut the mustard, as nothing can substitute for an operator's experienced ear listening for the tires, the engine braking, the differentials. You've got to be able to hear and feel what your vehicle is doing, have a quick reaction time and understand the mechanics of how it actually works. "It takes a lot of training, a lot of confidence behind the wheel, a lot of time in the seat," he said. The secret to safely barreling down a winding icy mountain with 75 tons of logs on your back, according to Barber, is to have a great attitude and be a good listener. In the case of a 1969 truck, Barber said that means "it needs to have a muffler." Barber said the rule is that the truck has to meet the emissions standards for the year it was built, as in most of the U.S. Unlike California in the U.S., emissions regs in Canada don't sweat the older builds too much. "You can get away with older trucks, because the lifespan is a lot longer, and you spend good money to buy something tough that's going to last," said Barber, who eight years ago purchased a 1969 Kenworth LW-923 from its original owner to haul logs. "You look at double frame rails and three-axle drive, heavier suspension and heavier rigging," said Barber.īoth Barber and Eastman seemed to show a preference for older Paccar brands Peterbilt and Kenworth, for durability. "The ground is hard, which can make for a really good time and more speed in the winter."Īs for the trucks themselves, they need to be heavy-spec'd and ready to get beat up. "In the winter your ground is good, the roads are smooth and potholes are filled in with ice and snow," Barber said. The winter months actually make for the best logging, particularly up north, according to both Eastman and Barber. Can you tell what types of logs they're hauling? Alex Lockie for Overdrive Two of Eastman's trucks make their way through downtown Brattleboro, Vermont. In that way, Barber said the niche might be "even closer to being an old-school owner-op trucker," because "you've got to be part mechanic." "Here, you're not even in cell service, you can't phone anyone, and you have to know how to get it out of the bush, how to fix it." "One of the biggest things is on a highway truck, a lot of drivers are not doing a ton of maintenance, and if you do you're close to a shop," he said. When something goes thunk out in the woods, though, it's often on the operator to fix it, said Barber. ![]() Among Chace Barber's other trucks, a 1969 Kenworth named "Old Blue," hauling heavy equipment. ![]()
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