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FLD 120 traction

Discussion in 'Ask An Owner Operator' started by Dino soar, Dec 30, 2023.

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  1. Dec 30, 2023 #1
    Dino soar

    Dino soar Road Train Member

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    I I have a 1995 Freightliner FLD 120. The truck rides and handles so perfectly. It's a pleasure to drive

    The only problem that I have is that I seem to have a traction problem at times. I've been in a lot of air ride tractors and they all seem to have traction problems especially when you're bobtailing.

    But my truck seems to be worse. I kind of just have accepted it but I was speaking with someone the other day that got me thinking about maybe there's something I can do about it.

    For example, when I pull out of my driveway it's low at the bottom and then I go over the crown of the road. Even pulling out very slowly if I'm bobtailing I have to have my axles locked or I can't get out, my wheels will just spin. I have to be careful when I pull out because all the sudden the wheels will grab. Thank God no one runs my truck but me or I'd be replacing axles and pinions.

    I don't run the truck a lot nowadays so I can't remember even how bad it is with the axles locked but I seem to remember one time I got the truck inspected and the same thing I went to pull out onto the crown of the road, and even locked I had a hard time getting out. Unfortunately I do not have full lockers.

    Pretty much everything on my truck is new. New airbags, new leveling valve, ride height is set exactly where it should be, new bushings.

    Like I said I just kind of have accepted that's how it is, but is there any way to improve it?
     
    Dino soar, Dec 30, 2023
    Dino soar, Dec 30, 2023
    #1
    Vampire, Oxbow and exhausted379 Thank this.
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  3. Dec 30, 2023 #2
    AModelCat

    AModelCat Road Train Member

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    Wheelbase?
     
    AModelCat, Dec 30, 2023
    AModelCat, Dec 30, 2023
    #2
    Rideandrepair and Vampire Thank this.
  4. Dec 30, 2023 #3
    Oxbow

    Oxbow Road Train Member

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    Inherent in most air suspensions.

    The only things that I can think of that may help a little are to replace the lines from front to rear airbags with larger lines and maybe adding lines to help air equalize more quickly, and/or adding a quick dump leveling valve.
     
    Oxbow, Dec 30, 2023
    Oxbow, Dec 30, 2023
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  5. Dec 30, 2023 #4
    lester

    lester Midwest's #1 Feed Hauler

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    some suspensions are better than others but really not much you can do. Other than..
    1 go faster, carry speed then ease off the throttle before spinning
    2 put in a locker
    3. keep the truck on the inside of the crown, don't cross it or straddle it.

    I've had several times backing in or pulling out of driveways empty one side of the truck the tires won't even touch the ground. had to go find big rocks and scrap lumber to grab some traction to get moving.
    I put a locker in the rear axle. when pulling out of a driveway if I start to spin I just stop and engage power divider and locker and walk right out
     
    lester, Dec 30, 2023
    lester, Dec 30, 2023
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  7. Dec 30, 2023 #5
    LTL Bull

    LTL Bull Road Train Member

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    Spent lots of time in FLD’s of close to the same vintage. All of them acted similarly to what you describe. Did ALOT of drop and hook (4 or 5 different trailers in one day) on gravel/dirt lots and they’d all hang up once in a while on a pot hole or depression. I wouldn’t mess with what’s not really broken
     
    LTL Bull, Dec 30, 2023
    LTL Bull, Dec 30, 2023
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    Magoo1968, Rideandrepair, cke and 3 others Thank this.
  8. Dec 30, 2023 #6
    Long FLD

    Long FLD Road Train Member

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    My FLD was terrible off pavement on uneven ground when I was hauling cattle. I forget who made it or what the part number is, but you can get a leveling valve that dumps and inflates quicker. That’s what I did and it made a huge difference. You just have to get used to hearing a blast of air all the time when you’re driving.
     
    Long FLD, Dec 30, 2023
    Long FLD, Dec 30, 2023
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    Magoo1968, Rideandrepair, cke and 4 others Thank this.
  9. Dec 30, 2023 #7
    JoeyJunk

    JoeyJunk Road Train Member

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    Mine is the same way.
     
    JoeyJunk, Dec 30, 2023
    JoeyJunk, Dec 30, 2023
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    Dino soar, Oxbow, Rideandrepair and 1 other person Thank this.
  10. Dec 30, 2023 #8
    Dino soar

    Dino soar Road Train Member

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    Someone has suggested to me to put 3/8 lines on for all the bags rather than the quarter inch, so I can try that.

    I'll have to look into a quick dump leveling valve. I would imagine that would help. Great advice.
     
    Dino soar, Dec 30, 2023
    Dino soar, Dec 30, 2023
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    Oxbow and Rideandrepair Thank this.
  11. Dec 30, 2023 #9
    Dino soar

    Dino soar Road Train Member

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    Some guys have said that I think they use two leveling valves or somehow they tied the two airbags on one side like they made them separate from the other side somehow.

    I'm not quite sure the right way to say that but I know the guys in the dump trucks have told me they did that and it stopped the side to side roll whatever it was that they did.

    If anyone is familiar with that, would that make any difference?
     
    Dino soar, Dec 30, 2023
    Dino soar, Dec 30, 2023
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    Rideandrepair Thanks this.
  12. Dec 30, 2023 #10
    goga

    goga Heavy Load Member

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    Lower air bags, they are too high, there is no play for the wheels to bounce up and down to grab the $#$t.
     
    goga, Dec 30, 2023
    goga, Dec 30, 2023
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    Rideandrepair Thanks this.
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