ATS 1.41 discussion

[Ludo Diabolo]

and I don't see why, because speed bumps are in every truck in Europe, at least for France, where I come from .... for the other countries of Europe I can't certify it...

[eshvos]

It's just the USA, trucks in Canada have had retarders optionally available.

Source?

I haven't seen a spec sheet for a Canadian on-highway truck, where a retarder was listed as an option.


I believe they are uncommon in North America, because of the different weight regulations. A retarder is usually heavier than an engine brake and with low legal front axle weights and low GCWs, it makes sense to focus on the exhaust brake instead.

[Trucker_71]

@eshvos Did you see my post above... I drove one for about a year in BC,

[flight50]

Eshvos did mention uncommon though. Unlike myself, I said doesn't exist. Eshvos's meaning could be that they can exist but not the norm. At he same time, he is referring to current trucks. For you retired guys, you guys have been out for 10-20 years.

[ralph_l084]

For some reason I can't hear or see anything on the CB. It worked last night. I can hit the X button on the server and I don't even see the name come up at the top on my computer.

[eshvos]

@Trucker_71 Yes, I've read that post. Still, I believe that they are very uncommon in today's North American trucks and I'd like to see a source that they are actually somewhat frequently ordered in Canadian trucks (or even available!). I don't even think they are available for the North American I-Shift transmission (as I haven't seen a source for that yet), even though Volvo has always tried to bring European technology to North America, e. g. their synchromesh transmissions in the 1990s (VT1414, VT2412, ...), European trucks (N-series, FM, etc.) in the 1980s and their European engines (TD 122, TD 123, D12, etc.).

As far as I know, retarders were more frequently found together with the American V8s, e. g. CAT 3408 (Brakesaver) or Mack END(T)864 and newer.

Your post about the Columbia with the MBE4000 engine is actually the first one I have seen talking about a retarder for a 6-cylinder engine in a modern (= truck with computers) North American truck. I didn't even know that Daimler tried to sell retarders in North America. Therefore I'd like to see sources (e. g. spec sheets found on web.archive.org, truck sales where the retarder is shown, videos, ...) for this to further look into this and verify these claims about retarders in Class 8 trucks. E. g. this article says it didn't have a jacobs brake, but used a different kind of compression brake. No mention of a retarder. No retarder mentioned on the official website either.

I don't want to say that I don't trust you. But after years of researching information on the internet, I have learned to always look for a second, preferably official, source before believing the hearsay found on forums.

[Trucker_71]

For me it wasn't hearsay, I drove the truck and it had a retarder. It was owned by Aggressive transport in Langley BC. They had 3 or 4 of them at the time, would have been around 2008 +/-

[eshvos]

For me it wasn't hearsay,

I know that ... But for me you are a random person on the internet. I can't verify if you've been a truck driver or not and I can't verify that you have driven the truck in question. So for me it is hearsay, even if it isn't for you, as you have first-hand information.
Please don't take it personal, I am just trying to explain how it is for me, another random person on the internet from some part of the world in front of a keyboard and a screen, reading through forums like this.

There are so many people on the internet claiming they know xyz and after finding more information about the topic, it turns out that these people are just pretending to know the stuff. Therefore I have started to always look for spec sheets or news articles for verifying information and if it isn't already archived on web.archive.org, I ususally save it there to keep trustworthy information available for future generations and researchers.
With a second independent source (e. g. a model number, I can look up) saying the same about the Columbia/Century Class/... with the MBE4000, I could absolutely believe you and the second source, but with a single source it is quite difficult for me.

I'd also like to know what retarder it was exactly (e. g. model number). Was it coming from Daimler or was it a transmission (e. g. from Eaton) coming with a retarder? Was it one of the last ZF Meritor transmissions and they offered the retarder on those? Do they still offer it with their newer engines and transmissions (e. g. DD13 + DT12 with retarder?)? Is any Class 8 on-highway truck still offered with a retarder in North America? ...

[Vinnie Terranova]

I can't find much information about Quick Travel... Is it only used in Convoy Mode, or can it be used in Singleplayer Mode as well? As far as I understand you can quick travel to a city which has a garage you own, or to a repair shop / service station. But do you have to discover that city first, or can you also quick travel to a repair shop in a city you haven't discovered yet?

And what about multiplayer? And I don't mean the Convoy Mode which also is a type of multiplayer. But I mean true multiplayer. Does anybody know if SCS has plans for the near or far future to implement true multiplayer with dedicated servers? And without AI semi truck traffic, because each semi truck in multiplayer should be driven by a player.

[xTHANATOPSISx]

@eshvos

https://www.truckpaper.com/listings/tru ... orth-t800w

Just one quick one I could find.

A lot of newer vocational trucks with the Allison auto trans have the option for, and many end up equipped with, a retarder. As far as class 8 tractors, it was pretty much only ever common in heavy haul trucks. Both because of the added weight not being an issue and because of the need for additional braking force when handling grades with heavy loads over 100k#.

Hydraulic retarders aren't common. They are an option and have been for years. They are much less common now than day 20 years ago. Cat's version was called a Brakesaver. Since Cat left the on highway market I don't imagine they are very commonly discussed. I don't know what others were available.