FDNY Ferrara...Near Completion

[IronsMan53]

Unless they have changed recently I believe that RK builds the aerials for HME.

Why do you dislike HME? My volly FD has an HME engine and it has given us a minimum of problems.

I would guess that his issue is with the RK aerial.

We have 2 75' sticks and 3 104' towers... All RK.

The sticks are ok but IMHO there are much better out there.

The towers are downright frightening and I do not feel comfortable operating off of them. They flex more than anything that I have ever seen in my life. I've been up in a Scope, Sutphen, Grumman, KME (same as Grumman) and E-One platforms. None of them even came close to the amount of flex in the RK's.

[FWDbuff]

Two questions for everyone who has the single screw quints with 500 gallons...

1. Are they legal according to your state's axle laws?

2. How often do you burn through brakes?

[FWDbuff]

[QUOTE=FireMedic049;1255007]They wouldn't be the only ones. There's many of that combination already out there and from a variety of manufacturers.[QUOTE]

Yes I am very well aware of that. I am just not one for putting that much weight on a single screw, and in todays world with many short-wheelbased twin screws out there (granted not as short as a single), wonder why someone would put 20 pounds on a 10 pound chassis???

[FyredUp]

[QUOTE=FWDbuff;1255044][QUOTE=FireMedic049;1255007]They wouldn't be the only ones. There's many of that combination already out there and from a variety of manufacturers.

Yes I am very well aware of that. I am just not one for putting that much weight on a single screw, and in todays world with many short-wheelbased twin screws out there (granted not as short as a single), wonder why someone would put 20 pounds on a 10 pound chassis???

Um, maybe because the twin screw is too long for the station? Maybe cost?

[BULL321]

Unless they have changed recently I believe that RK builds the aerials for HME.

Why do you dislike HME? My volly FD has an HME engine and it has given us a minimum of problems.

I just get nervous when we are looking spending that much money on a truck that I've only seen at a trade show once and that the salesman has brought by my dept. twice. There are no HMEs in my area and I don't know very much about them. Around these part Depts. run Sutphens, E-Ones, Pierce and KMEs. I just don't want to end up with the "ACME" truck all because it was the lowest bid. When compared side by side with a Sutphen the HME stick just looks cheaply constructed. If we end up with the HME, then it is what it is, and we will make the best of it, I just hope that it works out.

[BULL321]

You guys would put a stick, a pump, and 500 water on a single rear???

That is what the Chief and the truck committee specked out. The HME by the way is a Dual axle with a 400 hp Cummins, 1500 gal Waterous Pump, 600 gal tank, foam cell and a good size pto generator. All of the rest of the trucks were single axle with 500 gal tanks

[FIREMECH1]

Two questions for everyone who has the single screw quints with 500 gallons...

1. Are they legal according to your state's axle laws?

2. How often do you burn through brakes?

Don't have an answer for your first question. Don't know the laws, and don't want to.

On the second, I did brakes all around on a 2003 Smeal Quint 75', 1500, 500g, single axle with just over 22,000 miles on it. Drum brakes all around, and also has a Telma installed. The VFD could have probably gone another year, but they wanted it done. The reason I included the Telma, is because it does lengthen the wear on brake shoes.

FM1

[FIREMECH1]

That is what the Chief and the truck committee specked out. The HME by the way is a Dual axle with a 400 hp Cummins, 1500 gal Waterous Pump, 600 gal tank, foam cell and a good size pto generator. All of the rest of the trucks were single axle with 500 gal tanks

In our neck of the woods, HME would have been kicked for non-compliance of the specs as proposed. Maybe some ammo to fight what you don't want???

FM1

[npfd801]

[QUOTE=FyredUp;1255047][QUOTE=FWDbuff;1255044]

They wouldn't be the only ones. There's many of that combination already out there and from a variety of manufacturers.

Um, maybe because the twin screw is too long for the station? Maybe cost?

I tried to push a tandem for the quint we're obtaining. Was told no. Even our EVT mechanic that the department uses suggested staying away from a tandem with a 75 foot aerial. I know which battles I have a chance of winning, and I know when I'd be more productive slamming my head in the desk drawer. I walked away from the battle.

[FWDbuff]

The reason I included the Telma, is because it does lengthen the wear on brake shoes.

How many of your rigs have Telma's and do you have electrical system problems??

[FIREMECH1]

How many of your rigs have Telma's and do you have electrical system problems??

We have about 40 or so with the Telma's (1991-2008). The only problems we've had, were with 6 of the E-One HP1OO's we got. Seems like they were installed on a Monday. All of them had the relay boxes replaced after water got inside of them. They installed them with the wiring coming in from the top, rather than from the bottom. After replacing them and turning them to face downward, we haven't had any issues since. Outside of that, just replacement of the 2 air switches once in a while.

As for the electrical load, there really hasn't been an issue.

FM1

[Rescue101]

Two questions for everyone who has the single screw quints with 500 gallons...

1. Are they legal according to your state's axle laws?

2. How often do you burn through brakes?

1. YES
2. With a JAKE on a Big detroit or Cummins not those fooking mouse motors,NO PROBLEM. We don't have one anymore but our old Ladder was single X and we NEVER did the brakes,little to no wear after close to 15 years of service, NO water but a 100' steel stick. Our neighbors with single quints ARE NOT experiencing rapid brake wear. T.C.

[Nozzle nut 22]

I would guess that his issue is with the RK aerial.

We have 2 75' sticks and 3 104' towers... All RK.

The sticks are ok but IMHO there are much better out there.

The towers are downright frightening and I do not feel comfortable operating off of them. They flex more than anything that I have ever seen in my life. I've been up in a Scope, Sutphen, Grumman, KME (same as Grumman) and E-One platforms. None of them even came close to the amount of flex in the RK's.

Sounds just like our old pre-NFPA 1991, Seagrave stick. It was bought from a dealer who refurbed an FDNY surplus stick. To me, that thing was scary once you got up towards the tip- way too much bounce and sway for my taste. And that's when it was in vertical mode. If it's unnerving for us, how do you think Mrs Smith feels about it? As if getting a panic stricken, smoke inhalation suffering person to climb down wasn't "interesting " enough!

Most LADDERS are designed with some flex in them. I can't speak for tower ladders like the 'Scope and the Sutphen, that's a whole different animal. It may be part of the ladder's design, but it sure is an unnerving feeling isn't it? Then you have the ones that feel like they are made from an erector set buy a 10 yr old...

Me and my large can will stick with the heavy duty ladders, please!

[flydog2]

This is a post by Mr. Phaze on 2/14/2011, I guess this sums up the years of experance that allowed for his opinion also the first hand knowledge to start this thread. Good luck in your Explorer program. and I with your continued growth in the fire service.

Yep, he is going to be one of those.

[Nozzle nut 22]

To answer an earlier post on axle weights-

The DOT laws cover commercial vehicles, they're federal, not state. For dually axles or super singles it's 20,000#. 34,000# for a set of tandem axles.
Maximum gross vehicle weight is 80,000#. Anything more than that and you need a special permit- for EACH load.

The first is the reason you see a lot of semi trailers with spread axles- that way, each can have 20k# on it.

Steer axles are allowed 12,000. Certain types of tires will allow more, but the GVWR remains the same.

Technically, that single rear axle quint would have a gvwr of 32,000#... Exceptions probably exist, but why design a rig that's overweight by federal standards? The weight limits are there for a reason. Strait trucks intended to carry Heavy loads get extra axles- to increase braking power!

I'd be interested to see a CAT scale ticket for one of those quints.