 This is part two of the program on the six-wheel dump truck. In part one we covered daily PM procedures, start-up procedures, and the transmissions used in our six-wheelers. Now, in part two, we'll discuss basic maneuvers, dump body operations, and shutting down the truck at the end of the day. First, let's talk about three basic maneuvers you'll make as a dump truck operator. Braking and backing. We'll start with braking. A fully loaded dump truck can weigh over 20 tons. Once it gets rolling, it takes a lot of force to slow it down. So don't drive anywhere until the air pressure in the braking system reaches 90 to 120 psi, and the low air pressure warning light and buzzer have turned off. When you're out on the road, anticipate situations in which you'll have to slow down. Begin applying the brake sooner than you would in a smaller, lighter vehicle, and maintain a good safety cushion between you and any vehicles ahead. There are no excuses for a rear-end collision. None. Watch the tachometer. Downshift as you slow down. Let the engine help you keep the truck at a safe speed, and always travel at a speed that's consistent with the road, traffic, and weather conditions. So, for safe braking, check the air pressure. There has to be at least 90 pounds of pressure. Anticipate the need to slow down. Maintain a good safety cushion. Downshift to let the engine help you slow down, and travel at a speed that's consistent with the conditions. Now, turning the dump truck. Because of the size of your truck, you'll need some extra room to turn it. If you don't allow for it, you get into situations like this. And that's dangerous. Now, to make a right turn, you should signal well in advance, and slow down to a safe turning speed. Always stay within the proper lane. Don't drift over the center line like this, before you make the turn. And don't cut a right turn so soon that you're running over curbs or into signs. That's sloppy driving, and it's usually unnecessary. Make your turn smoothly and without obstructing traffic. Follow the same precaution for left turns. Signal in advance, slow down to a safe speed, and stay in the proper lane. When you're coming into a tight curve, slow down before you enter the curve. Downshift if necessary, and speed up slowly as you pass the midpoint of the curve. Okay, let's review turning. Signal in advance, slow down as you approach the turn or curve, and stay in the proper lane as you go through the turn. Now, let's take a look at backing the truck. The first rule is simple. The less you back up, the better. That's because backing up is the most accident-prone driving maneuver. The design of the truck restricts your rear vision. It's limited to what you can see in your mirrors. But it's what you can't see that causes problems. So the second rule is simple too. Look before you back. There's a large blind spot behind the truck, a cone of danger. No, this isn't it, but we can use traffic cones to illustrate the point. As you can see, the cone of danger is large enough to conceal another vehicle or equipment or people from the truck driver's vision. Get out of the cab and check behind the truck to make sure the way is clear. Pick out some reference points that you could back toward and keep them in sight of your rear view mirrors. Or even better, use someone to spot for you. Follow his directions as you back up. And use your mirrors. Don't lean out of the cab. That's a good way to lose control of your truck. Back up at a safe, slow speed so you'll be able to stop quickly if you have to. And be prepared to get out of the cab and take another look behind you just to make sure the way remains clear. Let's quickly review backing. Remember, back up only when you have to. If you can avoid backing up by driving around the block, do that. And before backing up, check behind the truck. Use reference points or a spotter to guide you. Use your mirrors. Don't lean out of the cab. And back up at a safe, slow speed. Now for the dump truck's most important feature, the dump body. The dump body on many of our trucks can be operated with electric controls on a panel inside the cab. The other buttons on the panel are for controlling a snow plow. To raise the body, you just push the raise button on the panel and push the down button to lower the body. Okay, that looks simple enough. But on older trucks, you have to use manual controls. The power takeoff, or PTO, and the hoist control. To raise the dump body using these controls, first put the transmission in neutral and set the parking brake. Then step on the clutch and engage the PTO. Move the hoist control to the raise position. And speed up the engine, just enough to get the body rising smoothly. To lower the body, the procedure is reversed. Move the hoist control to the down position. And disengage the PTO when the body is all the way down. Always double check the PTO before you drive off. It has to be disengaged when you're driving, or you'll damage it. There's one more control to use, the tailgate trip lever. You operate it from inside the cab to open the tailgate as the body rises. After you dump a load, drive ahead a few feet to clear the pile and bring the body down. Then relatch the tailgate. Here's the procedure again. Put the transmission in neutral and set the parking brake. Step on the clutch, engage the PTO, and move the hoist control to the raise position. Speed up the engine slowly to raise the body. And trip the tailgate latch. Drive ahead a few feet to clear the pile and bring the body down by moving the hoist control to the down position. Then disengage the PTO. Relatch the tailgate and inspect the back of the truck. If there's any loose material on the truck, brush it off. Now, a few more important points about dumping. Avoid dumping downhill, or when you're parked sideways on a slope. Position your truck so it's as level as possible. And be sure you or your spotter check the overhead clearance before you raise the body. Look out for tree limbs or overhead power lines. Finally, avoid driving your truck with the body raised. Sudden, jerky movements may damage the hydraulic ram. Bring the body all the way down and disengage the PTO. Dump trucks are often used to spread material along a road shoulder. The procedure for spreading is nearly the same as in single pile dumping. You use the same controls. But when you're spreading, you regulate the flow of material by adjusting the tailgate spreader chains to control the size of the tailgate opening. Here's how it's done. First position your truck at the dump site. Place the body, then trip the tailgate latch. Drive forward so the material falls out of the body and spreads out evenly behind the truck. Then bring the body down and head back for another load. When you get back to the yard, position your truck near the stockpile so the loader can go from the stockpile to the truck easily and quickly. Stay in front of the truck where the loader operator can see you and you can see him. That's all there is to it. Now let's discuss shutdown. Keep your truck clean. Wash out the dump body at the end of the day. Park on level ground and let the engine idle for five minutes or so to let it cool down gradually. While the engine is warm and running, check the transmission fluid level. You should also check the power steering fluid, but do that after you shut down the engine. And one point about checking fluid levels. Don't overfill any fluid or oil level. In most cases, adding too much fluid is just as bad as not enough. Bleed off the air reserve tanks to expel any moisture that's built up in the tanks. Do a quick walk around inspection of the truck. Look for any damage that may have occurred during the day. After five minutes of idling, shut down the engine. Make sure the parking brake is set, the transmission is in neutral, and the two-speed axle is in low range. If you have to park on a hill, chalk the rear wheels. In cold weather, plug in the electric heating elements to keep the engine block warm overnight. That'll make starting easier the next day. And that's it for our programs on the six-wheeler. Remember the major points we've covered here, and apply them as you gain more hands-on experience. That, along with plenty of practice, will earn you a reputation as a skilled and responsible operator.