Ingenious Vietnamese logger uses wire rope steering! Mike Ponsonby BA reports.
"Following the theme of Vietnam, this is a photo of a Russian made MAZ 4x4 tractor unit, coupled to a Pole trailer. This trailer is fitted with a self-steering rear bogie, activated by two long wire ropes of approx 19 mm diameter mounted diagonally in a large X pattern from the NSR corner of the truck to the OSR corner of the trailer bogie (and vice versa) : Thus when the truck turns right, the trailer bogie follows its path to avoid bogie cut-in: This type of self-steer bogie was last seen by me on a 1972 ERF artic operated by a company from Burton-on-Trent UK, for delivery of building materials."
"The round timber load was harvested in the Central Highlands of Vietnam
and hauled some distance to a Timber Mill. What caught my attention,
was that the Driver first of all braked his truck to a stop with the
trailer wheels in the middle of a forded River, so that the hot tyres
could cool down. ( His Son is seen checking the tyres temperature in
this photo) : The Driver later moved his truck forward, so that he could
then pay attention to the trucks offside area.
"BLB Members may like to note the gravity fed fuel tank above the cab
roof-line, a powered front axle, Drivers Flip-Flops and rusty cab
steelwork. The latter being indicative of this trucks mid-1960's
vintage, all recorded on Route 1 to the Vietnamese Capital City of
Hanoi, on Thursday morning 22nd February 1990."