Top Gear USA

geordi · **Posted:** Tue Aug 23, 2011 12:21 am

Ok... Does anyone here watch this?

I just watched the episode from this season where they were testing to find America's toughest truck, and I have to say I thought they did a passable job at it... Except for the reason people buy these things in the first place: Towing.

They used the Chevy to snap off two VERY rotten telephone poles while hitched to the top. Too easy, and not really towing.

They used the Dodge Ram to pull down a small house, connected to the interior walls. Rotten walls. Almost too hard for that truck, and again - not really towing.

They used the Ford to pull a small switching engine and a coal car. 280,000 lbs, and yes it was on wheels... But 280,000 lbs. Actually being towed.

My comment is this: They didn't want to admit which was best b/c of who was driving it, fine. Its entertainment, that is fine. But how about just sheer respect for a v8 diesel that on loose ground, can pull approximately 10 times it's rating? I know I am one of the towing fools on this board, and possibly the one that has towed both the largest and heaviest trailers at speed. For low-speed short distance like that pull-a-train gag, the closest I have come is pulling my 12,000 lb 30 foot MOTORHOME out of a mudpit it was stuck in, in Virginia. The CRD was on pavement, and pulled the RV out like it was nothing.

Second closest was on muddy ground, pulling out a 10,000 lb (rated) 16' cube van that was DEEPLY stuck in the Georgia mud. That one may have been lighter b/c the truck was only filled with film gear... But the ground conditions compared with Jello pudding. Yuck.

Point being: If you want to test vehicles, do things similar to what they might actually be asked to do. In that vein, going excessively silly (pull a train, 747, etc) is great. If the Ford SuperDuty 450 can pull 10 times it's rating (on wheels / rails)... Can our VM 4-bangers pull 50,000 lbs (on wheels / rails) slowly too?

I'd say it is possible. I also would LOVE to see the faces of the crowd if someone lined up at a diesel pulling challenge with one of our CRDs. I think that would be HILARIOUS and shock the hell out of them. Maybe Top Gear would want to do something like that? It seems like their brand of insanity...

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Tue Aug 23, 2011 12:31 am

I pretty sure your CRD would break before pulling 50,000lbs with lot's of drag(which a loco will have even on tracks).The trans would most likely not be the failure but the weak 1/4 ton rated t-case is and along with the 1310 sized rear u-joints.The 8.25 may not fair much better either.A D80/Sterling 10.5 axles and 1410 u-joints will take more abuse then a stock F450 can dish out.

Joe Romas · **Posted:** Tue Aug 23, 2011 6:51 am

Ok... Does anyone here watch this?

As you said .... Its entertainment, :ROTFL:

I also would LOVE to see the faces of the crowd if someone lined up at a diesel pulling challenge with one of our CRDs.

Go for it and let us know when and where :BANANA:

I think that would be HILARIOUS and shock the hell out of them. Maybe Top Gear would want to do something like that? It seems like their brand of insanity...

I think it would be an eye opener for the masses :goink:

boilermaker2 · **Posted:** Tue Aug 23, 2011 8:17 am

OK, Joe and I can be in therapy together. :oops:

I pulled out a very stuck minivan this last winter, while on ice after I got tire of waiting on the modified F-150 4x4 to do it.
Nobody thought I could but I did not want to leave our neighbor lady alone with the "help" and did not want to leave her van there either. I accidentally red-lined it in 4LO but did get her out (there was a alot going on- people standing in the snow, a F-150 sliding beside me and me trying to stay on the center crown of an ice-covered road between two snow filled ditched). I had just enough weight, traction and torque to get her out.

I would love to see someone hitch to the sled. If she weren't my daily commuter, I would. :dizzy:

One of these days, someone will. I hope they post it and let us know....

B2

NJCRD · **Posted:** Tue Aug 23, 2011 7:03 pm

Like you said, for entertainment purposes only.
I saw that epsisode and just shook my head
Same as when again, for entertainment purposes I watched ice road truckers.
A heavy rig stuck in snow and the guy gets in his brand spaning new ford f150 eco boost and actually says, let's see if this eco boost can do the job.
So sure enough it does....
And of course an episode later the new raptor does the same on a frozen pond pulling a stuck truck and loaded trailer. Was enetertained that the commercials were all sponsored by ford! Color me shocked but who would do such a thing
:ROTFL:

jinstall · **Posted:** Tue Aug 23, 2011 9:57 pm

Anyone know what the PSI is on that 280,000lb locomotive? If a man can pull a boxcar with his teeth I am sure the KJ can pull a locomotive.

OK never mind it was MORE than 280,000lbs, 328t!!! i will do the math for you, 648,000lbs! So yes I am quite sure the KJ could pull 280,000lbs.

8/31/07 - KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia) -- A Malaysian man nicknamed "King Tooth" has pulled a seven-coach train using a steel rope clenched in his mouth in an attempt to set a new world record for the heaviest weight pulled with teeth.

Grunting and gasping, Rathakrishnan Velu's neck muscles strained and his face contorted Thursday as he hauled the nearly 328-ton train over more than 9 feet along tracks at a railway station in Kuala Lumpur.

The feat was being submitted to the Guinness World Records, said Rathakrishnan's manager, Anna Chidambar.

Dozens of onlookers clapped and chanted "Malaysia Boleh!" or "Malaysia Can" when Rathakrishnan sat down and pulled the train, holding both tracks for support and pushing his booted feet against the wooden rafters to propel himself backward.

Rathakrishnan, who partially attributes his strength to an Indian form of meditation, pulled the train 9 feet, 2.2 inches in the first attempt.

His second and third attempts resulted in the train moving 2 feet, 4.7 inches, and 8 feet, 1.6 inches.

An exhausted Rathakrishnan spoke only briefly to reporters, saying that in addition to the meditation exercises, he does jaw training daily.

geordi · **Posted:** Tue Aug 23, 2011 10:16 pm

That is both impressive... And scary to anyone that might be a dentist!

On Top Gear, the thing wasn't a multiple-car train like that guy pulled, it was just a small switching engine and a coal car. I don't think the coal car (medium length, short height open gondola type) was full.

I have seen in train machine shops where someone working on a wheel assembly will hoist it onto the work rails with a crane as the 2-wheels-with-axle assembly weighs in at about 1 ton... Then push it into position BY HAND without straining. The wheel has such a tiny contact patch with the rails that it generates almost no rolling resistance or friction. Breaking the inertia takes a lot less energy than with a compressive rubber tire on asphalt.

TAHOE · **Posted:** Wed Aug 24, 2011 10:29 am

I watch it just for the entertainment value, can't take that show seriously. Like the tested recently 3 -4x4's of which was best, Old CJ7, K5, and Bronco....Adam turned the bronco on it's side and drug in on the asphalt with a winch cause the "tires couldn't touch the pavement" .... can't be serious when watching them.
Who here has actually pushed a car or truck? So yeah, not impressed being able to move a small locomotive engine. They have a regular challenge on World's strongest man where they have to pull a semi or fire truck or the likes.

OldSkull · **Posted:** Wed Aug 24, 2011 11:39 am

I'm not impress by the American version of this show, the original britain version is by far more entertaning with those 3 old guns gentlements kidding each other. If I have to pick one episode over all others I choose the Bolivia special.

Here a link for those who never had the chance to seen it... Enjoy

http://www.streetfire.net/video/top-gear-bolivia-special-season-14-episode-6_1994638.htm

mikey1273 · **Posted:** Wed Aug 24, 2011 11:42 am

US version of TOP Gear stinks

BBC version is much better! more entertaining too.

I liked the episode where Jeremy Clarkson took a Land Rover off road in Scotland up a mountain the no one had ever taken a vehicle to the summit before. he made it after getting stuck several times. had a winch to winch himself out but no trees to tie to. they had to bring in something called a Land Anchor.

geordi · **Posted:** Wed Aug 24, 2011 1:02 pm

Don't get me wrong, I prefer the BBC version too. The special trips they do (Boliva, Vietnam, race to Jerusalem, North Pole!) are really the highlights of an incredible series.

I don't really know why the three guys from the BBC version gave the USA another season (they are exec producers) other than I am waiting for the BBC Vs The Colonies challenge show, like they did with Australia and Germany. I watch far more of the BBC show than this USA one, which was kinda why I was asking about if anyone actually watched it. Its a mess, they have no real chemistry.

I think once they have the crossover show... History Channel will pull the plug.

flman · **Posted:** Wed Aug 24, 2011 3:50 pm

Geez, couldn't they have just hooked the trucks back to back, let the Cummins drag the Chevy and Ford backwards and call it done? Of course they can put a strap around the wheels like a spiral belt so that traction would not be an issue.

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