ADVERTISING: What do the strongest man in the world, an experienced truck journalist and a truck of the traditional Swedish brand Volvo have in common? One goal: You want to pull 750 tons of mass with just a single truck. Strongman Magnus Samuelsson and journalist Brian Weatherly are sitting in the driver's cab, trying to lure the latest reserves out of the new I-Shift gearbox to move the enormous load. And that's not from bad parents: 300 meters long, consisting of 20 trailers that were double-decker loaded, and a total mass of 750 tons. Whether that could succeed?
The mass should not only be moved, but also pulled over a distance of at least 100 meters. Volvo trucks can usually pull around 325 tons, but the mission is more than double. Only one vehicle was considered for the test: a Volvo FH 16 with the new I-Shift transmission. It is said to offer traction that has never been seen on the market before. The new creeper gears are responsible for this. They should be able to pull extremely heavy loads and achieve extremely low speeds of up to 0,5 km / h. What is unusual here is that enormously heavy towing vehicles come into play for such heavy loads - but not with the Volvo FH 16, which should be well equipped thanks to the I-Shift transmission. Or is it too small and slender? After all, the test truck comes straight from the factory and has nothing in common with a heavy-duty truck.
To clarify: The mass of 750 tons corresponds to sixteen times the weight of the Volvo FH 16. Another comparison: 350 Volvo To ensure that this backpack does not cause any damage, the towing vehicle was allowed to be equipped with the strongest axles that the factory has to offer. But not only that is particularly strong, but also the driver of the Volvo FH 90. No less, Magnus Samuelsson, the former winner of the title “World's Strongest Man”. In the port of Gothenburg, the giant took on the task, even though he is not a full-time truck driver. But he grew up on a farm where there were all kinds of tractors. This gave him a lot of experience so that he could drive anything with a steering wheel, the Swede says modestly.
The truck journalist Brian Weatherly can only raise eyebrows at such statements perplexed, after all, he has seen in his thirty years of experience already failed some projects. And so it is not unexpected at first that the mass does not move a millimeter at the first attempt. Above all, the weather conditions were problematic, as it had rained at night. In another attempt, snowfall began, which made the run even more difficult. But even technically, major challenges arose: The braking system of trucks and trailers works with air pressure, which wants to be held upright over 300 meter. Also the choice of the appropriate gear wants to be known. Strongman Samuelsson bravely stepped on the accelerator of the Volvo FH 16 and so scared the whole towing vehicle, which impressively demonstrated the excellent traction of the truck.
Ultimately, the once strongest man in the world but managed to move the long column of semi-trailers. 750 PS and the choice of the right gear brought the huge weight finally rolling and could be towed over the required 100 meters. This was an impressive demonstration of what modern trucks are capable of today. No wonder, after all, the Volvo FH 16 is the strongest truck in the world, so that Samuelsson was in good company.