I drove trucks when night heaters had not been invented, sometimes the normal heaters didnt work either, when you told the boss, he would say, your lucky to even have a heater, and even luckier if it works they were proper guvnors in those days, and real drivers, however, comfort is a great boon to this industry.
When i was on middle east work, the temperatures acrtoss northern turkey were often minus 20, and sometimes went lower, so the engine would run night and day, but had to put the revs up to keep the heaters blowing warm. I was in bulgaria on one trip when a garage attendant gave me a bottle of spirit, and a metal dish, that was the best heater you could ever get, would warm the cab so much that it was difficult to get dressed, i relished that spirit, and always stocked up on it, even when we got night heaters, i would use it before getting up, and while the engine was warming.
i run my night heater all year round to keep it going so it does not cease up when you need it.
Last year, yes, just 12 months ago, I was caught on an unexpected night out. I had been driving for all of two weeks so hadn’t got any gear, let alone stuff in the cab and as I had borrowed the shunter’s motor there was no gear in it from another driver. I hadn’t been informed where the button for the night heater was, probably so I didn’t use it and saved the company some dollar.
It would have been fine, if I wasn’t stuck in the cab because it had snowed and the traffic was a pig! Instead I froze my bollix off in a teeshirt and a fleece jacket thrown over me.
robinhood_1984:
Thats all I can hear right now, idling engines.
Wouldn’t be a problem here in the UK so much as a lot of newer trucks have the 90 second engine idle cut out.
The worst time I ever had was when I had my own truck (Iveco Eurostar) and the heater plugs packed in and I had to order them. Took my uncle for a run to Edinburgh and parked just outside in a layby. Both of us had sleeping bags, quilts, coats on, hats, everything and I have never been so cold at all. There was ice on the inside of the windows when we woke up.
anyone know how to set the night heater in a actros to run constant. i cant seem to set it after trying everything it comes on for 2 hours then switches off and i wake up freezing a couple times per night any help would be gratefully recieved
Saaamon:
Just wondered how you lot that didnt have night heaters years ago use to keep warm, must of been bloody freezing some nights!Only asking because mines broken and its not even winter and im already cold lol.
Probably do what I do, run the engine on my break. Don’t get paid enough to freeze. If you do that for a couple of nights, I’ve every confidence that your boss will become more fleet of foot to do repairs to your night heater. 
I have to admit that the only two times that my Daf’s night heater broke down, I ran it into the nearest Daf dealer, got it repaired then accepted the flack when I got back to the office.
I never got the sack and I had a working night heater. Result!
I was in bulgaria on one trip when a garage attendant gave me a bottle of spirit, and a metal dish, that was the best heater you could ever get, would warm the cab so much that it was difficult to get dressed, i relished that spirit, and always stocked up on it, even when we got night heaters, i would use it before getting up, and while the engine was warming.
dose spirits give off a lo of toxic gas?
Meathauler:
0No night heaters in my day even the Camping Gaz stove would not work because Butane will not light below a certain temperature you just had 2 sleeping bags one inside the other and kept your socks on this was taken in 1982 on the A628 Woodhead Pass
HAHA , looks mild by comparison . I turned my truck off the other night and it dipped down to minus 17 but slept like a baby with the bunk heater on , and yes she did start in the morning 
Boss & Driver:
A few years ago a couple of young lads went out to do some boy racing in there car in the snow
They got stuck in it that night and decided to leave the engine running all night to keep warm
the snow and blizards came and the snow piled up at the back of there car sending the exhust smoke into the back of the car
They where found one dead and the other one went into a comber and came round later with perminent brain damageYou could use your camper gas kit as a night storage heater type
but a large brick over the flame before you go to bed so the gas heats the brick up
then when you go to sleep switch the gas off and the brick will give heat out over the night
A bunch of people died on the New York Thruway last winter because of that, they were giving warnings out on the radio just after, telling people to keep their tailpipes free of snow 
harvey69:
anyone know how to set the night heater in a actros to run constant. i cant seem to set it after trying everything it comes on for 2 hours then switches off and i wake up freezing a couple times per night any help would be gratefully recieved
Leave the ignition on 1 click. It overrides the switch.
Boss & Driver:
truckyboy:
I was in bulgaria on one trip when a garage attendant gave me a bottle of spirit, and a metal dish, that was the best heater you could ever get, would warm the cab so much that it was difficult to get dressed, i relished that spirit, and always stocked up on it, even when we got night heaters, i would use it before getting up, and while the engine was warming.dose spirits give off a lo of toxic gas?
Depends on how much of it you drink 
anyone know how to set the night heater in a actros to run constant. i cant seem to set it after trying everything it comes on for 2 hours then switches off and i wake up freezing a couple times per night any help would be gratefully recieved
Yes you have to leave your ignition key turned to the radio-on stop (and turn your radio off)
Haha I remember many years ago leaving my skylight open and waking up with snow on my face 
Lonewolf Yorks:
Haha I remember many years ago leaving my skylight open and waking up with snow on my face
Didn’t use the tied down umbrella over the skylight then? Used that a few times.Not these days though
I remember one night in the 70’s parking behind the flats in Motherwell next to the football ground , after a match there a gang of so called “fans” went through the lorry park and bricked dozens of windscreens (toughened of course at that time) so many drivers including myself had a cold night across the bonnet, no windscreen, with snow in the cab in the morning !
Saaamon:
Just wondered how you lot that didnt have night heaters years ago use to keep warm, must of been bloody freezing some nights!Only asking because mines broken and its not even winter and im already cold lol.
I woke up a few hours ago freezing as the night heater had packed it in. and it’s currently -17 here. fortunately the d13a-type heater still works
Anyone remember the guy who used to ‘sheet himself in’ at Glasgow market 30 years ago?
A volvo F86, he used to drive his front wheels over one edge of his sheet, then wrap it around the cab finishing off with closing the door on a final corner of the sheet.
It was a work of art
espresso:
Anyone remember the guy who used to ‘sheet himself in’ at Glasgow market 30 years ago?A volvo F86, he used to drive his front wheels over one edge of his sheet, then wrap it around the cab finishing off with closing the door on a final corner of the sheet.
It was a work of art
But how many now can rope & sheet as that give it a whole new meaning
I can teach people to rope and sheet
So-called Transport Consultants are charging over 400 quid a day around here, so I reckon I could make the odd shilling!