Thinking about you in the north of Scotland Steve :)

I was puzzled by Steve's predicament - how come that failure of an air-valve could disable the truck?
Frozen synchros? He'd been driving FFS so the transmission could hardly be cold. Then I realised that by frozen he meant seized. So how did the synchros get screwed whilst driving along a freeway?
The answer is that the transmission is automated-shift which needs air to operate the shifters. Air that is leaking via the faulty air-suspension valve . . .

Driving without air-suspension isn't impossible (apart from a rough ride) and driving without synchros isn't impossible - but shifting an automated-shift gearbox without air isn't possible.

However, I believe that any breakdown-mechanic could isolate the air-suspension valve and restore air to the transmission to enable delivery of the load to Omaha . . .

Just my opinion.

Mind you, I've spent years dealing with broken trucks and more years designing air systems or trucks (including gearboxes).

What make is the white 'shooting brake'?
 

Buggah - it's gone now!

I've seen several of these white 'estate cars' passing Steve (usually only slightly faster). Not a 'van' or SUV.

Of course the air problem could be caused by the transmission shifters (or, indeed, neither . . .) It might be just a split pipe.

The brakes will be 'protected' to provide at least secondary performance continuously (unless the compressor supply fails, then the spring-brakes would be available but couldn't be released of course). Auxiliaries (such as air-suspension and transmission controls) will 'fail' first.

http://wikimapia.org/#lat=38.8719573...15&l=0&m=m&v=2

Edited to add that it wasn't necessary to haul Steve's truck down to Kansas. Guys - imagine being 160 miles from your nearest approved dealer (though I suppose some of you doing Eastern Europe in British trucks ran the gauntlet). I've also forgotten those of you in Haggisland.
When we did our test runs 'overseas' (Rovaniemi, Reggio di Calabria (Southern Italy) and Marrakech) we took our own fitters (and spares - though we did have to fly out a DDAD starter motor to Reggio - carried as excess baggage!).

Webcam running again - don't know whether the truck is fixed or whether it's waiting for parts.

Ready to Roll
 

ok. well, If folks (OTRM) had listened to me, we could have had this fixed lastnight!

Ok, replaced the valve, synchros did not freeze up as they kept telling me. LOL.

Guess what? I even had time to clean up and make a gallery if inside the truck!

http://bigrigtravels.smugmug.com/gal...4_AXcxX/Medium

And ya think I would drive an automatic truck??? Even worse, ya think I am a YANK? LOL LOL LOL Though ya'll was my buds.

Folks who dirvie trucks with an automatic are not truckers....but rather, "steering wheel holders" only. <G>

Texas ain't a Yankee state. LOL <G> :)

That looks like the generic Ford mini van

Thank ya:) I have gotten more than a few emails expressing the same. Greatly appreciate thoughts:)

Glad you're getting sorted.
I suppose without auxiliary air you had a lazy clutch (ours used to be drybollock with air-servo-assist) and without assist you couldn't get full pedal travel so you dragged gears. Of course, once you were rolling who needed the clutch anyway?
Sorry about the slur(s). When I looked at the Volvo spec it seemed to be automated shift or nothing (and to us Limeys you're all Yanks - no offence meant). :)

Just seen that you're rolling again.