00:00Why do Brazil's trucks have raised rear ends?
00:06Could this be good for stability?
00:11Could it be a role model for other countries?
00:15Or is it just Brazilian style?
00:19Many say it's to carry more weight, but it's not. It's a style we have.
00:26On the bustling streets of Brazil, a peculiar trend has captured the attention of onlookers.
00:33The distinctive practice of elevating a truck's rear suspension creates a unique upside-down appearance.
00:40But why are Brazilian truck owners embracing this eye-catching modification?
00:44I feel safer in a truck like this, raised at the back, than in an original.
00:50Beyond the aesthetic allure, raising the rear suspension serves practical purposes.
00:57Out on Brazil's diverse terrain, from bustling urban centers to challenging rural landscapes,
01:04this modification enhances the truck's adaptability.
01:11It allows vehicles to navigate uneven surfaces with greater ease.
01:15What's more, the elevated rear end serves as a cultural expression of individuality, like for Renato Deda.
01:23It symbolizes the spirit of Brazilian truck culture.
01:27Hundreds of thousands follow Renato on social media when he talks about his life as a trucker.
01:3536 tons gross, that's the permitted weight. Then the tare weight has to be deducted.
01:40My truck weighs 13,500 kilos with full tanks.
01:46His truck will be modified in a special garage, like this one in TatuĂ, a two-hour drive from Sao Paulo.
01:56All the trucks I've ever owned have had arched rear ends.
02:00I like it, I can't get it out of my head.
02:03There are a lot of laws that forbid it.
02:05But we do it anyway. Many people even add more springs to carry weight.
02:10But not that they want it to be arched.
02:13It's true that it's better for carrying weight, but it's mostly just a style.
02:21These lifted trucks have been seen on Brazil's roads for over 10 years.
02:26The state is trying to regulate them.
02:29For example, rear lights must not be turned on.
02:32For example, rear lights must not be higher than 1.2 meters.
02:37But hardly anyone obeys the rules.
02:43Over time, drivers have simply said to themselves,
02:46if I have to replace the suspension every few years anyway, then I can just use more.
02:51That way I can load more weight, and it also lasts longer before I have to replace the springs again.
02:58And this habit has become more and more of a trend.
03:09Customers from all over Brazil come to this garage to have their truck lifted higher.
03:15Like Ralf Peral, who's driven a truck for 19 years.
03:20I get the original truck, and the first thing I do is to take it to the special garage and add a few extra springs.
03:30Ralf is also an influencer like many of his colleagues.
03:34It's a way for him to earn some extra money.
03:41The life of a trucker is interesting to a lot of people in Brazil.
03:45Millions tune in to watch Ralf's antics.
03:56I feel total firmness in the truck.
03:59When I got this one, which was original, the first trip I made with it I said,
04:03my God, it's going to tip over.
04:06So I immediately put the springs exactly the way I like and got to work.
04:10I feel more confident now.
04:16According to experts, however, a raised rear isn't safer, but riskier.
04:22Not only for the driver, but also for other motorists.
04:29If you brake suddenly, it goes forward, OK?
04:33And then the rear goes higher and higher,
04:36which creates the possibility that someone will end up under the chassis of the truck.
04:41So you have two consequences.
04:43If the car slides under the rear, it gets crushed.
04:47And when the truck stops, it also goes down and crushes the car, you see?
04:56So what are the advantages?
04:59It's hard to pinpoint one big one.
05:02But from a purely technical point of view,
05:05the vehicle is easier to drive if the front end has a lot of weight on it.
05:13It makes it safer for us.
05:15When entering a curve, the truck stays firmer, you know?
05:18Sometimes, in cases with tall loads, you can enter a curve and it gives more stability.
05:22It feels firmer.
05:24And today's trucks with 13 or 14 springs, which is the original setup, make the truck feel softer.
05:29Personally, I feel more firmness with the truck properly adjusted,
05:33like mine here with a bit more arch in the springs, than with the original truck.
05:37It's safer.
05:38So, why are Brazilian truckers raising their vehicle's rear ends?
05:43Yes, there are safety reasons.
05:46It makes the truck easier to steer.
05:49But of course, it's also because it's the Brazilian style.
05:54And it just looks cool.
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