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fuel-mileage, why not 6x2 trucks..??

Discussion in 'Ask An Owner Operator' started by fland, Aug 30, 2012.

Page 1 of 13
  1. Aug 30, 2012 #1
    fland

    fland Light Load Member

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    Jul 18, 2012
    Mayfield NB
    0
    Every O/O knows how important fuel mileage is nowadays. My question is why nobody seems to concider a 6x2 truck instead of the standard 6x4 everybody is using. Take a direct drive transmission with it and you'll save 5 -10 percent on fuel.

    [​IMG]

    Picture just for the idea, not because I think it's a nice truck... It's rather ugly... But it shows a 6x2 with an axle-lift. Are there any advantages of 6x4's that I don't think of..??
     
    fland, Aug 30, 2012
    fland, Aug 30, 2012
    #1
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  3. Aug 30, 2012 #2
    PeteSalesGuy

    PeteSalesGuy Light Load Member

    81
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    Aug 27, 2012
    Buffalo, NY
    0
    We have a local trucking company that has tried some on Cornbinder Prostars, rear axle is non-driving but is not liftable. They saw a small increase in mileage but the drivers are convinced that they will get stuck in the Northeast snow so they are not doing more of them. Most manufacturers offer this setup with matching suspension, that is not a "lift axle" type of airbag but rather in the case of a Pete, Low Air Leaf or Air Trac, etc. as spec'ed.

    Really makes sense for weight critical applications as you save both weight and the drag of the extra gears, power divider, etc.

    We still see guys who are afraid of super singles, disc brakes and all of the new technology that has come along in the past few years. Some of these guys would go back to manual steering and a "5 and 2' if they could........
     
    PeteSalesGuy, Aug 30, 2012
    PeteSalesGuy, Aug 30, 2012
    #2
    fland Thanks this.
  4. Aug 30, 2012 #3
    fland

    fland Light Load Member

    204
    99
    Jul 18, 2012
    Mayfield NB
    0
    I know it's not easy (to say it politely) to change things in North America.

    I'm living in New Brunswick, we got the snow right here and that's the excuse everybody comes up with when you ask about 6x4's. But hey, in texas, Florida and california it doesn't snow that often and yet there it's also 6x4's.

    Now I got to talk to another fellow driver working in the north of Finland. They got lots more snow then even we have in most parts of Canada and most trucks do have the 6x2 configuration. And know why..?? because you got lots more traction that way then you got on a 6x4. Yes, you do need the axle lift of course... Tag axles without lift don't help you anything...

    Can you tell me something about legal gross vehicle weights..?? Is it dependant on a certain percentage of the weight having to be on the driven axle..?? Europe needs 20% in that way...

    Thanks for the reply..!!
     
    fland, Aug 30, 2012
    fland, Aug 30, 2012
    #3
  5. Aug 30, 2012 #4
    Grey Dodge

    Grey Dodge Light Load Member

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    May 16, 2012
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    389 flat top pete 2.jpg 389 flat top pete.jpg
    They don't have to be ugly! 0666-SLR.jpg I've read you can gain 1-1.5 mpg doing this.
     
    Grey Dodge, Aug 30, 2012
    Grey Dodge, Aug 30, 2012
    #4
    fland, SHC and aiwiron Thank this.
  7. Aug 30, 2012 #5
    passion4polishing

    passion4polishing Road Train Member

    1,249
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    Mar 7, 2012
    Tampa, FL
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    If one of you "drives" is a lift do you get 34k for the group or 20k for the single and 12k for the lift?
     
    passion4polishing, Aug 30, 2012
    passion4polishing, Aug 30, 2012
    #5
    fland Thanks this.
  8. Aug 30, 2012 #6
    PeteSalesGuy

    PeteSalesGuy Light Load Member

    81
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    Aug 27, 2012
    Buffalo, NY
    0
    Gross is dependant upon the axle rating regardless of driven or not.

    When we took one of the IH 6x2s in trade we had a guy look at it who intended to install a valve in the air line to the bags so he could dump the suspension, chain the tag to the frame, shut air to the rear bags, reinflate the suapension and run with the tag axle tires off the ground when he was bobtail or unloaded thus saving even more drag. The issue would be with a 6 sensor ABS system the computer would see the tag axle brakes as "locked" due to no rotation and likely have a fit................
     
    PeteSalesGuy, Aug 30, 2012
    PeteSalesGuy, Aug 30, 2012
    #6
    fland Thanks this.
  9. Aug 30, 2012 #7
    passion4polishing

    passion4polishing Road Train Member

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    Mar 7, 2012
    Tampa, FL
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    I thought drops were limited to 12k, but I guess that's just the rating for the drops people install.
     
    passion4polishing, Aug 30, 2012
    passion4polishing, Aug 30, 2012
    #7
    fland Thanks this.
  10. Aug 30, 2012 #8
    snowwy

    snowwy Road Train Member

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    Jul 6, 2009
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    having a lift axle really don't make sense for some people though.

    i'm pulling 80k 97% of the time.

    as for the super singles. i rather limp into town over paying for a road call. and according to mr. rutherford. you can only go so fast before the middle starts bulging out from centrifigal force.
     
    snowwy, Aug 30, 2012
    snowwy, Aug 30, 2012
    #8
    fland Thanks this.
  11. Aug 30, 2012 #9
    PeteSalesGuy

    PeteSalesGuy Light Load Member

    81
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    Aug 27, 2012
    Buffalo, NY
    0
    A tag or pusher can be up to 20K. The "dead" axle on a tandem will be rated at 18,20,23 or whatever the ordered axle/suspension rating is.
     
    PeteSalesGuy, Aug 30, 2012
    PeteSalesGuy, Aug 30, 2012
    #9
    fland and SHC Thank this.
  12. Aug 30, 2012 #10
    passion4polishing

    passion4polishing Road Train Member

    1,249
    921
    Mar 7, 2012
    Tampa, FL
    0
    My comment was specifically about the idea of having a lift axle for a tag, obviously a fixed tag/pusher would be part of the axle group, thus 34k for the group
     
    passion4polishing, Aug 30, 2012
    passion4polishing, Aug 30, 2012
    #10
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