Trucking in North America vs around the world

But reality is that maybe 1% of 4axle market need such truck. 80% is for 8x4, 15% for 8x6, 5% 8x8.

 

I agree that the KW is way too sensitive for any real work.

We also have a lot of light weight 6x2 dump trucks with hypoid axle (they get stuck everywhere). But the advantage is that as they are very nimble in tight spots load quite good with a GVW of 28t.
Some have even taken it to the extreme by ordering Volvo FE 6x2 which loads 17 tons and are very fuel efficient.

 

But payload is about half of that weight difference. Fuel consumption is not really good on awd, so only reason is to not stuck.

 

While W900L wouldn't be my first choice of dump truck, the T800 has proven to be one of the best choices for severe work in NA. Mack used to be king, but have lost many customers since sold to Renault then Volvo.

 

Are maintenance costs increased with AWD and is tire wear greater?

 

Nice 389 with cool green color.

 

Maintanance, when truck is older than 10years is twice than normal truck, it is always something wrong with it. (With hub reduction, without would be lot worst, as there is 4x more torque that goes trough diff, halfshafts and joins)

You want to stay away from AWD as much as possible, it adds weight (1650-2000lbs for one axle and another 770kg for additional axle), chassis height, up to 20cm over normal truck. turn radius become much worst. you can count with 10-13% higher fuel consumption with one driven axle more, and about 5% for additional axle.
We can have switchable (when on it is ON, torque is split 50:50% ) and permanent with differential (normally 30:70%).

it is very hard to decide which one to select.

If you use permanent always (lot of paved road, lot of km, longer distances etc. axle would wear due use, lot of tire wear on front axle, noise, uncomfortable, not safest ride if driver is not experienced etc.).

if you use switchable in heavy terrains you would destroy it easy as it always split torque 50:50, and bring lot of stress to front axle and thereby tires too.
It is more difficult and slower to drive in sharp bends. truck wants to go straight.

for trucks that do winter service it is OK to have switchable, (you dont want to have open diff on very slippery conditions when going downhill anyway) and there is no lot of resistance from surface (like mud or sand).
my brother drive both in plow truck and he still prefer to have permanent due very difficult road conditions, takes 4h to make 17 milles route, in worst 5 milles there are 27serpentines, average road incline is 9%

for tipper truck it depends what you do, most will work best with switchable, as they need it only for short time (will get next week one 6x6 3way tipper that will pull 4axle low loader). NL trucks need permanent awd due high resistance of sand.
for timber trucks it depends, i would go for permanent, unless it is long distance truck, than i would go for hydraulic axle.

on timber trucks front driven axle can save lot of tires. in forest under layer of mud you can find sharp rocks, so when 6x4 sinks and spin wheels it will destroy tires. 6x6 stay on surface easy without any wheel spin.


volvo has awd trucks with automatic switchable axle, it detects if rear wheels spin faster than front, than it engage dog clutch, it is easy to driver to not care about traction, but delay when it senses wheel spin on back and till moment when front axle starts to work, rear wheels would spin even faster and difference would be larger. when front axle start to work makes it very rough on driveline

 

here bechtel brings kenworth trucks in 2002 for a road construction project and T800 and T800W were used, they had walking beam suspension and could not work alongside with our trucks on site and were mostly parked. in 2011 our trucks worked again with them, same case.

 

adding one hub reduction is not that heavy (if i am right fe can have it?) really helps, you dont have to think when you can use diff lock and gain lot of better traction.

i would really stay away from 8L engine on 3axle work truck....maybe can be ok if it is like box body, reffer, tank body or small crane....but not on tipper

 

They mainly haul processed materials. And asphalt mix……..

site/crusher work is for koleka’s……..