My new truck will be

i think problem might be in low drive axle weight on 6x2

you guys have 34000lbs on 2axles or 17k per axle . this is 7.7t we have 11.5t so this is 50% more

here even 6x4 have weight transfer function to put more weight on first drive axle while it is slippery

 

than how this can work
no chains, 6x2 44t(97000lbs), 19t(42000lbs) drive axle pressure. 9% hill and it's one hell of a hill tend to get very slippery there
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzU33ekh_nE

+ how it can work with 60ton loads and 6x2, it very rarely see any normal 24-25m stuck

example http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMwpYj-zfpM
I don't see any spinning. and the temperature is around zero with snow on the road, he even shows the weight. (138500lbs)

 

I considered a 6x2 setup when I did my glider... only for a short time. I took a strong look at everything I was doing and eventually went with dual drives and full lockers in each drive. Am very glad I did that. I have used every bit of those features several times this winter. I get into some situations, where, in the past I had to get the wife on my ag tractor to pull me because I could not get good traction. I have yet to have to get a pull in any situation with my current setup. Sure, I know that it is not the most fuel efficient, but I am not spending all my time on hard surface wide roads. I have to go down several gravel roads each week, and get into a lot of unimproved drop lots. Just today, I had to engage interaxle and lockers in drives to get up my inclined drive at home after the recent snow we had in Iowa. Normally, I would have to have a pull. Not today. Was able to back up the incline on ice with no problem.

There are applications where the 6x2 thing works great and a person would be a fool not to take advantage of that setup. But we all do not operate the same terminal to terminal, hard ball interstate, nice and neat trucking thing that Rutherford or others may enjoy. I have taken some of the ideas that do work well in my operation from Rutherford and Malinson. Not everything they espouse is nuts. One just has to look at each thing, analyze how it would work in their operation, and then make a choice. Don't just blow off what might be talked about on a radio show by these guys without taking a good hard look at how it might work for you. They are not right all the time, but they also do hit the nail on the head once in a while also.

And what I did go with is working for me fine. Average high 6 low 7 mpg in the winter, into solid high 7 low 8 mpg territory in the warmer months. Light enough that I can comfortably put 48K in the box before I get near 80K gross. And at the same time, can plow thru quite a bit of snow and ice on some interesting roads.

 

We are not ordering trucks for Europe. So you not comparing any thing. Any fuel saving goes to buy more tires. The men I talked that tried this for over two years till they gave up. All I'm saying this is NOT for me and any one else might think twice before going this route.

 

Congratulations to Oram and Cowpie1 on the new iron.

Nussbaum Transportation from Normal, IL has been using the 6x2 setup with success.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23HIxbnxHB0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYvcK5YZDK8

With this setup, I believe the the driver needs to know the limitations to avoid needing wrecker service. Granted, over my flatbed trucking career, I've been in many situations where a 6x2 would not have worked. You want me to go where? Are you out of your mind?

If I were to set one up, I would spec the locking drive axle a little heavier than normal and run 11r24.5 dual tires for better flotation, traction and load carrying ability. I would probably run smaller diameter 22.5" single wide based tires on a airlift tag axle for better clearance when it's in the up position. I would go with a 4s/4m antilock brake system with no antilock sensors or abs air control on the tag axle brakes.

I could never understand why (must be a cost issue) they put 4s/4m abs systems on 3 axle trucks which should have a 6s/6m abs system. In case somebody doesn't know, a 4s/4m abs system controls both right drives from one input/valve and both left drive tires from one input/valve. To me, this is dangerous because if one drive tire skids enough to kick in the abs pulse motor, the brakes on the other axle will also be pulsed whether they need it or not. In my opinion, this reduces available braking considerably in wet conditions when running empty (speaking from experience with two different 4s/4m trucks).

Another option would be to put the drive axle in the rear position and use an airlift pusher axle (axle is u-shaped to give clearance for the drive shaft) in the front position. By locating the pusher axle in a 5' spread from the drive axle, maybe it would help to distribute weight a little bit better. By going with this setup, maybe it would be less prone to getting hung up; however, it would be a little heavier than the tag axle setup.

 

Oram - Yeah, it would be terrible investment to only find out after the fact it didn't work for your type of hauling.

Those Europeans seem to swear by them though (they claim more traction with a locking 6x2 than a non-locking 6x4).

If the system could work properly, I really fancy the idea of less machinery to maintain with today's very competitive rates and high fuel prices. Years ago I would have scoffed at the idea when trucking was so much different than it is today.

One major problem I can see with a 6x2 setup is that in order for it to work in inclement weather, the drive axle would more than likely have to be over legal axle weight to provide the necessary amount of traction to prevent wheel spin.

 

here non locker truck does not exist except some light distribution trucks which dont pull trailers but this is also rare.all of our axles are much heavier and much more robust , difference between 6x4 and 6x2 is at least 400kg or 880lbs, ,but can be even 850kg 1870lbs

and 6x2 is better than 6x4 except if under snow you have mud ( example in forest when temp is above zero and snow is melting and mix with mud)

but some operators are even switching timber trucks in lighter duty for 6x2

that is point of 6x2 to overload it when needed , try to look better at second video i posted in last video truck is pulling 138500lbs , and latter when he already get on cruising speed he again put air in tag

i dont know how many in road scales are in US , here it is just introduced



from our view 6x4 is uneconomic in distances above 25milles , when considering weight fuel and tire usage

my only concern about 6x2 would be how to sell it

 

Good, because you don't seem to know how to use them.