Single & Dual Driven Axle Tandem Question

We call it lazy axle in Australia. Useless for our kind of work with doubles and road trains. Also useless off the bitumen.

 

Snow , yes, off road, unless it has dif locks (not loacking power divider) a 6x2 with lockers does better in mud then a 6x4 with no dif lockers.

 

In theory, on a slippery surface, your drive wheels can always go slower then the road speed (6x2 or 6x4) The 6x4 has more wheels goign slower and ths would be less likely to skid. In a 6x2 the drive wheels may skid if jaking on slippery surface but the other wheels will remain at road speed. The skid is more likely in 6x2, but whenit happens it does not affect controll nearly as much since 2 axles are still going road speed. When i say skid, i really mean scuffing since the road speed is faster thentire speed and its slippiing i dont mean a sidways skid, althouth in a 6x4 jaking an snow r ice could cause a 4 wheel position skid insted f just 2.

 

i have 2 rigs and my 6x2 gets a bit better mpg. about .7 better or 7000ish a year.

A good 6x2 config has variable pressure on the dead axle. You can reduce load on it without picking it up or putting the full load on the drive. You can even go into a dump position without DOT or anyone caring at slow speeds. (This means dump all the air, but don't lift it so it still rides on the ground but has no weight on it.)

Not really true. Your power divider in a 6x4 is air powered, requires maintenance, and has valves that lock it. In a 6x2, we may have slighty more ar lines and valves, (like 2 more) but we get rid of a whole dif and power divider. We get will of a flex joint, and a whole drive shaft. All of those parts can fail and would b way more expensive to repair then a few valves you can get at home depot. A well designed 6x3 has the default position with dead axle fully inflated and down. If the airline or valves fail, you cans till get home. If a power divider fails, you better call a tow truck.

 

My t600 runs already 760k miles and still looks great for last 11 years.

 

how is that at all relevant to 6x2 vs 6x4. Does you 600 have 6x2?

 

No it's 6x4. The power divider looks great ever since it was built.

 

well when your difs get old enough to replace the PD will likely need work to. You will at least be replacing 2 difs instead of just 1