Backwards forward?

Not sure, but on single axel, turn wheel on way the other turns opposite. Might be the same theory. I'm sure the little drive shaft is turning.

 

A note, I'm was referring if truck was on a jack.

 

And this is in the bad company thread...why???

 

Sometimes the trailer wheels will do that.

Im not sure I understand your situation with the tractor drives. In my time we had a walking beam truck and for the most part those wheels did what they have to do with the situation we were in while rock crawling on farms.

I don't think it's possible to have left drive wheels going one direction and the right wheels on the same axle going the other. It does not make sense. There are two axles inside of there driven by a large gear which itself is driven by a differential and a number of other parts.

However it is very often the trailer, if forced to spin in place the wheels will go forward on some and backwards on the other. it has no choice but to do so. You cannot really force a tractor set of tandems to do that under power. You will have to be in neutral.

And that last paragraph does not even make sense. Tractors do not pivot.

 

Sounds like one of these axles is mounted upside-down? Seems to me that a hub driven CCW on one side would still rotate CCW facing the opposite side (hence wrong direction) with the axle upside down (flipped end-to-end). This video link would appear to substantiate that.

What happens when a differential is upside down

If not, some trucks have an option for power to the front axle. I am not sure if these would turn the opposite direction of a drive axle, or if it's even possible, but perhaps one of these rear drive axles was built with front drive axle parts?

 

Are the axle breathers on top of both axles?

 

Years ago they used to flip tractor diffs inside the case (essentially moves ring gear to other side of pinion) then set a cotton picker on them to make forward reverse. Off the top of my head I can't think of any housings that will allow a carrier to be installed backwards but I haven't seen them all either. Most of my knowledge is on antique type junk