Trucking in North America vs around the world

A truck in Russia in 2007.

 

looks bit scottish

 

I was in Canada some years ago and saw the first American timber truck. I was not impressed at all.









In Europe we have no need for drive on three axles.

 

Some are those haul roads are longer than some countries in Europe and they haul a lot more than 88K…….

6X6 and 8X8 don’t exist over there I guess…..?

 

level of craftsmanship of american bodybuilders/trailer manufacturers is 5 decades behind europe.
i mean everything, overall looks, features, usability, details, welds to end finish. when i see prices they pay for, it makes me wonder how companies feel when they buy that and did they ever seen something serious.

same timber truck concept is used in New zealand but looks way more refined.



As for 3 drive axles, they know probably what they need better than i do. that depends on condition, how long would season be, how maintained are forest roads, type of soil, how much you load.
You can see many 3 drive axle timber trucks in Czech and Slovakia (I would say nearly all trucks), lot in Austria and Bosnia (i would say 40%), either due mud or to spread traction force on sharp rocks.
some people use 6x6 without trailer to bring wood from somewhere you should use forwarder, load it on trailer and go out.

Having truck with front driven axle is bottomless hole, always need some work when it gets 10year old it require twice as much cost to maintain than normal truck.


From my point of view on truck above:
-with tri-drive you have truck that tends to go forward

-total suspension travel from first driven axle to last axle is about 10 inch over 9ft length, that is not enough articulation. It result that one of axles very often lose contact with ground.

-american suspension is in most cases 2 airbag, this keep axle parallel to frame and makes traction even worse

-with hypoid axles you get vibration and get wheel hop




here about 50% of timber trucks are on parabolic springs (due traction) and 100% on hub reduction axles.
cousin sent me a video, his colleague tried to turn by 180deg in forest without trailer, empty with crane folded, he has air suspension and stuck in snow/mud.
cousin tried same place 6 times with springs, without problems, air suspension is not fast enough to equalize that.

Weight transfer would help in this case (that stuck truck did not had it)

 

JF21 with Chris Receveur in Mackenzie BC. Good Truckin for April SHOP @ Black Army Clothing Company #theresonlyoneblackarmy #wearblackarmy #jflogging... | By JF Logging | Facebook

 

Finland has 167550 lbs as legal, they use 2drive axles and climate should be about same.
but you wont find much places where timber truck would be legal.... we spec them for 132k on 5axles.
you will find heavily overloaded timber trucks, even in very expensive countries like germany, saw some video of 167k lbs on 6axle scaled by police.

take France for example, this truck is legal 123,5k, it weights empty about 51k and they load them very well.
many MB there (and in Finland) use hydraulic clutch for easier, smoother start to prevent wheelspin, transmission damage, extend tire and clutch life....

 

better show me Ashely, she has nice truck as well....

this JF get once too big tires for front axle with michelin military profile, they replaced it later by more truck like tire.
i guess they try to compensate effect of 3drive going straight by such tire.

 

this looks interesting

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/1OL5mXhguqo