Why do so many Americans hate European trucks?

I now have a migraine after reading that.....

 

Well, it's basically primary school math, not that difficult.

 

We load 24 tons net on 4 axles all day long.....

No math or bridge formula needed......


Ain’t it past your bed time.....school night you know....

 

Light as a load of bricks.

 

Looks like 76000.

 

We get a lot of our materials delivered in a side dump, and they do not need any more room than a dump bed. Plus they are way faster to dump, don't put everything in a huge pile, and they don't fall sideways or twist on uneven ground. I only order a rear dump if we need material spread, such as for a road.

 

Back load, that is 3way tipper trailer for better flexibility, altrough this become rare.and since it needs sideboards that are not fixed, they made them to be opened swinging and folding. They would be unloaded with forklift. Here quite popular within concrete industry. Friend just ordered one in 2axle version to be used in forest, for fixing roads/paths

 

Based on what you wrote over the last couple of days, you seem to think that shorter is better, manoeuvrability is top priority, and a european style 4x2 tractor is far superior in any condition, even in the US.
This, combined with your fascinationation about the US bridge law/formula, triggered me to do a quick calculation too using the US law.


What we want to achieve is a US legal truck-trailer with a GCW of 80000 pounds.

Example 1, euro style single axle tractor with 3 axle trailer.
Using the bridge formula, the minimum required outer axle spread is 51 ft.

Example 2, north american style 6x4 with 2 axle trailer.
Minimum required distance between axle 2 and 5: 36 ft
Using a short wheelbase tractor (160" WB, 52" tandem axle spread, see picture below), the minimum required outer axle spread is 47 ft (36 + [160-52/2] / 12)

Which is shorter?

Now you will probably say that the US law is stupid, but it is what people in the US have to deal with
And what US trucks are designed for.....

 

Screw all that. with proper driving skills a 300 inch wheelbase big sleeper truck will go anyplace that day cab can go. Ok, maybe not anyplace, but 99.99% of them.

 

You're making all this up. It's very simple, this trailer has got the proper dimensions for this load. The trailer causes a load of 6.6t on the fifth wheel, so one rear axle on the tractor is sufficient to take that load. Nothing more, nothing less, simple math. Don't put words in my mouth that I didn't use.

Since it is my goal to show the effects of the formula, I'm going to use a GCW of 40t or 88,000 lbs, even though I know that is 8000 lbs over the limit.

With 88,000 lbs we get 64 ft.
Now you see another effect of the formula. The correlation between weight and outer axle spread is far from linear. 10% more weight causes 25% more axle spread!!

That is based on the 68,000 lbs & 36 ft exception rule.
The actual outer axle spread with an EU 6x4 tractor and this trailer is 6,15m or 20ft. So based on your calculations, the trailer has to be 16ft longer.

Using the actual weight of the trailer, 33.6 t or 74,000 lbs, we get 48 ft. , that would be 28 ft. longer

Sorry, but it seems you're mistaken. The formula requires you to take the total weight of the semi, and the total number of axles. That hasn't changed, still 80,000 lbs and 5 axles, so still 51 ft.

You have to apply the formula three times, on the trailer, on the tractor, and on the tractor + the trailer. Your way of calculating is incorrect I'm afraid.

Makes no difference.........

I'm not using words as stupid, and I know that you have to deal with it, and that's what US trucks are designed for.

Let's keep the discussion business like shall we?

The conclusion is that the bridge law formula causes US trucks and trailers to be much longer than technically necessary and desirable, causing extra weight and extra costs. Also, 6x4 tractors are quite a bit more expensive and heavy than 4 x 2 tractors.

I don't know why it is that your bridges are so weak that this is necessary. I hope for your sake that your politicians will finally get their act together, and fix the crumbling infrastructure. Wouldn't it be great if you could have the same rules in all states (so federal as well)? And would it be nice of you could use higher axle loads, and a higher total weight of let's say 50t?