TRUE tri-axle?

/ TRUE tri-axle? #21  
/ TRUE tri-axle? #22  
Its not uncommon in dumptrucks here in Holland. European trucks are allowed 11.5 ton on a single drive axle (all standard transit trucks are single drive axle) but in the Dutch law there is a loophole in how they described that an axle with more than 1.80m center distance of another, is seen as a single axle. So if you make an 8x8 with permanent front drive (transfer case with an interaxle differential) and set the axles 1.81m apart, you get a permitted vehicle weight of 46 ton. The 2nd axle is a pivot steered axle, the last axle is steered by replacing the trailing arms by hydraulic cylinders.

Tolkamp Agritransport stalmeststrooien met Ginaf en Tebbe 2018 Trekkerweb - YouTube
 
/ TRUE tri-axle?
  • Thread Starter
#23  
Its not uncommon in dumptrucks here in Holland. European trucks are allowed 11.5 ton on a single drive axle (all standard transit trucks are single drive axle) but in the Dutch law there is a loophole in how they described that an axle with more than 1.80m center distance of another, is seen as a single axle. So if you make an 8x8 with permanent front drive (transfer case with an interaxle differential) and set the axles 1.81m apart, you get a permitted vehicle weight of 46 ton. The 2nd axle is a pivot steered axle, the last axle is steered by replacing the trailing arms by hydraulic cylinders.

Tolkamp Agritransport stalmeststrooien met Ginaf en Tebbe 2018 Trekkerweb - YouTube

I have always wanted a 6x6 chassis with super singles, probably an IH7400/7500/7600 long wheelbase with a 25 dumping flatbed for getting big bales off my wet fields and some kind of a big V box spreader so I can go up the road and get loads of mushroom soil and spread them when things are slow.

I would need a chassis that had interchangeable beds and thats where the dream comes crashing down. Lol It would be VERY expensive....
Ive seen 6x6 trucks with permanent mounted spreaders, but none that are large and could be easily mounted or dismounted on a long flatbed for hay hauling.
 
/ TRUE tri-axle? #24  
I would need a chassis that had interchangeable beds and thats where the dream comes crashing down. Lol It would be VERY expensive....
Ive seen 6x6 trucks with permanent mounted spreaders, but none that are large and could be easily mounted or dismounted on a long flatbed for hay hauling.

This guy has a dumpbox, silage box, and slurry tank to swap this spreader box for.
 
/ TRUE tri-axle?
  • Thread Starter
#26  
This guy has a dumpbox, silage box, and slurry tank to swap this spreader box for.

See, that’s the way it should be! One truck with interchangeable beds!
I thought of trying a AWD road tractor, but it would get stuck trying to drag a trailer through soft fields
 
/ TRUE tri-axle? #27  
See, that’s the way it should be! One truck with interchangeable beds!
I thought of trying a AWD road tractor, but it would get stuck trying to drag a trailer through soft fields

I’ve briefly looked at those, it would be nice to have a flatbed/rollback bed, dump body and a few dumpsters but they’re so expensive I can keep running multiple trucks and trailers like I am now and be cheaper. Plus with multiple drivers I can run multiple trucks and when one breaks down I still have something to do work with.
 
/ TRUE tri-axle?
  • Thread Starter
#28  
Speaking of stuck.....
It’s the time of year where mud on top of frozen ground is deadly slippery
 

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/ TRUE tri-axle? #29  
About 35 years ago, I worked for an excavation company that leased their tandem dumps on with the state for salt spreading only. We pulled the tailgate's, slid in the spreader boxes with a track loader and hooked up the hydraulics. I think that the front of the spreader was chained down to the truck frame? Only took a few minutes. Seems like you could do that with any type of spreader?

The difference between a 4x4 stuck in the mud and a 6x6 stuck in the mud is the size of the rescue equipment, lol!
 
/ TRUE tri-axle?
  • Thread Starter
#30  
About 35 years ago, I worked for an excavation company that leased their tandem dumps on with the state for salt spreading only. We pulled the tailgate's, slid in the spreader boxes with a track loader and hooked up the hydraulics. I think that the front of the spreader was chained down to the truck frame? Only took a few minutes. Seems like you could do that with any type of spreader?

The difference between a 4x4 stuck in the mud and a 6x6 stuck in the mud is the size of the rescue equipment, lol!

Yeah I kind of envisioned a 20-25 V box spreader hanging from a gantry type set up. Just dont quite have the room or resources for it.
On tractor house website, there was a big 6x6 with flotation tires and a 20 V box, but it was TOO off road (Gator type tires). Couldnt be used for repetitive OTR hay hauling.
What I picture is a 6x6 chassis with a 25 flatbed for big square bale hauling that could have a big V box spreader installed on top of it for spreading on frozen ground.
Too much overthinking :laughing:
I may just do a 6x6 with super singles and a 25’ flatbed for hauling big squares after I have finally had enough of selling round bales for feed hay. Florida Power & Light runs em for digger derricks & sells em off for peanuts.
Pre-emissions units getting harder to find, though.
 

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/ TRUE tri-axle? #31  
Have you looked at a roll off unit like for dumpster hauling? Likely hard to find one not beat to death though. Or maybe outfitting one of those tandem chassis with a dumping flatbed and a winch to pull the spreader unit on.
 
/ TRUE tri-axle?
  • Thread Starter
#32  
Have you looked at a roll off unit like for dumpster hauling? Likely hard to find one not beat to death though. Or maybe outfitting one of those tandem chassis with a dumping flatbed and a winch to pull the spreader unit on.

Yes I am always on the hunt for a good 6x6. I found a great deal on a new one. Dealer ordered 6 very nicely speced IH 6x6s for Keystone XL Pipeline contractor. He went belly up 10 days ago for obvious reasons. Dealer took a bath on the trucks. Sold 3 to a potatoes farmer in Maine. Has 2 left. Will make me a heck of a deal, but were still talking $130,000 :laughing:
But yes, a 24’ dumping flatbed is the plan.....
 
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/ TRUE tri-axle? #33  
Yes I am always on the hunt for a good 6x6. I found a great deal on a new one. Dealer ordered 6 very nicely speced IH 6x6s for Keystone XL Pipeline contractor. He went belly up 10 days ago for obvious reasons. Dealer took a bath on the trucks. Sold 3 to a farmer in Maine. Has 2 left. Will make me a heck of a deal, but were still talking $130,000 :laughing:
But yes, a 24 dumping flatbed is the plan.....

My buddy has a Auto car all wheel drive and just spent 4k on a front axle shaft/u joint assembly AND the last snow storm smoked the output bearing on the t case.........
 
/ TRUE tri-axle?
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#34  
My buddy has a Auto car all wheel drive and just spent 4k on a front axle shaft/u joint assembly AND the last snow storm smoked the output bearing on the t case.........

Hah, I lost the output bearing on my 4800s T case about 10 years ago. Wasnt too bad....
The one expense that surprised me was ball joints. MAN they were expensive. Had to be heated and beaten out.
I found a nicely speced 2000 Freightliner 112 6x6 370hp ISM and Allison HD with retarder, but they want a LOT for it. I swear pre-emissions trucks have gone up 25-40% in last 3 years. Nobody wants to replace sensors on the newer ones.
I am in negotiations with a very large property owner on about 100 acres of hay. If it happens, I will pick up another used big square baler and a 6x.
 
/ TRUE tri-axle? #35  
Did you look at the other pictures? Looks like a driveshaft was removed. Wondered why

There are a few true tri’s out there. Military has them, too. Always wondered how the front-most axle survives the stress of full lock turns!

Lot of truck for the money
I keep wondering too, when i see North American dumptrucks with 7 rigid axles and one steer. Here in Holland most dumptrucks have only one rigid axle and up to four steer axles, all of them driven.


The older trucks in this video are 10x8 with a steered lift axle in the middle, lifted when going offroad to keep all weight on driven tires. The newer has its 3rd axle fixed, and 1,2 and 4 and 5 steered. Its on supersingle tires to save weight and to have less resistance in soft terrain because all tires run in the same track.
 
/ TRUE tri-axle? #36  
Hello Haydude,The tri axle tractor unit is a tandem drive lazy pusher axle setup. On that short wheelbase you should expect plenty of understeer on road and off road in slippery conditions will be very difficult to turn when loaded.
Also the lazy axle can tear a lot of stone out of bitumen roads on tight corners, espesially on hot days. A true tri drive tri axle however, did a lot less pavement damage acording to the drivers. On log trucks on wet skid sites a tri drive can get out without the bulldozer assist a tandem drive unit at the same weight would need.

As for bodies on a 6x6, would a tipping flat deck with removable bin and twistlock V fert body to the flatdeck work for you?
 
/ TRUE tri-axle?
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#37  
Hello Haydude,The tri axle tractor unit is a tandem drive lazy pusher axle setup. On that short wheelbase you should expect plenty of understeer on road and off road in slippery conditions will be very difficult to turn when loaded.
Also the lazy axle can tear a lot of stone out of bitumen roads on tight corners, espesially on hot days. A true tri drive tri axle however, did a lot less pavement damage acording to the drivers. On log trucks on wet skid sites a tri drive can get out without the bulldozer assist a tandem drive unit at the same weight would need.

As for bodies on a 6x6, would a tipping flat deck with removable bin and twistlock V fert body to the flatdeck work for you?
Yes that would be my ultimate set up if funds were no object. Most (not all) used 6x6’s are beaten to death. New ones are $140,000 with dumping platform, which at less than double the price, seems like a bargain compared to a small $80k diesel pickup.
A tilting 24’ (7.5-8 meters) allowing hauling of my big square bales locally. With a bulkhead mounted winch, it could pull an empty V-box spreader up onto it for spreading compost or lime, then drive across fields without getting stuck.
I am an “over the road“ (OTR) farmer, farming more like Europeans where and fast mobility to and from different parcels means more productivity and profits.
Yields from timely fertilizing pays better, but sometimes you have to invest heavily up front to pay off the investment.
Its a process.
The truck below in a 6x6 configuration and longer V box would be my goal, but semi-permanent on a flatbed, so it can be removed to haul hay. However, I think that V box can only spread pelletized material, not compost. That truck is $30,000.
Another option is a rollback type bed???? Now we are really spending some $$
 

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/ TRUE tri-axle?
  • Thread Starter
#38  
I keep wondering too, when i see North American dumptrucks with 7 rigid axles and one steer. Here in Holland most dumptrucks have only one rigid axle and up to four steer axles, all of them driven.


The older trucks in this video are 10x8 with a steered lift axle in the middle, lifted when going offroad to keep all weight on driven tires. The newer has its 3rd axle fixed, and 1,2 and 4 and 5 steered. Its on supersingle tires to save weight and to have less resistance in soft terrain because all tires run in the same track.
Could be because you have much older/smaller streets and intersections requiring trucks that can turn tighter, hence more steer axles.
Some of my friends in Europe make me jealous with what they have :cool:
I will see a Scania truck here and there, but most of the really nice European equipment is kept to a minimum here including, but not limited to, JCB Fast Tracs, Scania trucks and especially Aebi Tractors to name a few....
I think those companies could make it big here.
Other things like the use of front 3 point hitches & front PTOs, air brakes on tractors and pulled equipment, and side shift backhoe stabilizers also now getting established here. They were used for decades in Europe before much use here.
 
/ TRUE tri-axle? #39  
Yes that would be my ultimate set up if funds were no object. Most (not all) used 6x6’s are beaten to death. New ones are $140,000 with dumping platform, which at less than double the price, seems like a bargain compared to a small $80k diesel pickup.
A tilting 24’ (7.5-8 meters) allowing hauling of my big square bales locally. With a bulkhead mounted winch, it could pull an empty V-box spreader up onto it for spreading compost or lime, then drive across fields without getting stuck.
I am an “over the road“ (OTR) farmer, farming more like Europeans where and fast mobility to and from different parcels means more productivity and profits.
Yields from timely fertilizing pays better, but sometimes you have to invest heavily up front to pay off the investment.
Its a process.
The truck below in a 6x6 configuration and longer V box would be my goal, but semi-permanent on a flatbed, so it can be removed to haul hay. However, I think that V box can only spread pelletized material, not compost. That truck is $30,000.
Another option is a rollback type bed???? Now we are really spending some $$
IMO you need something like the Kuhn Knight truck mounted spreader:
View attachment 688198
Or for the old school look:
View attachment 688199

Other things like the use of front 3 point hitches & front PTOs, air brakes on tractors and pulled equipment, and side shift backhoe stabilizers also now getting established here. They were used for decades in Europe before much use here.
Front PTOs and 3 point hitches are getting big in the orchard industry, then they can take a heavy flail and run it on the front to shred the trimmed branches in place without having to run them over first.


Aaron Z
 
/ TRUE tri-axle?
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#40  
That spreader truck would get stuck REAL easy. I like the IH 4x4 6x6 with flotations better.
The Pete? Wow...but I do have a budget....
Side slinger is not my favorit, either
IMO you need something like the Kuhn Knight truck mounted spreader:
View attachment 688198
Or for the old school look:
View attachment 688199


Front PTOs and 3 point hitches are getting big in the orchard industry, then they can take a heavy flail and run it on the front to shred the trimmed branches in place without having to run them over first.


Aaron Z
This is what I use now
 

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