6 Wheeler or 8. pros and cons please

UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUMS THE UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUM (INTERACTIVE)
1

Hi All.

Still need some help please boys, what are the pros and cons of a 6 wheel Tipper /grab and an 8 wheel Tipper grab.

Apart from the obvious payloads etc can i have any input please.

Is an 8 legger far more expensive to run? or very little difference? eg MPG. servicing etc

We will be delivering those Builders one ton bags as well so yep size could be a big factor or is it a case of if you can get an 6 legger in and 8 legger would go as well??

it seems there are loads more 8 wheelers for sale on the market than 6 wheelers and there are some good bargain prices for the larger vehicle?

Look forward to your replies.

Tricky Dicky

2

Pound for pound with identical chassis lengths and bodies then you’ll be able to get the 6 in to places where you won’t get an 8, however 6 wheelers tend to have smaller bodies (stands to reason as you can’t load so much weight in) and this will make it even more access friendly. Most sites and places are accessible with an 8 wheeler though, it might just mean an extra shunt or two to get in. The turning circle on a twin steer is much greater than a single steer so you have to think a little bit more about how to get in and out of places.

It’s a similar concept to a 6x2 rigid with a lifting tag axle, as a 4 wheeler it is much more manoueverable than as a 6.

One other thing to give consideration to and I think this could be the most importnant factor of all is axle weights, with a crane mounted behind the cab and all the tipping gear and the some of the weight of the body plus the driver and his sandwiches / wallet etc, fuel & hydraulic tanks etc. it’s not going to be long before you are overloading the front axle if you’re not carefull. This is where the 8 wheeler scores as the extra axle is right there to carry the weight of the crane.

Just my thoughts on the matter.

3

Our firm runs both 6 and 8-wheel bulk blowers. A typical 6-wheeler (Volvo FM9) has a payload of 14.5 to 15 tonnes, the 8-wheelers (FM12)18 to 19 depending on age; older trucks tend to have slightly higher payload.

As to the manouverability; we do have a few farms where the 6-wheeler cannot turn round easily but an 8-wheeler with a tag lift can, because the wheelbase is effectively shortened once you lift the axle; bear in mind you can only usually do this when you’re empty. In fairness they’re the kind of places where the average Joe would think twice about tackling in a Land-Rover! Bear in mind our trucks’ bodies have five or six compartments due to the nature of the work (animal feeds)so it’s not quite a straight comparison.

What 8-wheels said about axle loadings.

I won’t bother telling you what ours do to the gallon because you’ll run a mile; again the nature of the work accounts for this because when you’re discharging via the blower the engine’s running at about 1,000 revs under load. Fuel costs will naturally be higher but then again you’re doing the same with a HIAB.

4

Thank you boys.

but as for running costs is there a big difference between a 6 and a 8 wheeler

Can anyone tell me approx MPG on both say loaded ( thats a 26 tonner and a 32 tonner)

Also what about road tax on a 6 and a 8 please?
Thanks for the replies so far but i hope you understand i must get this purchase right and dealers only tell you what you want to hear!

Thanks

Tricky d

5

o thats a tricky 1

had to

coat, hat, door, too early taxi has knocked me over

6

Tricky Dicky:
Thank you boys.

but as for running costs is there a big difference between a 6 and a 8 wheeler

Can anyone tell me approx MPG on both say loaded ( thats a 26 tonner and a 32 tonner)

Also what about road tax on a 6 and a 8 please?
Thanks for the replies so far but i hope you understand i must get this purchase right and dealers only tell you what you want to hear!

Thanks

Tricky d

Don’t take this the wrong way, mate, but shouldn’t you be asking your transport manager this sort of thing? You do sound as though you’re very new to this game, are you aware of the consequences of HGV ownership without being aware of ones responsibilities? It’s a very dangerous (and potentially ruinous) way to lose both your money and your freedom if you don’t do things right.

7

My 6 wheeler beavertail returns approx 10mpg on average, doesn’t seem to matter about the load but it’s got a 420 engine so it’s never stretched too much. I think my Volvo FM12 (8wheeler beavertail + crane - 420hp) was not far off that.

I think the tax on my 6 is £650 I think that info is all available on the DVLA website.

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Tricky…It depends on what you want to do…Yes you will get more ton bags on the 8 wheeler( hasle to unload) as well as muck,aggregates etc…It depends where you will be delivering…I work in the Glasgow area and have never had any major problems with access too older parts of the city up the back lanes,or to the new build estates, as 8wheels says sometimes you will need an extra shunt…My 8 wheeler is of the road at the momment with more crane problems ATLAS 118,(crap)i have been using a 6 wheel Daf 310, you can get a fair load on it 12.5 ton, and yes it is better on fuel,i cannot give exact figures but fill the tank 2 x per week the 8 wheeler is 3 x a week,(7 Days)remember my longest journey is about 12 motorway miles and shifting approx 5 loads of muck and offloading 3 or 4 loads of aggregates…I am going for an 8 wheeler…I will monitor as from tomorrow and get more accurate figures… Tricky the guy from Wales obviously has not read any of your other posts… Did you get my PM…

9

Just another thought.

An 8 wheeler can do the work of a 6 wheeler (access permitting) but a 6 wheeler cannot do the work of an 8 wheeler. In theory a partly loaded 8 wheeler will use only slightly more than a full 6 wheeler, due to the extra drag from the second steer.

10

Obviously the upkeep on an 8 legger will be higher, you have one more axle, complete with tyres to keep in good order. You hope to pay for that extra with all the extra weight you can carry. Also the fuel use on an 8 legger will be a bit higher, because of the extra axle, BUT, you can often get a bigger, more efficient engine on the 8 legger that you won’t on the 6, all the 12/13 litre engines will be on the big motors.
If it were my money, I’d be picking up the 8 legger, and making sure the 2nd steer was a lift axle. But definitely double drive on the back end, a full set of diff locks will save your bacon on a muddy site.

11

and making sure the 2nd steer was a lift axle

The only factory built ones I’ve ever seen are Sisu, I think that this is a missed trick from the manufacturers as tippers, bulkers generally work either full or empty. There’d be plenty of opportunity for a lift axle to be lifted.

12

Seymie:
Tricky the guy from Wales obviously has not read any of your other posts…

Actually I have, and that was what prompted my comments. I’m fully aware that Dicky is trying to do the right things, and gets my respect for it, but I also can’t help but wonder if he wouldn’t be better served by getting a bit of time in on the actual job itself before getting himself into deep water. Hence my concern that he shouldn’t take my comments the wrong way.

Edit… I also appreciate that Dicky’s been running plant for a long time but the nature of his questions tells me that he’s not had a lot to do with the HGV side of it; happy to be corrected though.

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In my line of work the new craze is for 8 wheelers to have the tridem setup dont know if that applies to tippers

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gnasty gnome:

Seymie:
Tricky the guy from Wales obviously has not read any of your other posts…

Actually I have, and that was what prompted my comments. I’m fully aware that Dicky is trying to do the right things, and gets my respect for it, but I also can’t help but wonder if he wouldn’t be better served by getting a bit of time in on the actual job itself before getting himself into deep water. Hence my concern that he shouldn’t take my comments the wrong way.

Edit… I also appreciate that Dicky’s been running plant for a long time but the nature of his questions tells me that he’s not had a lot to do with the HGV side of it; happy to be corrected though.

Absolutely right no experience at all at running HGVs,hence all the questions to you experienced guys, this will be a side line to our main business of groundworks / Driveways ,concrete crushing etc.

I spend very approx 25k to 30k a year with local Haulage firms in the form of delivered aggregates and muck away so our own tipper grab will not only be very handy but a money saver as well ,add the one ton hippo type bag thing supplying our own recycled crushed concrete and also a pick up muck away bag scheme .

I know it can work but as you say this hgv thing is all new to me ,having said that im know stranger to running my own business ,been going well over 30 years ,employing local people running many vehicles with all the hassle that brings, running operated plant,deliveries ,collection all sorts of logistics etc.

So hence all the questions lately about running costs / o licences etc, but because of you boys on this site im very gratefull for all info and i am learning very fast, and of course we are in the middle of a recession which well i dont know if its good to start up with this scheme now right in the middle of a recession or wait untill its over, some will say " if you can start up now it will only get better" so in effect your ready and up and running for the turnaround(whenever that will be??).

This new business idea is an “Arm” to our existing business and they should help each other but i suppose if the tipper grab does not at first run at a profit its not the “end of the world” but would hope it not to be a big loss either, if it "Ticked over " for a year or two id be happy!!

I had VOSA on the phone yesterday apparantly i should of sent original bank statements not copies,got a "bollocking"andwas told to get originals to them at leeds in the next week or otherwise ive got to reapply the whole application again including the application fee again and also the ad in the local paper again! Marvelous in the application pack it didnt say use original statements( or did it)!!

But yes Im learning very fast and all your information is very much appreciated but i must say reading some of the other posts of this forum about running lorries etc it does make you think more than twice!

Thanks

Tricky d

15

Thanks for that Dicky, having read that I’m confident you’ll make a success of it. Hope you appreciate my concerns though; as you 've noticed already the legalese part is a bloody minefield, and getting it right in the first place will play a great part in keeping the vultures off your back.

Good luck with it mate, nice to see a company looking to expand in today’s marketplace, 'specially in your line of work.