So what do you ODs run then.
Seeing that very few foriegn trucks are other than 4x2 and seeing a renault magnum 6x2 the other day (looked wierd).
Is the extra 4t gross weight worth it or do you just stick with 4x2. I suppose if you are doing reefer / bulk tipper work the extra wheels may come in handy but probably not.
So what do youy go for. Cheapness or flexability.
think if your touting for your own work you’ve got to have a 6x2 so you can take on anything plus a lot of steel work is paid by the tonne, 29t loads being the norm if it’s bar or coil.
of coarse you don’t actually gain 4t because the lift axle wheels hubs etc weigh a fair bit.
Like Paul said, if your a General Haulier the 6x2 makes sense, plus the road tax on a 6x2 is 650 per yar less than a 4x2.
Good question Sockpuppet.
I assume that most continental units are 4x2 so that (a) they never really need the extra weight capacity, and (b) they can run bigger tanks.
How much time does a typical 6x2 spend with all the wheels in use? Rest of the time you’re carting extra weight around for nothing…
TC
Tramper:
Like Paul said, if your a General Haulier the 6x2 makes sense, plus the road tax on a 6x2 is 650 per yar less than a 4x2.
Is that right. I would have though greater gross weight would have incurred higher costs but I suppose more axles means less road damage.
1 year VED 6x2 41/44t = 1200
1 year VED 4x2 40t = 1850
Like you said, more axles means less road abuse.
Most mid lift axle sets weigh about 3/4 ton.
The_Catman:
Good question Sockpuppet.I assume that most continental units are 4x2 so that (a) they never really need the extra weight capacity, and (b) they can run bigger tanks.
How much time does a typical 6x2 spend with all the wheels in use? Rest of the time you’re carting extra weight around for nothing…
TC
In this part of the continent, artics are fairly unusual. A typical wagon here in Finland would be a 3 axle rigid with about a 26’ body pulling a 43’ four axle trailer - total length for wagon & drag 83 feet. Max GVW here is 60 tonnes; I assume that needs nine axles though but I’m not sure.
The tax system here works so that the more axles, the more tax you pay, and the higher your GVW the more you pay. However you pay less if you just have a rigid that doesn’t have coupling for a trailer.
Trailers here are registered in the same way as other vehicles, and have their own individual number plates - even the tiny 500 kilo ones for towing behind cars!
The artics one does see are usually from Russia, but there are a few Finnish registered ones about. I have seen artics pulling drawbar trailers behind the semitrailer too. Don’t fancy blindsiding one of them in a tight place 
You’ll need to run the axle configuration that suits you best.
4x2 on a UK registered truck is going to run at maximum 40 tonnes
6x2 on a UK registered truck is going to run at maximum 44 tonnes
4x2 on a European registered truck will run at up to 44 tonnes
6x4s are best left to the Heavy Haulage guys running at way in excess of 44 tonnes.
it’s a legal thing. You need six axles to run at 44t in UK, but only five in Europe. However, membership of EU meand foreigners can run over here at 44t on five axles.
You need 6x2 plated at 44t for flexibility, unless you’re only going to be carrying wafers!
Snow Associates:
4x2 on a UK registered truck is going to run at maximum 40 tonnes4x2 on a European registered truck will run at up to 44 tonnes
it’s a legal thing. You need six axles to run at 44t in UK, but only five in Europe.
However, membership of EU means foreigners can run over here at 44t on five axles.
Really??
So why aren’t there lots of “UK” firms registered in Europe using 4x2’s as they would benefit from saving the empty weight of the lift axle and on tyres?
TC
I may have got it wrong from Catman’s post.
What is your understanding of axle-configurations?
I’m sure there are plenty of foreign registered 4x2s, that actually belong to UK companies running at 44t on UK roads.
They are the last throes of closed-loopholes. Long may they continue, but they get caught-out when TCs start digging into the their affairs.
I’m guessing these trucks, and they are out there, are effectively breaching cabotage rules, although it’s a bit of a tricky-one.
Stop me if I’m wrong?
Actually, you can legally run a UK registered 4x2 at 44 tons in the UK. But it must be used ion Multi-modal movements. This includes container movements from to and from the ports.
Snow Associates:
I may have got it wrong from Catman’s post.What is your understanding of axle-configurations?
I’m sure there are plenty of foreign registered 4x2s, that actually belong to UK companies running at 44t on UK roads.
They are the last throes of closed-loopholes. Long may they continue, but they get caught-out when TCs start digging into the their affairs.
I’m guessing these trucks, and they are out there, are effectively breaching cabotage rules, although it’s a bit of a tricky-one.
Stop me if I’m wrong?
No , it’s me, I realised it was breaching cabotage just after I posted - my excuse is that it was well past my sleep time 
TC
I was fined £430 in the uk driving a dutch reg 4x2 and the weights were
gross wt 42500 not sure nl wt max uk 40000
front axle 7900 plated nl 8000 max uk 8000 on 315 tyres
drive axle 12500 plated nl 13000 max uk 11500
pin wt 20400
but the maximum pin wt in the uk is 18000
my two offences were 1000kg over on the drive axle and exeeding the pin wt by
by 2400kgs i was not done on the 5 axle gross of 42500kg
The vosa cow said that if the axles had been ok i would not have been done so with a fridge it is nearly imposible to get the wts right on the axles the maximum wt i can load with 26 pallets of equal wt is 17500 kg but my payloadv is 22000kg to 23200kg my tare wts are 18000kg with fuel 16800kg with no fuel
Thats why my new unit is a 6x2 with the dinky wheels in front of the drive axle UGH
It’s all really simple isn’t it klunk
Agree about the “castors” - they look absolutely ridiculous
TC
You said it catman where do you start and finish we still have our own rules for the uk trucks and the others get away with murder as they can not do any thing with them they let them go