Can somebody clear up the meaning and background of this term? I’ve seen it used in reference to those twin-steer 3-axle jobs you have over there, so I assume that’s the meaning. Still, where did this term come from, and what is the benefit of such an arrangement? Setups such as this aren’t seen in the states.
Never heard of it myself.
Yep 
A lot of the older 6 wheel rigids had a single drive axle at the rear & twin steers at the front 
Chinese six is like an 8 wheeler with the 4th axle missing 
Tractor units seemed to be called “twin steers” rather than the old term of chinese six, but essentially the same but with a turntable instead of a body
This subject was asked on the old forum pages.
Try this link.
trucknetuk.com/bbsuk/Forum21 … 00007.html
Or this one.
trucknetuk.com/bbsuk/Forum2/HTML/000386.html
Hope it helps. (hope it works 
!!)
Cheers, bullitt
Most six wheelers have the two axles at the back and the steering axle on the front. Its called a “Chinese Six” because of the opposite configuration, that is two axles at the front and a single drive axle at the back. Both front axles are steering axles because if one of them was fixed then the vehicle wouldn’t steer.
I don’t know where the term comes from, or why they’re called a “Chinese Six”. Anyway, thats how it was explained to me by an old boy, a long time ago!
Took my original Class 2 in a Chinese 6.
Ken.
I can’t remember why its a Chinese Six, although I’m pretty sure that has something to do with it being the opposite configuration to normal and China being on the opposite side of the world 
.
A Chinese Six is a three axled rigid, with two steer axles at the front, like an 8 legger with only one drtive axle. They are intended for use delivering gradually reducing heavy loads. The reason being that a standard two axle 18 tonner would be overloaded on the front axle if there was only the one. Although the two axle wagon is within overall weight limits when fully loaded, as the load reduces and the weight comes off the back axle more of the remaining weight is carried by the steer axle. A twin steer will stay within UK axle weight limits where a single steer axle may well not.
Simon:
I can’t remember why its a Chinese Six, although I’m pretty sure that has something to do with it being the opposite configuration to normal and China being on the opposite side of the worldA Chinese Six is a three axled rigid, with two steer axles at the front, like an 8 legger with only one drtive axle. They are intended for use delivering gradually reducing heavy loads. The reason being that a standard two axle 18 tonner would be overloaded on the front axle if there was only the one. Although the two axle wagon is within overall weight limits when fully loaded, as the load reduces and the weight comes off the back axle more of the remaining weight is carried by the steer axle. A twin steer will stay within UK axle weight limits where a single steer axle may well not.
[zb] Hell!!!
WAY too obvious! L. 
Called “diminishing load syndrome”
Chinese 6’s tended to be specified when a long bodied rigid was required.
There is a legal limit to the proportion of body behind the rear axle. I think the limit is 40% of the wheelbase being the maximum allowable rear overhang. That rear overhang acts like a lever with anything behind rear axle actually taking weight off the front axle. As you take that weight off, the front axle load becomes heavier.
With long bodies the potential for the front axle to become overloaded as the weight went from the back was greater so to get around this an extra axle was placed at the front. It also meant you could run at a heavier weight.
For the benefit of Alex, In the uk there are different references to the amout of wheels and catigories of trucks.
An 8 wheeeler as mention above, would if there were such a thing here be know as a 12 wheeler (2 x rear axles with double wheels and 2 x front axles which both steer)
A rigid is known as a straight truck here or a 6 wheeler.
So Alex just imagine a straight truck with one axle at the back (drive) and two steering axles in front, … ‘A Chinese Six’
And we dont need to run 18 wheelers here either Pat 
For the American Americans, our heaviest trucks have 14 wheels and are called artics, they can gross 44000kg
The triaxle trailer has only 6 wheels, and a twin steer tractor has 8.
So, a 4 wheeler has 2 axles
a 6 wheeler has 3 axles AND as Pat said an 8 wheeler has 4 axles.
Confused, you will be
As I recall there was also a gearbox called a chinese box … this had the 3rd and 4th gears reversed
Think it was a David Brown box. Took a bit of getting your head round and couldn’t really see any advantage to it.
TheBear:
As I recall there was also a gearbox called a chinese box … this had the 3rd and 4th gears reversed
Many years ago I had the misfortune to occassionally drive a DAF 2100 day cab, this had
2nd where 3rd normally is 3rd where 4th normally is, and 4th where 2nd normally is : then in the same order for 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th shock:
Mucho crashing of gears cogs on EVERY occassion I took the beast round to Convoys Wharf to load paper reels for the distance men…
However coming back was easier, it didnt have the guts to get into the top half of the box fully loaded
Wheel Nut:
And we dont need to run 18 wheelers here either PatFor the American Americans, our heaviest trucks have 14 wheels and are called artics, they can gross 44000kg
The triaxle trailer has only 6 wheels, and a twin steer tractor has 8.
So, a 4 wheeler has 2 axles
a 6 wheeler has 3 axles AND as Pat said an 8 wheeler has 4 axles.Confused, you will be
The are still classed as 18 wheelers 
they still have 5 axles overall, they just have super singles instead of double wheels Super singles are just catching on here and I see some trailers equiped with them.
18 wheeler is just the regular term for a 5 axled tractor / trailer.
This all gets very confusing 
And Sudden Accidents had an arse about face gearbox in 1985 in a C320.
Not sure if it was chinese though
When I left school I did a few years in a garage working on CAT’s and JCB’s and stuff,anyway,the low loader we had at the time was being rebuilt after having an argument with a brick wall,it was a Foden with a 240 Gardner.
The unit that we had to replace it was a Scammell Routeman with the Michelotti cab,which was a chinese-six and being an ex-Shell motor it had the semi-auto gearbox.
The driver came in one morning,started it up and as the air was gone he let the handbrake off and got out to have a cuppa while it was building the air up.
Five minutes later he went back to find it trundling down the yard under it’s own steam,he’d left the bloody thing in gear! 
TheBear:
As I recall there was also a gearbox called a chinese box … this had the 3rd and 4th gears reversed
In the US, I’ve heard such boxes called “square shift” boxes. They were used in construction, and were done this way to put the more heavily stressed gears closer to the ends od the gearshaft inside the ■■■■■■ (or so I was told). This was supposed to prevent warping/torquing the internal shafts.
Just about everybody has explained correctly what they are. I remember them being very common when I started in the 60’s but not so common as to be the norm. Hence the name. Chinese is simply foreign. Like ‘it’s all Greek to me’ or ‘double Dutch’.
So why is a Yankee bet so called? Or French cricket? Never seen that played here. Same reason I suppose. Different therefore foreign.
Salut, David.