Hi everyone, at our place, we recently acquired an eight legger due to a new customer having bins far too heavy for our usual six wheelers. I had that job last night, but my backs not right after that shift, due to the four axle configuration, it has a queer motion when passing over bad bits of road, (just about every where). I have to say that once a fully loaded bin is on-board, it damps it down some, but it doesn’t deal with the problem completely.
Who else has any comments and advise to offer?
Haven’t ever driven an 8 legger before, so cant comment on what the ride is like. But in my experience sore backs are usually down to a poorly adjusted seat.
papermonkey:
Hi everyone, at our place, we recently acquired an eight legger due to a new customer having bins far too heavy for our usual six wheelers. I had that job last night, but my backs not right after that shift, due to the four axle configuration, it has a queer motion when passing over bad bits of road, (just about every where). I have to say that once a fully loaded bin is on-board, it damps it down some, but it doesn’t deal with the problem completely.
Who else has any comments and advise to offer?
Must be a Hino 
Unladen 8 wheelers do tend to bounce about a bit.
as above in both cases , poor seat adjustment will be the first to sort & unlike a 6 wheeler you’ll hit every pothole twice 
kr79:
Unladen 8 wheelers do tend to bounce about a bit.
I’ve found 8ws to be more comfortable; Our CF cabbed Foden 8ws are much better than the 6ws, although they have a higher ride height.
I had a lovely 6 wheeler with airbags on the cab front, it used to float along a treat. That went and I got another with no airbags and a crane behind the cab, that was a rough ride.
All 3 of the 8 wheelers I’ve had have had a good ride including a tired old double skip wagon which was generally a bit rough.
I had an 8 wheeler for a time in the 70s,a mamoth major and at the time it was great,comfortable and the steering[no power]was a lot easier than the atki,s we had.Also it was one of the first to be fitted with 5 gears[overdrive]used to get 48mph out of her,only prob stoppingwith servo brakes,aye them were the days.
regards dave.
I can remember as a kid, where I work ran Foden twin screens either Haulmaster or Fleetmaster (I can never remember which)
8ws with Gardner 202 bhp motors (non turbo). Christ, they were slow. My first was an F reg 4000 series with a Cat 300, when new this was powerful. Nowadays I doubt anyone would buy an 8w with less than 360 on tap.
Used to drive a ERF 8 wheeler with a 180 Gardner in line 6? flatbed,
and when you needed spares down to the boat division…lol 
dafdave:
I had an 8 wheeler for a time in the 70s,a mamoth major and at the time it was great,comfortable and the steering[no power]was a lot easier than the atki,s we had.Also it was one of the first to be fitted with 5 gears[overdrive]used to get 48mph out of her,only prob stoppingwith servo brakes,aye them were the days.
regards dave.
And the speed limits are still the same — oops, wrong thread
8 wheelers at the best! Great double drive at the back, and 2 steering axles to get you into the tight bends.
In construction work, 8x4s are considered the best of the best!
dew:
8 wheelers at the best! Great double drive at the back, and 2 steering axles to get you into the tight bends.In construction work, 8x4s are considered the best of the best!
If the QE2 will fit, then your average 8 wheeler might make it with a shunt 
waynedl:
dew:
8 wheelers at the best! Great double drive at the back, and 2 steering axles to get you into the tight bends.In construction work, 8x4s are considered the best of the best!
If the QE2 will fit, then your average 8 wheeler might make it with a shunt
Very true,my old hino was a swine when trying to do some tight sites
There is no faster vehicle in London than an empty eight wheeler muck tipper, the things are like Moses, everyone gets out of your way
Good fun in the wet too, opposite lock on the bump stops coming out of roundabouts is about as much fun as you can have in a lorry 
Can’t really say much about the harsh ride, maybe it’s a case of your arse being too soft from all the wiping it gets
nearly there:
waynedl:
dew:
8 wheelers at the best! Great double drive at the back, and 2 steering axles to get you into the tight bends.In construction work, 8x4s are considered the best of the best!
If the QE2 will fit, then your average 8 wheeler might make it with a shunt
Very true,my old hino was a swine when trying to do some tight sites
I found the hino to have a good lock for an 8 wheeler. A foden 4000 now that had no lock at all.
A 4000 series seems to want to go straight on on wet roads wheb you turn sharp too. The 6w 4000s did the same.
dew:
8 wheelers at the best! Great double drive at the back, and 2 steering axles to get you into the tight bends.In construction work, 8x4s are considered the best of the best!
Obviously you don’t drive one if you did you would know they have the worst turning circle in the world and they need a bigger swing than other rigids to turn corners 
Chewyboy:
dew:
8 wheelers at the best! Great double drive at the back, and 2 steering axles to get you into the tight bends.In construction work, 8x4s are considered the best of the best!
Obviously you don’t drive one if you did you would know they have the worst turning circle in the world and they need a bigger swing than other rigids to turn corners
Their popularity is down to the fact they carry more than 6wheelers. About time some of those 5 axle Dutch tippers were allowed over here.
Anyone remember Multidrives?
I drove eight leggers for 20+years and they all rode a treat, mostly on rubber rear suspension though which probably made a difference, plus nothing corners like one as you can drift them around bends virtually on the doorhandles! Foden had the best lock though, the Sed Ak 400 I drove needed a shunt to get round some corners in towns, most embarassing at times. However sixes tend to go straight on at bends and on sites the dam things wont turn if the surface is greasy ha ha! Had quite a shock the first time in snow with one 
Pete.