Every time I see one I wonder what possible reason there could be having one, they are only plated at 23t so have a 3t handicap over a normal 6 wheeler. Having driven a fair bit in tag axled 6x2’s, 8x2 and 8x4 vehicles there’s not many places than you can’t get in and out of.
Travis Perkins seem to favour this arrangement unlike just about every other merchant who runs 6 wheelers. I’d have thought that the reduced payload would have made it not worth the bother.
Anyone care to enlighten me?
There is usually a large crane on the back of a builders merchant’s lorry
which would overload a single rear axle with the body loaded.
Often, the extra axle is there for vehicle flexibility and/or stability, not necessarily to increase the payload.
In years gone by, the chinese six configuration was often used for multidrop rigid vehicles, like brewery drays, to reduce
the chance of overloading the front axle with a part load on, you can still see the odd urban one but small artics
seem to be the fashion now.
Many of today’s 44 tonne fridge lorries never get anywhere near 44 tonnes, but six wheel units
are used to avoid overloading the drive axle as drops are taken off the rear of the vehicle.
Regards,
Nick.
I understand the need for a 6 wheeler with a rear mount crane but merchants usually only have a smallish crane 10 -15t/m so there’s not a huge amount of weight there. A twin tyred tag axle would easily cover the weight of the crane, body and some of the load.
That’s the configuration most use, surely having a larger payload for sand & cement deliveries would be a delifinate advantage. I just can’t see where the benefit would be with the midlift.
The mid lift steer I used to drive for TP was rubbish. It would have a much better truck if it had been a rear steer.
Maybe there is no benefit, but the truck came at the right time, at the right price. Just a thought.
We used to have one that started life as a mid lift artic unit. With an extended chassis and drive train it was fine. We did have to be careful about overloading the rear axle though, but it did mean that with only a few heavy pallets on they could be jammed against the headboard.
I have a 1323 atego with a midlift axle, because the distance between 1st and 2nd axle shortens the wheelbase it allows me to have a heavier crane upfront,midlift axle is a 5tonner 1st axle 5.1t rear axle 9.5 plenty of tolerance as truck is 18ton gross at £200 per yr road tax aswell! luv it
8wheels:
Every time I see one I wonder what possible reason there could be having one, they are only plated at 23t so have a 3t handicap over a normal 6 wheeler. Having driven a fair bit in tag axled 6x2’s, 8x2 and 8x4 vehicles there’s not many places than you can’t get in and out of.Travis Perkins seem to favour this arrangement unlike just about every other merchant who runs 6 wheelers. I’d have thought that the reduced payload would have made it not worth the bother.
Anyone care to enlighten me?
Not all of them run at 23tonnes. My FM9 has a GVW of 25.7 tonnes, unlike some the lift axle also steers. I-shift as well and loads of toys like factory fitted reversing camera so it’s lovely to drive.
Payload is 15.3 tonnes (excluding pallets) but whoever specced the body made one basic error. The bed takes 14 pallets… if they don’t overhang, which 95% of ours do; so you only get 12 on the bed, ( sometimes 13 if you squeeze one in the back doors) and to get maximum load on, three pallets usually have to be halved and put on top. This ■■■■■■ the warehouse staff off no end so I suppose some good comes of it! 
Mine is quite a short wheelbase and I think a tag-lift would have been better still. Payload’s actually nearly a tonne more than our other FM when it’s running solo, although that one takes 16 pallets on the bed.
We’re gradually moving over to 8x2 rear-steer Renault Landers, all equipped with telescopic Moffetts. Got one at Carmarthen, brilliant piece of kit but not as good as the Volvos on mucky ground.
I’ve learnt summat then, everytime I’ve seen one for sale it has been a 23t GVW.
I can see the logic for stretching a decentish unit for general haulage as there are few tag axle 6x2 units about and they command a premium price and have likely been well used.
The TP ones span a wide age range and are all factory built so not stretches or a cheap batch. Still wondering.
8wheels:
I’ve learnt summat then, everytime I’ve seen one for sale it has been a 23t GVW.I can see the logic for stretching a decentish unit for general haulage as there are few tag axle 6x2 units about and they command a premium price and have likely been well used.
The TP ones span a wide age range and are all factory built so not stretches or a cheap batch. Still wondering.
You can convert a non-steering midlift to a tag when you do the stretch. There was an old Volvo FH that parked in our yard that was built that way, was very cheap to do as well IIRC.
Company I work for run loads of 6x2 steered tags and all are plated at 26t.