hammer:
Would an 8x2 be any good? Loads of them round here (usually Scanias) running on the milk, supposed to give a better turning circle than a 6x4 and obvious increase in payload. There are still a few 6’s knocking about though, I guess there are some places a 8 won’t go no matter how many axles are steering!
I’d thought of another 8 but we already have a good body from a 6x4 which was swaying our decision, plus the mill we sub to pays a better rate (small lorry bonus) for a 6w. For some of the hill farms we deliver to in winter, I would prefer double drive as well, constantly getting stuck!
gnasty gnome:
gwmckay:
Our deliveries are pretty much all to farms, and sometimes you have to tip in quite low sheds, where the body only just squeezes under the door heads. Other yards are just very tight for turning and bigger lorries just can’t manoeuvre. My dad was even asked to reach a farm by driving through 2 fields while the farmer concreted his lane, no stone path or anything to drive on!
What he said. We’ve only got one 6-wheeler bulker now, which generally goes to the farms which have a combination of the two above. 8x2 does OK for some but you often need the double drive simply to get up to the farm, especially round Brecon and Builth Wells areas.
Been out on an 8x4 bulker meself today, surprising how ■■■■■■■■■■ it feels after being used to the 6-wheeler curtainsider.
Yeah the 8x4 definitely takes a bit of getting used to, took me a good while to get the hang of it. Even still I find myself explaining to farmers why it took me 2 cuts to get into their lane when an artic milk tanker can just drive in…turning circle is horrendous!
we havent got any 6wheelers on the MVF fleet now , it’s all heading down the 8x2 rear steer/lift route , we still got paperwork that has 6 WHEELER ONLY on it , but the 8x2’s usually get in there come hell or high water , or sometimes looking at the state of the trucks an attitude of brute force & ignorance is the only way, sometimes manuverability isn’t the problem it’s access & the ammount of lock a twin steer will give you.
i went to one farm in cornwall , & the lane had granite banks & a sharp right hand bend. he has 6wheelers in there regularly but the 8 wheeler i was driving just didn’t want to know , after 20 mins & a lot of shunts , wheel trims , bumper, rear lights & sidelights all got a beating that day 
I know of a Hanson 6x2 Volvo FL thats plated at about 23/24 mgw and that can just take 15tonnes but the body must be flimsy as hell and so no good to us.