My grandfather operated a 6x2 flatbed Scania 86 for years and it gave great service to the company.
Steven
Thanks for the photo mate,good one.
I’ve always liked the look of Scania LB86’s. They made a good looking rigid and a smart little tractor unit especially in sleeper cab form.
Were there ever that many around?
What were they like as a truck,anyone ever drive or operate one?
I don’t have any photos of them or remember seeing that many of them. I do remember a company from Devon called Bampton Cattle Transport who had a very smart red and white six legger.
Anyone got any pics or info please?
jamie, dont think the 86’s were tractor units(not in uk anyway)
my father owned an 80 super (same cab as an 86 )tractor unit.really smart looking outfit,but struggled a bit with 20 ton on it.and the propshaft bearings were made of chocolate!! they failed on several occasions.but it was warm,quiet and nice and comfortable to drive.i can always remember my mum attempting to drive it!! it was a late N reg so just before the 81’s came out.and it was a vast improvement over the bedford km we had before it lol.
sorry no pics but it was identical to this one
Jamie, Here’s my old ‘86’ I once owned, I bought it secondhand from a dealer in Kidderminster who I beleive had it from a Grain haulier from the West country (it was bought new from Unit commercials).
I only ever used it as a Flatbed carrying Bricks, Steel and Timber, I got rid of a 6 wheel Volvo F86 and replaced it with this one and to be honest the Volvo was a far better lorry, at the time the only thing better than the Volvo was the cab but after all these years comparing the 2 I now think the Volvo was the better cab 
It was a nice looking motor, but it never pulled as well as a Volvo and I had loads of trouble with the Oil cooler which cost an absolute fortune 
The Splitter also used to play up regularly which also cost loads of money to sort out!
Funnily enough Jamie, I sold it to a cattle haulier from Daventry who was going to put a livestock body on it, but never saw it again 
Trev.
dad had a scania 81 artic. had it instead of a volvo f86. the scania was lot better than the volvo. Had a lot more power. when i was 21 he had it stretched into a 4 wheel tipper. it was a flying machine at 17 ton
M A Evans from Knighton ran this Scania 86.I am not sure if it was a cut down unit.Bill Buchan RIP from Llandrindod Wells drove it and hauled out of Nash Rocks Strinds quarry with it.
Cheers Dave.
That looks like a ‘Pukka’ LB86 Dave 
They were built as a 6 wheel rigid chassis, with the same running gear as the LB81, I’m sure someone will have a brochure to confirm this 
Trev.
The LBS 85’s & 86’s were rigid only here, they had beefed up chassis rails, springs and other drive components to the normal 80/81 and were probably intended for tipper/drawbar use.
Thanks fellas.
So basicly the 86 was a 6x4 81 correct?
It had the same motor and box as an 81 but a different arse end. Thinking about it I must have it wrong about seeing an 86 tractor unit,unless I’ve seen an Aussie one,which is possible as they had F86 6X4 tractors.
Here’s a couple of pics from books I have,did you blokes get 8x4 86’s in the UK,they would have been direct competition to the F86 wouldn’t they?
Cheers Jamie
NZ JAMIE:
Thanks fellas.So basicly the 86 was a 6x4 81 correct?
Cheers Jamie
Not quite Jamie, they were 6x2, the trail axle was on a electro hydraulic lift. hence the designations LB (4x2) all models, LBS (single drive 6x2) all models and only in 76 110/111 140/141 LBT (Tandem drive 6x4).
found this. Its a bit rough round the edges but it shows the spec
Thanks for the great broacher and info Jonmea and Trev,so the was a 6x4 86,I wonder what back end was used,could it be the same as a LBT 111?
Interesting though that there’s no mention of an 8x2 or 8x4 86,maybe these were an Aussie ‘Special’?
Has anyoine ever seen an eight legger 86 in the UK or Europe"
Jeffrey Walker Timber Merchants from Worksop had a 86 with a Primrose steer axle added to make into an 8 legger, as featured in Colin Wrights excellent book about 8 wheelers, well worth a purchase if available.
NZ JAMIE:
Thanks for the great broacher and info Jonmea and Trev,so the was a 6x4 86,I wonder what back end was used,could it be the same as a LBT 111?Interesting though that there’s no mention of an 8x2 or 8x4 86,maybe these were an Aussie ‘Special’?
Has anyoine ever seen an eight legger 86 in the UK or Europe"
Hi Jamie,
I wouldn’t know which back end the 86 6x4 version used, I’ve never seen one, all the UK ones we had through our workshops were 6x2’s. With the cab operated electro/hydraulic trailing lift axle traction was good for most situations.