First off why is the tag option available when the majority of trucks are mid lift?
What are the pros and cons of either?
Which would you prefer and why?
Does tag suit a different type of work to to mid lift?
I assume a tag lift has a smaller turning circle due to the reduced wheel base.
Thanks
Guesswork Alert!!
Given the kinds of work you see most new tags doing I would assume it is all about managing the weight over the drive axel. If you think that they are popular with tippers, walking floors, bulkers etc, I would say that they are better for soft ground. Lift the tag and you put all the weight on the drive axel which should provide better traction.
I await experienced people calling me an idiot.
nsmith1180:
Guesswork Alert!!Given the kinds of work you see most new tags doing I would assume it is all about managing the weight over the drive axel. If you think that they are popular with tippers, walking floors, bulkers etc, I would say that they are better for soft ground. Lift the tag and you put all the weight on the drive axel which should provide better traction.
I await experienced people calling me an idiot.
I agree and its funny you should mention walking floors as there are 2 parked across from me which made me ask the question, however with a mid lift you would still put that weight on the drive axel by lifting the mid lift
I think there’s a post on here somewhere with all the pro and cons s ,not sure where though.
That’s pretty much spot on. Jobs which require a degree of off road work such as logging farm work tipper work a tag will be better for traction than a mid lift.
We could have a monologue on the reason a 6x4 roadtrain is the best for the job.
I used to have a tag axle 4 series. It was great for turning round. You only needed a space as wide as the trailer was long and it would go around sweet
NewLad:
nsmith1180:
Guesswork Alert!!Given the kinds of work you see most new tags doing I would assume it is all about managing the weight over the drive axel. If you think that they are popular with tippers, walking floors, bulkers etc, I would say that they are better for soft ground. Lift the tag and you put all the weight on the drive axel which should provide better traction.
I await experienced people calling me an idiot.
I agree and its funny you should mention walking floors as there are 2 parked across from me which made me ask the question, however with a mid lift you would still put that weight on the drive axel by lifting the mid lift
A midlift will put some of the extra weight on to the front axle, a tag when lifted will take weight off the front and put it on the drive as well
I can’t see how it’d make a difference, if you lift the mid axle all the weight goes on the drive axle anyway & you get more traction(I do it all the time @ low speed).
The only thing I see different is manoeuvrability due to the shorter wheel base/pivot point & all that onboard weighing stuff walking floors, loggers etc need…
Tag- puller axle.
Mid-lift - pusher.
Mid lifts can’t do half the off road a tag can. From personal experience.
Pimpdaddy:
I can’t see how it’d make a difference, if you lift the mid axle all the weight goes on the drive axle anyway & you get more traction(I do it all the time @ low speed).The only thing I see different is manoeuvrability due to the shorter wheel base/pivot point & all that onboard weighing stuff walking floors, loggers etc need…
because the 5th wheel pivot is in front of the drive axle on a mid lift, when you lift the mid lift the weight it was carrying is split between the drive and the steer axles, obviously the majority will go on to the drive. but a tag usually has the 5th wheel pivot mounted behind the drive axle, so when you lift the tag you will get more weight on the drive axle than the tag was carrying
Mid Lift can go to hell when the snow starts to fall. It’s useless empty, actually even worse than a 2 axle truck since the fifth wheel will be mounted a bit more forward putting even lesser weight on the drive axle. Weight on the drive axle is what gets you moving in winter conditions.
Tag (or tandem (6x4)) should be the only option where it’s a possibility that it will snow.
Only pros with a mid lift in any other than dry condition is that when you lift the axle you will also get some weight on steer axle but that disappear when you drive a Scania or I think MB got it also where you can choose how much weight you want to move over.
Dan Punchard:
I think there’s a post on here somewhere with all the pro and cons s ,not sure where though.
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=63955&start=30
edit. no maybe not, seems to do with tippers, don’t know why its in my favorites 
stevieboy308:
because the 5th wheel pivot is in front of the drive axle on a mid lift, when you lift the mid lift the weight it was carrying is split between the drive and the steer axles, obviously the majority will go on to the drive. but a tag usually has the 5th wheel pivot mounted behind the drive axle, so when you lift the tag you will get more weight on the drive axle than the tag was carrying
Fair enough, wouldn’t know much anyway, never driven a tag tractor only mid lifts, never have problems with them in snow…
I used to have a tag, as mentioned the fifth wheel is behind the drive so when it’s lifted you get much more traction than a mid lift.
then they decided to put a moffet on the back of my walking floor, that was ‘interesting’! running loaded was fine, but empty with the tag lifted and nearly 3 tonnes of forklift hanging on the back of the trailer, if you hit a dip in the road when the trailer went over it the moffet bounced and lifted the front axle of the unit clear of the deck! I’ve got a mid lift now! less traction for off road work, but a lot less brown trouser moments as well!!
Mid lift is great on a motorway. Tag can be a bit bouncy!
Off road, a mid lift is crap. Very crap. But try telling my office bods that.
A mid lift allegedly does more damage to forestry roads when going up hill loaded, as they struggle for grip and start bouncing. So I was told! Mine just grind to a halt, not enough power to wheel spin!
Tag tyres wear down a hell of a lot faster than midlift. They are literally dragged around corners whereas midlift being a lot closer to the steering axle don’t suffer as much stress. As above, turning circle of a tag unit is bloody marvellous.
puntabrava:
Dan Punchard:
I think there’s a post on here somewhere with all the pro and cons s ,not sure where though.viewtopic.php?f=2&t=63955&start=30
edit. no maybe not, seems to do with tippers, don’t know why its in my favorites
Could of been called midlife tag or double drive?
When I went to look at the new FH at Volvo’s Warwick HQ last year, their guy said that the Swedes were ordering more and more mid-lifts now, whereas Sweden is (was?) the traditional home of the tag axle chassis.
Truckbling:
Tag tyres wear down a hell of a lot faster than midlift. They are literally dragged around corners whereas midlift being a lot closer to the steering axle don’t suffer as much stress. As above, turning circle of a tag unit is bloody marvellous.
unless you have a steering tag
I thought you couldn’t get steering tags? It seems stupid if you can’t.