Apologies if I’m behind the times,but the other day on here was the first I’d heard of that ‘CLOCS’ nonsense,and today I saw my first Mercedes Econic Urban 8-wheel tipper. Curiosity got the better of me and after a little googling it turns out that wossisname in London wants us all to be driving something that’s lashed onto a dustcart chassis. Where will it end 
Nobby_Clarke:
Apologies if I’m behind the times,but the other day on here was the first I’d heard of that ‘CLOCS’ nonsense,and today I saw my first Mercedes Econic Urban 8-wheel tipper. Curiosity got the better of me and after a little googling it turns out that wossisname in London wants us all to be driving something that’s lashed onto a dustcart chassis. Where will it end
They have them Econic’s for grab and curtainsiders too. As soon as the big construction and supply companies get h&s thrown at them they’ll no doubt give them a try. Ugly things though, but if it makes the drivers job easier and safer then i’m all for it.
A firm around here tried an Econic tridem (8wheeler with one axle at the front and three at the back) and it was pretty well received. The lock is like driving a 6w with a lift axle, payload around the same (19 something with an alloy body). Suspension height has three settings, off road, urban roads and normal conditions. Comfort was better than they expected, it was more refined than a bin wagon, and it has the same gearbox as the Arocs. I think you can spec a torque converter if you want.
I’d be happy to try one in grab spec.
They’ll only have a limited use on the tipper side of things though surely cos most sites do tend to get rough and muddy after a while, so you need the ground clearance of a regular lorry to get around them.
Pretty sure that was one reason transfer stations came about for dustcarts so they tip on hard standing as they can do alot of damage on landfills.
Probably is a market for them on general haulage too as normally your not going off road to tip at a supermarket etc. But they are still ugly horrible looking things but maybe our big citys will be full of them soon 
Muckaway:
A firm around here tried an Econic tridem (8wheeler with one axle at the front and three at the back) and it was pretty well received. The lock is like driving a 6w with a lift axle, payload around the same (19 something with an alloy body). Suspension height has three settings, off road, urban roads and normal conditions. Comfort was better than they expected, it was more refined than a bin wagon, and it has the same gearbox as the Arocs. I think you can spec a torque converter if you want.
I’d be happy to try one in grab spec.
We had a skip lorry come into work with the econic set up driver said he liked it came with a remote control for the lifting/tipping gear as well very handy, works next to an aggregate place and i’ve seen a few of the tridem 8 wheeler set ups about lately regular cabs on them maybe a bit lower than normal not too sure to be honest. But i’d still say they’d never do as good as a normal 8 or 6 wheeler for muckaway or boggy/rough ground work?
Muckaway:
A firm around here tried an Econic tridem (8wheeler with one axle at the front and three at the back) and it was pretty well received. The lock is like driving a 6w with a lift axle, payload around the same (19 something with an alloy body). Suspension height has three settings, off road, urban roads and normal conditions. Comfort was better than they expected, it was more refined than a bin wagon, and it has the same gearbox as the Arocs. I think you can spec a torque converter if you want.
I’d be happy to try one in grab spec.
The one I saw was a tridem owned by Erith. I was up to my ankles in mud and a dustcart cab coming on the site didn’t look right. It seems the front suspension is on air and can be raised for,like you say,off road.After my Google session,the tridem setup with it’s rear lift&steer seems to be going down well with the tipper and grab boys.
If the low cab gets the thumbs-up and if mayor Khan gets his way,then they’re probably the future.
I’d rather be able to see over the traffic and plan ahead than stare at the back of a Ford Fiesta
Les Shoes:
I’d rather be able to see over the traffic and plan ahead than stare at the back of a Ford Fiesta
It seems that Mr Khan has dropped his plan of all lorries having a window in the lower passenger door,in favour of low cabs. Including tractor units in time. As a lowly class 2 driver,and a fan of the double-drive twin-steer setup,it seems my days are numbered
Nobby_Clarke:
Les Shoes:
I’d rather be able to see over the traffic and plan ahead than stare at the back of a Ford FiestaIt seems that Mr Khan has dropped his plan of all lorries having a window in the lower passenger door,in favour of low cabs. Including tractor units in time. As a lowly class 2 driver,and a fan of the double-drive twin-steer setup,it seems my days are numbered
Only in London and that can’t be a bad thing!
I have a decent side camera setup now, with that and the class 5 and 6 mirrors I don’t have a blind spot on the nearside at all, not until I start turning anyway. Low cabs aren’t going to counter complacency or fukwittery and it’s those, from all road users, that get people killed.
Muckaway:
A firm around here tried an Econic tridem (8wheeler with one axle at the front and three at the back) and it was pretty well received. The lock is like driving a 6w with a lift axle, payload around the same (19 something with an alloy body). Suspension height has three settings, off road, urban roads and normal conditions. Comfort was better than they expected, it was more refined than a bin wagon, and it has the same gearbox as the Arocs. I think you can spec a torque converter if you want.
I’d be happy to try one in grab spec.
Unless they have changed them recently they all have the Allison box and are quite heavy on fuel.
We have a few of them as dustcarts and they are way better to drive than the Dennis equivalent
My mate is fleet controller for a firm with two and said they ain’t to reliable and the back up from there local dealer is crap compared to Volvo and Renault which they run as the mainstay of there fleet
I think the Tridem is the future for tipper work. With smaller tighter sites that are getting harder and harder to get into with an 8w, coupled to the fact that increasing tare weights and tip charges mean 6w aren’t economical anymore.
Kev you said about Merc backup, I know of an operator who subs for Einig who had a new Arocs at Rygor for more than 6 weeks. Hence they’re replacing them with Foden Alphas.
Talking tippers, what’s happened with the Euro 6 Hino? I reckon I’d be driving one of those if they ever get released, being as our Isuzu has been pretty good.
Mark luck in Kent has a few Volvo tridems. They are quite a bit dearer than a normal 8x4 but the drivers rate them just got to be a bit aware backing up on a tip as you can’t lift it loaded just dump the air and the brake chambers are a bit exposed.
Is that Paul who used to have the daf who bought the merc. I know my dad said he has been looking at them for a while but my dads been off sick for awhile so don’t know if he took the plunge but he was saying on Facebook the daf was coming up for sale
Round our way a lot bought hinos in 06-08 as they was cheap and available straight away coupled with the demise of foden and the local foden dealer who had a good reputation with the construction based firms taking on the franchise.
Then the recession stopped firms buying for a few years but when they did none went back to hino Scania seems to have most of the London market seen up now.
Tales of heavy fuel consumption and horrendous parts prices seemed to have done for hino
Mark luck’s Volvo was the first time I’d seen a tridem. If I understand it correctly you get the best of two worlds,a double-drive bogie with rear lift&steer. So I can see why they’re becoming popular for site work. That’s fine. It’s just the funny cab I’m not a fan of. Also if I understand it correctly,a tridem setup is more critical where the load is vs a normal 8x4. Presumably front axle weight.
Like you say KR, not so long ago every 8x4 you saw was a Hino
With one axle up front gotto be careful loading.
Not a fan of cab myself feel very vulnerable in one.
Mick George has one in Cambridge so they are spreading.
I just wonder what happens if and when one has an incident with a bike
kr79:
I just wonder what happens if and when one has an incident with a bike
Raise the suspension and say you didn’t see them. With apologies to Chester and Boredwivdrivin. 
Having everyone driving a converted dustcart seems to be to do with that CLOCS caper and appeasing the pushbike riders. I spent 4 months and 5 days a week driving in London in a normal cab and I didn’t hit any cyclists. Some of them did their best but I used the old fashioned way of keeping one eye on all the mirrors. As Les said,to avoid an accident their has to be common sense on both sides
I used to drive a merc dustcart with the Allison gearbox and it wasn’t to bad other than the button for the passenger door freezing in the winter. If I was on the tippers and was given one I wouldn’t mind. Commercial motors on YouTube took one out and said it wasn’t too bad youtu.be/cNCgB3tbZx8
Informative. It still don’t seem right. Perhaps it’s cos I’m old and don’t like change 
. Mind you if I was on multi-drop I’d probably think it’s the best invention ever