Other than mention of the air ambulance, I don’t see mention of the driver’s condition. Hopefully there will be some good news tomorrow, though after it had been dragged back up the cab looked a mess.
There was some discussion on tyre blow outs on here some time back, I seem to recall suggestion that a steer axle blow out isn’t necessarily a major issue, but here at least it has gone very badly. Would you expect a o/s tyre failure to take the cab that direction or the other way?
Thankfully never had a blowout on the front (and would be glad to see my time out in that happy scenario ta everso) but have had a rapid circa 20 seconds deflate following debris suddenly being ejected from under the vehicle in front, even empty the pull to one side is massive so understandable the results can be bad.
Old friend of mine had a front blowout fully freighted, in narrow contraflow @ 50 or so mph just to make life easy , on a modern design car transporter, hardly the last word in vehicle stability , he managed to keep it all together without losing control, impressed i was and still am.
4 wheeler unit, number plate on left, so I`d agree prob not UK.
LeciTrailer? (see pallet box) is a Spanish trailer manufacturer.
Guessing Spanish or EE traction.
It’s always in the back of my mind a front tyre blow out, when overrunning down hill.
I know it can happen any other time also, and hope it never happens to me, it doesn’t matter how good you think you are, or how cool you think you are, the ■■■■ thing will just go where it wants to go.
Just out of interest, does anyone else know the weight the front (or all) axles are running at, empty or loaded?
If you get the chance of using an axle weigher take it **
The average max weight design 3 axle mid lift style tractor will impose around or just over 6 tons on the steer axle, whether loaded with mid lift down or empty with mid lift raised this won’t vary a lot and position of fifth wheel doesn’t make a big difference…it does to the mid lift though when loaded heavy so be wary those with small mid lifts, some small wheeled mid lifts only plated at 4.5ish tons.
I wonder though how much the weight imposed on front axles of 2 axle tractors can vary depending on fifth wheel position, how many could be running at or just over their plated max axle weights constantly when loaded.
This might have some bearing on the likelihood of tyre failure, the steer tyres are often working permanently harder than all others on the vehicle, even empty they are still running at the upper end of plated weights.
**what happened to those admittedly rare ministry axle weighers, left live so even when unmanned you could still check your axle weights.
Juddian:
Just out of interest, does anyone else know the weight the front (or all) axles are running at, empty or loaded?
If you get the chance of using an axle weigher take it **
The average max weight design 3 axle mid lift style tractor will impose around or just over 6 tons on the steer axle, whether loaded with mid lift down or empty with mid lift raised this won’t vary a lot and position of fifth wheel doesn’t make a big difference…it does to the mid lift though when loaded heavy so be wary those with small mid lifts, some small wheeled mid lifts only plated at 4.5ish tons.
I wonder though how much the weight imposed on front axles of 2 axle tractors can vary depending on fifth wheel position, how many could be running at or just over their plated max axle weights constantly when loaded.
This might have some bearing on the likelihood of tyre failure, the steer tyres are often working permanently harder than all others on the vehicle, even empty they are still running at the upper end of plated weights.
**what happened to those admittedly rare ministry axle weighers, left live so even when unmanned you could still check your axle weights.
Usually around the 7t mark with an average load, 11t on the pin will be around 7.5ton although will be slightly less in a non V8 unit. If on the limit on the pin good chance the front axle will over.
That’s a nearside front tyre with the truck upside down.
Think I was one of those on that topic who was on the side of a steer axle blow out all bets are off.
The instantaneous assymetric change in relative rolling resistance would be similar to applying a brake on one side of the steer and in the case of a blown truck tyre that’s a lot of resistance.
Conor:
When I had the drivers side front go it didn’t pull me any way but then again I didn’t hit the brakes and just slowed on engine braking.
You should accellerate until vehicle is stable then slow down without using the brakes if possible, but teveryone is on the limiter so how do we speed up?
Usually around the 7t mark with an average load, 11t on the pin will be around 7.5ton although will be slightly less in a non V8 unit. If on the limit on the pin good chance the front axle will over.
Cheers Mazzer, and that 7 to 7.5t won’t reduce by more than a ton when empty.
Just shows the steer tyres don’t get easy running at all even when empty unlike the rest of the vehicle, steer tyres averaging 3 ton+ per tyre continually, where drive axle (mine with mid lift up 4300kgs) tyres not getting much above a ton empty and still comfortably under 3 tons per tyre fully loaded.
Juddian:
Just out of interest, does anyone else know the weight the front (or all) axles are running at, empty or loaded?
If you get the chance of using an axle weigher take it **
The average max weight design 3 axle mid lift style tractor will impose around or just over 6 tons on the steer axle, whether loaded with mid lift down or empty with mid lift raised this won’t vary a lot and position of fifth wheel doesn’t make a big difference…it does to the mid lift though when loaded heavy so be wary those with small mid lifts, some small wheeled mid lifts only plated at 4.5ish tons.
I wonder though how much the weight imposed on front axles of 2 axle tractors can vary depending on fifth wheel position, how many could be running at or just over their plated max axle weights constantly when loaded.
This might have some bearing on the likelihood of tyre failure, the steer tyres are often working permanently harder than all others on the vehicle, even empty they are still running at the upper end of plated weights.
**what happened to those admittedly rare ministry axle weighers, left live so even when unmanned you could still check your axle weights.
I got an FM Volvo tag unit several years ago, and after many years on LWB 8 wheelers, was horrified at how it didn’t want to go round corners. Talking to someone with more experience of artics, he had a look and said the 5th wheel needed to go forward in the slider. We could only move it around 4 inches without fouling the trailer, and I couldn’t see that it would make a lot of difference. He persisted, and I was astonished to find that when loaded, the steer axle was exactly a ton heavier than before. What a nice little truck it was after that.
I got an FM Volvo tag unit several years ago, and after many years on LWB 8 wheelers, was horrified at how it didn’t want to go round corners. Talking to someone with more experience of artics, he had a look and said the 5th wheel needed to go forward in the slider. We could only move it around 4 inches without fouling the trailer, and I couldn’t see that it would make a lot of difference. He persisted, and I was astonished to find that when loaded, the steer axle was exactly a ton heavier than before. What a nice little truck it was after that.
Mid lifts are just as sensitive, takes me several minor adjustments when i get a new tractor before i find the sweet spot for the fifth wheel, not just for handling but it’s too easy to overload the mid lifter particularly when small mid lift wheels are specified.
Interestingly the further back you shift the fifth wheel, its not the drive axle which overloads its the mid lifter, took me a while head scratching thinking me man maths were up the creek before i got it
Juddian:
Just out of interest, does anyone else know the weight the front (or all) axles are running at, empty or loaded?
If you get the chance of using an axle weigher take it **
The average max weight design 3 axle mid lift style tractor will impose around or just over 6 tons on the steer axle, whether loaded with mid lift down or empty with mid lift raised this won’t vary a lot and position of fifth wheel doesn’t make a big difference…it does to the mid lift though when loaded heavy so be wary those with small mid lifts, some small wheeled mid lifts only plated at 4.5ish tons.
I wonder though how much the weight imposed on front axles of 2 axle tractors can vary depending on fifth wheel position, how many could be running at or just over their plated max axle weights constantly when loaded.
This might have some bearing on the likelihood of tyre failure, the steer tyres are often working permanently harder than all others on the vehicle, even empty they are still running at the upper end of plated weights.
**what happened to those admittedly rare ministry axle weighers, left live so even when unmanned you could still check your axle weights.
My front axle is at max when empty 8 tonne until I lift the rear axle then it goes to 7700 kg,the centre of the body is the centre of the rear axles when carrying max payload of 10 tonnes the front axle is 7700 kg if the load is loaded symmetrical on centre point ,the axle weights make 27 tonnes so moving the load rear of centre point doesn’t put the rears over .
I used to drive a 3+3 wagon and drag delivering concrete products, and even with a higher rated front axle it wasn’t easy to keep the front axle below the legal weight. Only ever had 1 front wheel blowout, on the M25, and fortunately everyone around me realised and backed off so I could just let it roll to a halt without braking.
Usually around the 7t mark with an average load, 11t on the pin will be around 7.5ton although will be slightly less in a non V8 unit. If on the limit on the pin good chance the front axle will over.
Cheers Mazzer, and that 7 to 7.5t won’t reduce by more than a ton when empty.
Just shows the steer tyres don’t get easy running at all even when empty unlike the rest of the vehicle, steer tyres averaging 3 ton+ per tyre continually, where drive axle (mine with mid lift up 4300kgs) tyres not getting much above a ton empty and still comfortably under 3 tons per tyre fully loaded.
Just used the axle weighing at Waitrose MK and an empty Gray and Adams front axle 6980kg drive 5200kg so a V8 is always going to be front heavy
Usually around the 7t mark with an average load, 11t on the pin will be around 7.5ton although will be slightly less in a non V8 unit. If on the limit on the pin good chance the front axle will over.
Cheers Mazzer, and that 7 to 7.5t won’t reduce by more than a ton when empty.
Just shows the steer tyres don’t get easy running at all even when empty unlike the rest of the vehicle, steer tyres averaging 3 ton+ per tyre continually, where drive axle (mine with mid lift up 4300kgs) tyres not getting much above a ton empty and still comfortably under 3 tons per tyre fully loaded.
Just used the axle weighing at Waitrose MK and an empty Gray and Adams front axle 6980kg drive 5200kg so a V8 is always going to be front heavy
Juddian:
Just shows the steer tyres don’t get easy running at all even when empty unlike the rest of the vehicle, steer tyres averaging 3 ton+ per tyre continually, where drive axle (mine with mid lift up 4300kgs) tyres not getting much above a ton empty and still comfortably under 3 tons per tyre fully loaded.
Just used the axle weighing at Waitrose MK and an empty Gray and Adams front axle 6980kg drive 5200kg so a V8 is always going to be front heavy
Usually around the 7t mark with an average load, 11t on the pin will be around 7.5ton although will be slightly less in a non V8 unit. If on the limit on the pin good chance the front axle will over.
Cheers Mazzer, and that 7 to 7.5t won’t reduce by more than a ton when empty.
Just shows the steer tyres don’t get easy running at all even when empty unlike the rest of the vehicle, steer tyres averaging 3 ton+ per tyre continually, where drive axle (mine with mid lift up 4300kgs) tyres not getting much above a ton empty and still comfortably under 3 tons per tyre fully loaded.
Just used the axle weighing at Waitrose MK and an empty Gray and Adams front axle 6980kg drive 5200kg so a V8 is always going to be front heavy
That is heavy on the front, my last fairly standard 3 axle tractors have put around 6.4 on the front axle empty or loaded with the mid lifters raised, do you have a mid lifter or is the front axle rated heavier than normal axle, maybe on super singles…keep in mind i have no experience of extra heavy steer axles so only guessing the latter re weights.
Also was that with your trailer with the front axle raised perchance? cos my trailer doesn’t lift the axle and my drive (again mid lift raised) would be about 4.3 tons empty.
Wish i could get a bit more weight imposed on the drive axle, wheelspin is an issue in the damp.
Again your figures are proving just how hard the steer tyres work all the time, emoty or loaded.
, on a modern design car transporter, hardly the last word in vehicle stability 
, he managed to keep it all together without losing control, impressed i was and still am.
