Out of interest does anyone still use a tag lift axle on 6x2’s anymore. Being on the continent its very rare you’ll ever see one anyway as its all long wheelbase 4x2’s but i used to have one on my old F12 and always thought ( from a cosmetic point of view) they always looked better than a twin steer, although the twin will always be better on tyre wear…
We have loads of them as they can get on landfill sites better then the lift axles and do double the MPG of some of the double drives in our fleet.
I`ve noticed some French outfits using mini mid lift axles recently. (Laurent Pellier and DeRijke). They do run UK so maybe more conscious of UK axle weights?
Im starting to see more and more tag axle units pulling fridges i think its because you get a better turning circle.You will see alot of tipper firms using them for the off road grip they give compared to a mid lift.
Franglais:
I`ve noticed some French outfits using mini mid lift axles recently. (Laurent Pellier and DeRijke). They do run UK so maybe more conscious of UK axle weights?
The French have upped their weight limits recently so you will probably start to see more 6x2’s out there
Nearly all trucks in Scandinavia use tag axles due to weights and climate.Some in the north here use double drive but these are mostly constuction vehicles.
mazzer:
Franglais:
I`ve noticed some French outfits using mini mid lift axles recently. (Laurent Pellier and DeRijke). They do run UK so maybe more conscious of UK axle weights?The French have upped their weight limits recently so you will probably start to see more 6x2’s out there
That’s right I got stopped recently in a control the chap was telling me that new french trucks are starting to have a midlift
I’ve got a tag and it’s great. Longer wheelbase and bigger tanks and you can turn it on a ten pence piece.
Reverses and turns slightly differently to my old midlift but I’d say I prefer the way the tag drives.
A.
I’ve a tag 620 6x2.
Far better than midlift ,although a bit hairy when on the bounce 
hutpik:
Nearly all trucks in Scandinavia use tag axles due to weights and climate.Some in the north here use double drive but these are mostly constuction vehicles.
double drive seems to be more and more common nowadays, as evident by for example these two:
There’s no way I’d be driving in Scandinavia with a midlift in the winter, bloody pointless exercise
Someone asked me at work the other day why are 6wheeled rigids with mid lifts limited to 23t gross when tag axled ones are 26t? I thought it was to do with overall length, axle spacings etc. Mid lift 6ws seem a bit pointless really, given that modern 26t tippers have such crap payloads these days.
Muckaway:
Someone asked me at work the other day why are 6wheeled rigids with mid lifts limited to 23t gross when tag axled ones are 26t? I thought it was to do with overall length, axle spacings etc. Mid lift 6ws seem a bit pointless really, given that modern 26t tippers have such crap payloads these days.
23 tonne 6 wheelers are normally older 17 or 18 tonners converted to 3 axles ,both our Erfs are midlift 26 tonners ,
Adonis.:
I’ve got a tag and it’s great. Longer wheelbase and bigger tanks and you can turn it on a ten pence piece.Reverses and turns slightly differently to my old midlift but I’d say I prefer the way the tag drives.
A.
Ive never had a mid lift but can relate to the bigger tanks, my old F12 had enough space for 800litres and can get nearly as much on a long wheelbase 4x2…
milodon:
hutpik:
Nearly all trucks in Scandinavia use tag axles due to weights and climate.Some in the north here use double drive but these are mostly constuction vehicles.double drive seems to be more and more common nowadays, as evident by for example these two:
There’s no way I’d be driving in Scandinavia with a midlift in the winter, bloody pointless exercise
Blimey maybe finally an admission in the frozen north that the American idea of halving the amount of tractive effort required,by doubling the amount of drive axles,with still more than half the amount of weight on each.Equals a net gain in traction on firm but slippery ground.With the win win that two lighter drive axles won’t dig themselves into soft deep snow in the way that one heavy one will,actually works in the real world. 
Muckaway:
Someone asked me at work the other day why are 6wheeled rigids with mid lifts limited to 23t gross when tag axled ones are 26t? I thought it was to do with overall length, axle spacings etc. Mid lift 6ws seem a bit pointless really, given that modern 26t tippers have such crap payloads these days.
In Holland they are using 10 wheelers as tippers don’t know what weights they run at but will try and get a photo when down through there this week
CF,the difference between us here in the ‘‘frozen North’’ and the USA is that here the weight is better distributed over the axles.If you look you will clearly see the axles on the artic are much further under the trailer than the USA trucks,plus a lot of the double drives are on ‘‘road train’’ configurations.We also run at heavier weights.
hutpik:
CF,the difference between us here in the ‘‘frozen North’’ and the USA is that here the weight is better distributed over the axles.If you look you will clearly see the axles on the artic are much further under the trailer than the USA trucks,plus a lot of the double drives are on ‘‘road train’’ configurations.We also run at heavier weights.
The general principle that two drives can still be loaded up to more than half the weight on each than on one heavy single drive axle still applies.With the obvious advantages which I’ve described regards that producing a net gain in traction on firm ground and less tendency to dig themselves into soft deep snow than one much heavier single drive.Those advantages obviously being even moreso at heavier gross weights.Which seems to be possibly confirmed by what maybe at least an identifiable shift there away from 6 x 2 configuration as described by milodon ?.IE Scandinavian operators are possibly voting with the spec sheet.
hutpik:
CF,the difference between us here in the ‘‘frozen North’’ and the USA is that here the weight is better distributed over the axles.If you look you will clearly see the axles on the artic are much further under the trailer than the USA trucks,plus a lot of the double drives are on ‘‘road train’’ configurations.We also run at heavier weights.
Over in continental Europe trailers at 13.6metre with a 4x2 unit (mines at 4.2metre wheelbase) have the rear axle well under a long pin trailer, at a rough guess theres only around 30cm between the trailer and the air deflector on the cab and sometimes have to couple the air lines before reversing a little further to bang the jaws shut…
Seems I have unintentionally opened up another can of worms, but a double drive still only makes sense, if you’re running heavy all the time, as in 50+ ton gross. As shown from the pic by the owner of the first truck. And I’m willing to bet they still dump the air from the 3rd axle once in a while, as a 6x4 is not omnipotent.
AndrewG what I think hutpik meant was that the axles on the trailer are set back compared to a european 40t combination. The Krone curtainsiders we run for example have the axles 80cm set back compared to a regular Krone curtainsider, putting more weight on the truck, thus driveaxle.
double drive everywhere here bit bouncy tho when unit only
