VOTE HERE - 6 wheeler?? good idea or not??

[manandvan]

how do you propose to get the axles "close coupled" as per the proposal pic? short springs? bags? if they end up "wide spread" you will have a lot of drag when sharp cornering?

[Luke]

how do you propose to get the axles "close coupled" as per the proposal pic? short springs? bags? if they end up "wide spread" you will have a lot of drag when sharp cornering?

good question
What i'm thinking so far is making some new mounts to weld direct to the chassis rails so they in effect overlap the exsisting leaf springs (allowing us to move the wheels as close as we want) then reposition the spring mounts on the 2nd (tag) axle further in board to match up we'd also need the 2nd axle to have lower spring rates - so the weight is supported by the 1st (front) axle and all the 2nd axle does is assist and take the extra weight imposed by welding half another van on the back so what i'd planned is getting some multi leafs and removing some of the assistors to make them softer

ive also started making 2 jigs to bolt to both axles together (where the wheels bolt up) to locate them in the exact position while it's all welded up

[redcube]

that sound like fun

[MATTBLACKHICUBE]

Think about it people, what company will insure it for road use

How will it get an MOT It wont fit in any rolling road I've ever seen

If it can be MOT'd it will have to get re-plated for the axle weights

Just to comment on this, up until about a year ago i had a LDV 400 (please don't kill me) 3 axle car transporter, admittedly it was covered on my motor trade insurance, so no problems there. Mot wise i just drove down to my local class 7 testing station, and it went through a normal mot every year, no problems, was never re-plated as it didn't require doing so, only problem i can see with doing this van is that as the van has a low GVW and the weight of the extension and extra axle will probably meet if not exceed your weight limit, meaning it cannot legally be driven on the road, leaving you with the hassle of an SVA test, re-plating, possible even re-registering to a Q-plate, as it will be classes as 'built from 2 or more different vehicles', this also leaves you with the possibility of someone from Vosa turning round and declining the application, leaving you with a very expensive piece of scrap.

So yeah, it could get expensive on the paperwork side, and its gonna be a hell of alot of work, but you got a big YES from me!!

[Luke]

only problem i can see with doing this van is that as the van has a low GVW and the weight of the extension and extra axle will probably meet if not exceed your weight limit

i think (hope ) we should be fine - the actual van we're using weights 1500kg i've had it on the weighbridge and it has a 1000kg payload as it's a 100 if you think about it the extra weight will only be an axle(no diff) springs and the section of van (sides, roof and floor) not the back doors as they will be removed and refitted - so i dont think it'd be anywhere close

[sideshow_bill]

When I need money (every week) I work as an engineer surveyor, I am senior technical lead for inspectors covering lifting equipment on behalf of one of the UKs leading insurance companies.
I also work alongside motor vehicle crash test engineers.
I am sure (as long as we do a propper job) we will be able to supply enough test and calculation data to show the roadworthyness of the finished van.

[MATTBLACKHICUBE]

only problem i can see with doing this van is that as the van has a low GVW and the weight of the extension and extra axle will probably meet if not exceed your weight limit

i think (hope ) we should be fine - the actual van we're using weights 1500kg i've had it on the weighbridge and it has a 1000kg payload as it's a 100 if you think about it the extra weight will only be an axle(no diff) springs and the section of van (sides, roof and floor) not the back doors as they will be removed and refitted - so i dont think it'd be anywhere close

Thats cool, just thought I would throw it in as you don't wanna go to all that work and get disapointed at the final hurdle.

Good luck with the project, depending where and when I will try to get at least a day in to help out.

[Luke]

Thats cool, just thought I would throw it in as you don't wanna go to all that work and get disapointed at the final hurdle.

no probs - better to discuss it all here rather than like you say end up with some scrap

one thing i ve looked at is the brakes - from what i've found out both axles need to have working brakes and be balanced - shouldnt be a problem but i'd origanally planned on having the trailing axle unbraked as they do in USA - but they have less strict rules over there

[redcube]

Don't let me near brakes we don't get along very well other words they don't like me and i wished they would work

[sideshow_bill]

I know we all like the 3 axle idea - but - what if ....

[MATTBLACKHICUBE]

one thing i ve looked at is the brakes - from what i've found out both axles need to have working brakes and be balanced - shouldnt be a problem but i'd origanally planned on having the trailing axle unbraked as they do in USA - but they have less strict rules over there

This is another delicate point, my LDV ran for about 10 years and 3 owners 'up north' with no brakes whatsoever on the rear axle, I bought it, drove it in sunny sussex for 6 months, took it for mot, said 'do whatever it needs' and got a bill for £1400 to fit service brakes and working handbrake to the rear!!
The following year, took it to the same garage, different tester said that I didn't need to get the brakes done as they are not a requirement.

So, best bet is to talk to whoever will be testing it beforehand.

Also thought I would chuck this link in to throw up some more ideas.

viewtopic.php?f=36&t=70280

[MinorMatt]

Luke - the axle needs a diff for several reasons...

Firstly the oil will piss out

secondly the inboard end of the halfshafts will be flapping about in the breeze and the wheel bearings wern't designed to take that sort of abuse...

If you want to lose some weight lose the crownwheel and get rid of any other unesseairy parts

[Luke]

Luke - the axle needs a diff for several reasons...

Firstly the oil will piss out

secondly the inboard end of the halfshafts will be flapping about in the breeze and the wheel bearings wern't designed to take that sort of abuse...

If you want to lose some weight lose the crownwheel and get rid of any other unesseairy parts

i was thinking of cutting off the halfshafts, blanking up the tube so we can have a small oil reservior at each end for the wheel bearings the only thing im not sure off is if the hubs rely on the support of the diff on the other end of the halfshaft i dont 'think' they do but we need to be sure before going down this route

[MinorMatt]

I would think they do rely on it there will be a lot of thrust on the bearings they would not be designed to take. Besides which it would be quicker and easier to leave the diff in...

[MrMPuk]

Phil's tag axle has the internals removed and half shafts cut off. As for the bearings just grease them like the fronts.