Alpo Posted January 4, 2019 Share Posted January 4, 2019 One of y'all must know. See the truck. It is a ten-wheel truck. Two rear axles with dual wheels. But notice, in front of the rear axles there is another wheel. This wheel is not on the ground, but is about six inches off the ground. Are these wheels (there's one on each side) bolted to the chassis, and are spare tires? That kinda makes sense, except there are many other ten-wheelers running around without spares, and I've never seen a semi with a spare. I figgered if a big truck had a flat they called a wrecker. I know I'd hate to try to jack up a dump truck with 20 yards of sand in it, to change a tire. Or are they attached to a fourth axle, and they are only on the ground when there's a REAL heavy load in the truck? Kinda like wheelie wheels - they're up in the air until you NEED them? And if neither of these idiotic ideas are their purpose, why are they there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Shoer 27979 Posted January 4, 2019 Share Posted January 4, 2019 They are for weight, they have hydrolics to raise and lower them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984 Posted January 4, 2019 Share Posted January 4, 2019 Oh my Gawd. I researched this very question four days ago. i think I have been alpo’d. they have some kind of air bladder support so that inflating it puts the wheels on the road and allows them to meet weight regulations which are most important when crossing bridges. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sedalia Dave Posted January 4, 2019 Share Posted January 4, 2019 They allow the truck to carry a heavier load. I don't remember all the rules but each axle can only carry so much weight and that weight has to be spread across a certain area. There is a minimum distance required between each axle based on how much weight it is carrying. On the truck I drove on the farm the 3rd axle was controlled by air pressure and was behind the driving tandem axles instead of in front. In addition to raising and lowering the amount of weight it was carrying could be adjusted as well. State and federal laws dictate how many and the configuration. Here is a cement truck with a hydraulically controlled one in transition from use to stowage. This one is the extreme Here is a good write up: Lift Axle Considerations Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Gauntlet , SASS 60619 Posted January 4, 2019 Share Posted January 4, 2019 What matters to wear of the road surface is weight per wheel; distribution of the load. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noz Posted January 4, 2019 Share Posted January 4, 2019 Come on guys! Those wheels are fakes. The laws concerning how much weight a truck can carry are based on the number of axels. An extra axel will allow you to carry X number of more pounds per trip. More pounds per trip, the more money in the truckers pocket. Many times the axels are merely chained to the truck body. If you look at the tires, they are very small and never intended to touch the ground. The concrete truck with the wheels out behind uses those wheels to carry a longer chute when necessary to get the mix into a tight job site. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Major Crimes Posted January 4, 2019 Share Posted January 4, 2019 4 hours ago, Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984 said: Oh my Gawd. I researched this very question four days ago. i think I have been alpo’d. they have some kind of air bladder support so that inflating it puts the wheels on the road and allows them to meet weight regulations which are most important when crossing bridges. I have the same problem now, I have wondered the same thing as Alpo................................................................. should I go speak to a doctor? We now have a new Wire term- To be Alpo'd, To have privately considered a conundrum that has been, or soon is, posed publicly by Alpo. The inference being your conundrum is somewhat bizarre or worrying, but at least you kept it to yourself until outed by Alpo.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badger Mountain Charlie SASS #43172 Posted January 4, 2019 Share Posted January 4, 2019 I always thought they were just used to carry extra wheel nuts, in case you got a flat tire or two, out on the vacant highway, and lost one or two, while changing the tire. That said, you should see the size of those jacks they use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpo Posted January 4, 2019 Author Share Posted January 4, 2019 5 hours ago, Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984 said: Oh my Gawd. I researched this very question four days ago. i think I have been alpo’d Hangin' around me is rubbin' off. 'Fore you know it, you'll be droppin' Gs, sayin' Y'ALL, and misspellin' FIGURE. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984 Posted January 4, 2019 Share Posted January 4, 2019 Don’t figger thet’ll evah happin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smoken D Posted January 5, 2019 Share Posted January 5, 2019 Another reason is for tax purposes. Owner pays more when 12 wheels are down than 10. At least in some states and yes Fed regulations designate how much weight you can carry per axle on the vehicle. When he hits the weight regulated for the two rear axle's he can lower the extra two wheels on the single axle and legally haul more weight per load. Thus he makes more money per haul since he is allowed to haul more load. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770 Posted January 5, 2019 Share Posted January 5, 2019 4 hours ago, Noz said: Come on guys! Those wheels are fakes. The laws concerning how much weight a truck can carry are based on the number of axels. An extra axel will allow you to carry X number of more pounds per trip. More pounds per trip, the more money in the truckers pocket. Many times the axels are merely chained to the truck body. If you look at the tires, they are very small and never intended to touch the ground. The concrete truck with the wheels out behind uses those wheels to carry a longer chute when necessary to get the mix into a tight job site. So what about this guy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texas Lizard Posted January 5, 2019 Share Posted January 5, 2019 10 hours ago, Alpo said: One of y'all must know. See the truck. It is a ten-wheel truck. Two rear axles with dual wheels. But notice, in front of the rear axles there is another wheel. This wheel is not on the ground, but is about six inches off the ground. Are these wheels (there's one on each side) bolted to the chassis, and are spare tires? That kinda makes sense, except there are many other ten-wheelers running around without spares, and I've never seen a semi with a spare. I figgered if a big truck had a flat they called a wrecker. I know I'd hate to try to jack up a dump truck with 20 yards of sand in it, to change a tire. Or are they attached to a fourth axle, and they are only on the ground when there's a REAL heavy load in the truck? Kinda like wheelie wheels - they're up in the air until you NEED them? And if neither of these idiotic ideas are their purpose, why are they there? If it helps it is a new truck...They might advertising it to show how it will look in its surrounding...Does this give you the answer? Texas Lizard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kulshan 20262 Posted January 5, 2019 Share Posted January 5, 2019 They are training wheels for new drivers. Actually they are used to carry more weight as has been said. I have driven a four axle tractor a few times, have pulled three and four axel trailers a bunch. The three axel trailers had three axels with duals, the four axel trailers were like the three axels with a drop axel on the back. In this part of the country a standard three axel tractor and two axel trailer can gross 80,000 Lbs. With a three axel tractor and four axel trailer I could go 95,500 Lbs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabez Cowboy,SASS # 50129 Posted January 5, 2019 Share Posted January 5, 2019 Nice looking Truck even if it's a KW instead of a Pete .... Jabez Cowboy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Bullweed Posted January 6, 2019 Share Posted January 6, 2019 I work for company that builds straight-truck bodies, Class 4 thru 7. These are the rental and delivery box and flatbeds. The term that we use for the auxiliary axle is a tag axle. Most are lowered or raised by hydraulic control on the back of the cab. They are there to carry heavier loads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kulshan 20262 Posted January 6, 2019 Share Posted January 6, 2019 Strange, all the drop axles I have any experience with used air bags. There is a switch in the cab to lower or raise, the regulator to control the pressure is outside so the driver can't change the "ground pressure" going over a scale. The auxiliary axle behind the drivers or trailer axles is indeed a tag, but what to call one in front off the drivers... that's why I just refer to them as drop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utah Bob #35998 Posted January 6, 2019 Share Posted January 6, 2019 Yes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheyenne Ranger, 48747L Posted January 6, 2019 Share Posted January 6, 2019 On 1/4/2019 at 10:31 AM, Alpo said: One of y'all must know. See the truck. It is a ten-wheel truck. Two rear axles with dual wheels. But notice, in front of the rear axles there is another wheel. This wheel is not on the ground, but is about six inches off the ground. Are these wheels (there's one on each side) bolted to the chassis, and are spare tires? That kinda makes sense, except there are many other ten-wheelers running around without spares, and I've never seen a semi with a spare. I figgered if a big truck had a flat they called a wrecker. I know I'd hate to try to jack up a dump truck with 20 yards of sand in it, to change a tire. Or are they attached to a fourth axle, and they are only on the ground when there's a REAL heavy load in the truck? Kinda like wheelie wheels - they're up in the air until you NEED them? And if neither of these idiotic ideas are their purpose, why are they there? did note they have mud flaps in front and behind the raised wheel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Original Lumpy Gritz Posted January 6, 2019 Share Posted January 6, 2019 Very common on trash trucks. They will 'drop' when the trucks axle weight sensors say to, or can be controlled by the driver. They do steer a bit when turning. Drove many rigs with'em when haul'n for Uncle Sugar. OLG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Finagler 6853 Life Posted January 6, 2019 Share Posted January 6, 2019 Same set up on milk trucks. Put the axle down for heavy loads and lift them up when empty. Tires scuff hard when turning so using them only when needed saves rubber. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984 Posted January 6, 2019 Share Posted January 6, 2019 I look at the big trucks in Europe and Asia. I can’t say that I have seen everything but mostly the vehicles are a little narrower. The tires are much taller and broader with no duals, at least I have not seen duals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Riot Posted January 7, 2019 Share Posted January 7, 2019 On 1/4/2019 at 8:33 AM, The Shoer 27979 said: They are for weight, they have hydrolics to raise and lower them What he said. Hang on a sec...you have wondered this for years and are just now getting around to asking? Are you feeling all right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984 Posted January 7, 2019 Share Posted January 7, 2019 3 minutes ago, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said: What he said. Hang on a sec...you have wondered this for years and are just now getting around to asking? Are you feeling all right? Also has a backlog of wonderings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpo Posted January 7, 2019 Author Share Posted January 7, 2019 That's exactly it. I'll see or read or hear something, and think, "I wonder...", which causes that to get stuffed in a folder in the I WONDER file, in the corner of my brain. Occasionally I'll think of it again, and the file folder gets pulled, and another copy of I WONDER gets put in it. Some of them file folders been in there twenty, thirty years or more, and have a couple dozen I WONDERs stuck in them. But I just ain't got 'round to checking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grumpy Old Man Posted January 7, 2019 Share Posted January 7, 2019 Around Ohio, they are called cheater axles. Heard of an outfit in Michigan that hauled steel. They had a huge bow built in the flatbeds and when they drove by the patrol, they would just raise the air tags. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984 Posted January 7, 2019 Share Posted January 7, 2019 6 hours ago, Alpo said: That's exactly it. I'll see or read or hear something, and think, "I wonder...", which causes that to get stuffed in a folder in the I WONDER file, in the corner of my brain. Only one corner? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpo Posted January 7, 2019 Author Share Posted January 7, 2019 Yes only one corner. I ain't L7. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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