Heavy truck lift axles

[triaxle]

I would like to hear from anyone with experience concerning lift axle kits vs. buying a tri axle tractor. I looked at some products at Hendrickson~intl.com but like many sites, the products were viewable but no experienced industry feedback was available. :beatsme

My trailer has brackets to connect a flip-up fourth axle so a manufacturers solution is available for my trailer, but the tractor is another question. :Banghead

I have a 379 tandem axle 425 hp Pete with adequate space for a lift axle after relocating the wetline reservoir and battery box. The best trade option I have now is a tri-axle 550 hp Pete for about 85K although lower cost triaxle tractors are available. :notworthy

I have seen lift axle kits ranging from 13,500 lbs to 25,000 lbs. I have also seen slightly used tandem stingers available as low as $14,000. Because of the length considerations involved with a stinger I don't think that represents a good solution for me because we work a mountainous area. :dizzy

We also work mostly in an area that has no truck scales so seeing a 400 sized machine on 5 or 6 load axles is not rare. :wink2

Input appreciated. :salute

 

[Steve Frazier]

When you refer to a tri-axle tractor, are you implicating a truck with three driven axles? Around my location, tandems with a lift axle are called tri-axles, usually fitted by the dealer.

 

[digger242j]

I would like to hear from anyone with experience concerning lift axle kits vs. buying a tri axle tractor.

Around my location, tandems with a lift axle are called tri-axles, usually fitted by the dealer.

I may be wrong, but I took the meaning of the initial post to be that Bob wants a tandem tractor with a lift axle, but isn't sure whether to put a kit in his current tractor, or buy an entirely different tractor, already so equipped, from a dealer.

I can understand where the confusion might arise though. When you take what the DOT would refer to as a "three axle truck", and add a lift axle to it, you get what everybody else calls a "triaxle".

Is there a common name that means specifically, "a truck equipped with three driven rear axles"?

 

[Nac]

I may be wrong, but I took the meaning of the initial post to be that Bob wants a tandem tractor with a lift axle, but isn't sure whether to put a kit in his current tractor, or buy an entirely different tractor, already so equipped, from a dealer.

I can understand where the confusion might arise though. When you take what the DOT would refer to as a "three axle truck", and add a lift axle to it, you get what everybody else calls a "triaxle".

Is there a common name that means specifically, "a truck equipped with three driven rear axles"?

I think it is called a tridem saw it listed on Western Stars web site.

 

[Nac]

I think it is called a tridem saw it listed on Western Stars web site.

Here is a link to Kenworth's work truck literture the offer a factory tridem drive.
http://www.kenworth.com/brochures/WorkTrucks.pdf

 

[Steve Frazier]

I read Bob's post several times and still wasn't clear on it, maybe it was due to the hour and the long day I had. I figured I'd ask for a clarification on this. I'll reserve comment until we get that to avoid a potential foot in mouth incident! :eek2

 

[triaxle]

I confuse me too

:bash :slomo Digger seems to share or understand my meaning.

There does seem to be some inconsistency in the verbage. This is my understanding of how it works but I am not claiming this the only way it can work.
The term tri axle is applied to power units differently than trailers.

A tri-axle tractor has 3 load bearing axles and a steering axle.
A tri-axle dump truck has 3 load bearing axles and a steering axle.
A tri-axle trailer has 3 load bearing axles.
A tandem axle tractor has 2 load bearing axles and a steering axle.
A tandem axle tractor with installation of a non-steerable lift axle would be a tri-axle tractor.
I have no idea what to call a tandem or tri axle tractor with a steerable lift kit except wierd.
A tri-axle tractor may be ordered, bought used, or have a kit installed.

I am trying to assess the relative merits of adding a lift axle kit to a tandem axle tractor that is paid for versus buying a tractor that came from the factory with the tri-axle arrangement.

Thanx

 

[Nac]

Triaxle do you need the 3rd axle just for weight purposes or do you need a drive axle for weight and traction purposes? If just for weight carrying purpose than an air lift axle is fine but if you need it for weight carrying and traction the more weight you are trying to pull I would thing you need more traction to get it rolling than you need a 3rd drive axle.

 

[triaxle]

Because of the level of confusion I appear to have caused with this question, I will try to fill in enough information so some level of communication may occur.

I use three different trucks to move heavy equipment. One is a tandem dump truck/ tag trailer combo of about 50' overall and 20 ton trailer rating.
Another is a tandem freightliner with a 35 ton hydraulic ramp trailer.

The final truck is a tandem axle Peterbilt( there is a picture of this truck at BobsGrading.com on the heavy haul page). This is the candidate for a lift axle.

Heavy haul trucks have more axles than freight trucks so that the extra weight of heavy equipment may be spread out more evenly and allow for super heavy loads to be permitted.

Now, as great as all this sounds, it is real hard to turn the truck on normal roads with all the axles touching the ground so air or hydraulic powered axles can lift for easier turning. In addition to that, the axles can be lifted so that you don't waste rubber when you're empty or lightly loaded.

As you can see in my website photo, the 100,000 lb Komatsu 400 makes it necessary for me to use all 3 of the trailer axles although the trailers last axle is a lift axle and was not touching the road when I arrived with a 320 Cat delivery and to pick up the 400.

The same guys that make the heavy duty leaf suspensions, Hendrickson, make lift axles for heavy trucks. If you check out their website, they make two types of lift axle, steerable and fixed. I am unaware of any axle that can be used both as a drive axle and be lifted that is available for heavy highway trucks.

Some heavy haul combinations steer from the front and rear like a fire truck .
Some good examples of rear steerable trailers can be seen at Cozadtrailers.com or Talbert Manufacturing's site. This is the only application I can think of for the steerable lift axles.

You will likely notice many of the heavy haul tractors pictured on those sites are tri-axle tractors with a fixed position lift axle. You may notice that my tractor is a tandem axle tractor.

Now, back to the original question, if you know enough about lift axle kits and tri-axle tractors to be able to make a comparison regarding function, installation of kits, or relative pricing of an install, versus a manufactured triaxle tractor, I would be delighted to hear your thoughts.

Regarding traction, when you are grossing 80,000 to 150,000 lbs, traction is not a problem unless you try to go somewhere the truck does not belong. I do not even lock axles on dirt to start or pull that load up a 10% dirt grade. :guns :slomo

Thanx

 

[Nac]

Triaxle understand what your getting at, as regards to a tridem 3 drive axles I was not sure how heavy a load you where talking about since you said 150,000 max then you probly dont need 3 drive axles. You could go with a steerable lift axle that readuce the tire scrub when turning, My cousin just added on the ther tandem dump truck I will ask how much it cost them and the ease of installation. Two things that I hear over and over about a lift axle is that when you off road on a job site the lift axle could get hung up on something and cause you to get stuck, also many body companies have told me that most guys on off road lift there axles and then the extra load that is on the truck is supported by the tandem axles and put too much strain on them

 

[digger242j]

Just to clarify--Triaxle, despite the trials and tribulations of traversing the torturous terrain of his territory has no trouble with traction. He doesn't need a third driving axle--he just wants to know,with reference to installing lift axles, from those who toil with trucks and tractors, who's tridem, and whether or not they likedem...

:bouncegri

 

[Steve Frazier]

I'll preface this by saying I have no direct experience in installing a lift axle, but I have been in my friend's shop to watch an installation on his new tandem cab/chassis. It's pretty straight forward and can be acomplished by anyone with good mechanical abilities. Basically all that is needed is a large capacity drill and jacks and then standard hand tools.

Careful measurement is required and a little knowlege of plumbing air lines, but that's about it. If I remember correctly, the lift axle ran about $5000 a few years ago without wheels and tires.

 

[triaxle]

Thanx

I appreciate all of the responses.

NOC, thanx for straightening me out about steerable axles.

I have contacted Hendrickson and asked to be contacted by one of their sales/ tech guys.

If I can scale another 15,000 to 20,000 on the tractor end of my truck, I can haul a significant number of super heavy traffic loads that I must pass on now.

The heavy haul part of our grading business has been an unexpected surprise. We expanded our service to include other grading contractors heavy equipment, then logging machinery ( skidders, cutters, knuckle booms). Lastly, generators and transformers. Sometimes the truck is sent to auctions to hustle loads.

Heavy Equipment Forums is doing a great thing with this site. Thanks for your advice and support. Best regardz,
Bob

 

[triaxle]

Over and Out

I received e mail from hendrickson suspensions today.
They said:

Go to Hendrickson-Intl.com
Select "aftermarket"
Under New Configuration tools, select "lift axles"

There is a wizard to help you through specing your lift axle.
After answering some questions, the wizard will issue a part number.
You can verify specs with the lift axle division at their 800 number.
They can recommend dealers and installers.
Regardz

 

[cat320]

I have a question probably a very stupid one but i will ask anyways.

If you have a single axel truck with a gvw of say 33K and you want to be able to handle a 16K lb load will a lift axel due it?And will the gvw of the truck be upgraded to that of like a tamdem?

 

[Nac]

A 33,000 GVW truck schould be able to carry a 16,000 load witha a problem. Yes you can add a lift axle to a single axle adding 20,000 more capacity then you have to have the truck reserfied and reregisterd.

 

[zrtman]

I know some guys here that have put a lift axle on T/A dumps. Pretty basic to do... drill and hand tools. They all bought them used $1500-2500 I heard. Was told you just need some common sense. None of them have a big shop or anything.