Tandem axle suspension

[dremu]

Mulling ideas around in my head, and I see on the USA6x6 site this thing (attached).

I guess it has a solid link (green) along with the leaf spring up top (orange), and some kind of panhard thing (blue)? Would you call this a three-link leaf-sprung setup, or what?

Any ideas, input, pointers to other varieties of tandem axle suspensions, and/or web pages with pretty pictures of same for us visual learners, much appreciated. No need to go into USA6x6, I've read all those posts ... just happened across these pix there is all.

-- A

 

[boz42]

get out & go look at some dump trucks & tractor traailer trucks. there are tons of ways to set up tandem axles. i don't know what u are trying to do here but that would bea good place to go look. we have 4 dump trucks & i tractor trailer.

some have 4 leaves some only have 2, some have air bags & some have rubber cushion bushings for springs.

most that use leaves have a anti-wrap bar of some type. most airbag susp. use a 3link set up. were 2 bottum links are hard mounted to the axle & swing from the frame from a bushing end. those will have a panhard bar on top.


i like the way Macks are set-up. they have a camel-back leaf on each side that is upside down compared to our trucks. the axles are mounted to the leaf ends in a leaf under design. the leaf is mounted to the truck frame at its center. where it mounts is a pivet so the axles can swing up & down


this isn't a very good pic but the only one i could find in a hurry

 

[Eric M.]

I shoulda showed you the axle sitting in my garage.

Eric M.

 

[mikey_d05]

My computer refuses to load Pirate right now but there's a guy building a 6x6 on there with 2 D70's. He's just using two 4 links, one right behind the other with a carrier bearing for the 2nd shaft (using a hyrbrid 200/205 with twin rear outputs) mounted on the first pumpkin.

 

[dremu]

Thanks guys. I'm just contemplating what would be involved with a tandem conversion on a pickup, which implies somewhat smaller axles and suspension than in the medium duty stuff.

Eric, do tell about that axle!

-- A

 

[boz42]

eric m what kind of axle is that? custom?

 

[dremu]

Yeah, I had heard from Kyle @ NWF about the NP200 with dual rear outs... MikeyD05, I dug on on Pirate, but I found a ton of unrelated crap. Do you have any further details so I can narrow my search, or link to the specific thread?

-- A

 

[MNorby]

back in the day like 10 years ago I remember reading in dad's farming magazine about a chevy that someone tandem axled and made into a service truck. I beleive he used 2 NP205s, one forward then one backward and 2 14FFs. Maybe look back into old Hay and Forage mags.