Eight-wheel drive
Eight-wheel drive, often notated as 8WD or 8×8, is a
.Operation
When such a vehicle only has eight wheels by definition all are driven. When it has twelve – with two pairs of ganged "dual" wheels on each rear
Heavy hauler and ballast tractor 8×8s have had a long history as prime movers both in the military (as tank transports and artillery tractors), and commercially in logging and heavy equipment hauling both on- and off-road. Most eight-wheel drive trucks have two forward axles and two at the rear, with only the front pair steering. Occasionally a single front axle and three rear (tridem) are seen, an example being the Oshkosh M1070 tank transporter. In such configurations, the front and rear axle usually steer.[3] Other set ups include that of the ZIL-135.
Many wheeled
In the case of both truck and armored vehicle applications, drive may be limited to the rear two axles for on-road use, this reducing driveline stress and tire wear, and increasing fuel efficiency.
Gallery
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Eliica, the eight-wheeled electric car of Hiroshi Shimizu.
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Kynos Aljaba 8x8 tank transporter tractor with wide-footprint tyres
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Boxer APC; note the single tyres and near-equal spacing of the front and rear wheel pairs
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The Oshkosh M1070 HET is unusual in that while an 8x8 it has a single driven front axle, and a driven rear tridem
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This TATRA T 815 recovery truck has dual rear wheels (12 wheels in all) but is still categorized as an 8x8
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This 8x8 fire truck is unusual in that it steers by frame articulation
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On most wheeled armoured 8x8s the front two axles steer, although on current generation offerings it is becoming more common for the rear axle to contra-steer, this improving maneuverability in confined spaces
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It is not unusual for longer wheelbase trucks with four axles to have greater spacing between the front axle pair (the steering axles), as this helps reduce turning circle
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The DAF YP 408 APC may appear to be an 8x8 but in fact the second axle is not driven, making the configuration 8x6
See also
- H-drive
- Six-wheel drive
- Four-wheel drive
- 6x4 (drivetrain)
- Driveline windup
References
- ^ "US Army Sterling T26 8 x 8 12-ton Heavy Truck". milweb.net. Retrieved 2016-02-11.
- ^ "Tatra 816-6VWN9T 43 610 8x8.1RTruck". Retrieved 2016-02-11.
- ^ "Oshkosh M1070A1". Archived from the original on 2015-10-11. Retrieved 2016-02-11.
- ^ "Piranha 5". army-technology.com. Retrieved 2016-02-11.
External links
- "Stryker Armoured Combat Vehicle Family, United States of America". Arms Technology. Retrieved 29 January 2013.
- "Piranha III / LAV III Armoured Wheeled Vehicles, Switzerland". Arms Technology. Retrieved 29 January 2013.