6x6 Truck vs 6x4 Truck - school me

I'm looking at options for a new Cone Penetration Testing rig for work. (CPT = think drill rig but static push rather than rotary drilling)
I'll need to get 4 hydraulic rams fitted to level the whole vehicle and get the wheels off the ground. That's an engineering and cert problem then can be fixed by throwing money at it.


Best case I'd get a 6x6 truck and stick the pushing gear on the back. Would look something like this:

Attachment 163019


HOWEVER...
In NZ 6x6 trucks are between expensive and stupidly expensive.
Most testing is green fields (paddock) or places a building has been. Would be able to drive a 4x4 ute there kind of thing.


If I went down the option of a 6x4 truck what do I need to look for/avoid?

6x6 not my area of expertise, and I don't know how much weight is in your CPT unit, but about a Iveco Daily 4x4 https://www.iveco.co.nz/Product/daily-4-x-4

Or its big brother https://www.iveco.com.au/whatson/bla...-eurocargo-4x4

What ever you get, can I have a go in it? :thumbsup:

@norsk

@Joe_90
A 6x4 would be fine but make sure it has full cross locks and Fit a good Central Tyre Inflation (CTI) system, like the logging trucks use, dropping tyre pressure makes a huge difference
A lot will depend on how you need to mount your CPT. Too much weight over the front axel will be a pain in the arse

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Originally Posted by hotbarrels

6x6 not my area of expertise, and I don't know how much weight is in your CPT unit, but about a Iveco Daily 4x4 https://www.iveco.co.nz/Product/daily-4-x-4

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by hotbarrels

Or its big brother https://www.iveco.com.au/whatson/bla...-eurocargo-4x4

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The pushing gear I want to use for around here will come to about 9 ton. Might be a bit much for the poor wee iveco daily :O_O:

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Originally Posted by Harryg

@Joe_90
A 6x4 would be fine but make sure it has full cross locks and Fit a good Central Tyre Inflation (CTI) system, like the logging trucks use, dropping tyre pressure makes a huge difference
A lot will depend on how you need to mount your CPT. Too much weight over the front axel will be a pain in the arse

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I can mount the gear on the deck where ever really. It's effectively a power pack driving 2 big rams to drive a cone to 20m depth. Yes, I'll need a hole in the deck clear of cross members and drive shaft...

I don't think the front axel would get loaded any more than a concrete truck. Good thought with the tyre pressure system. Will do some more research into that.

@Joe_90
This is what I have fitted in a 4x4 Merc Zetros. 5 pressure settings 20 psi up to 60psi. 20 psi has got me out of most spots
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4VASzsTXOU

I know nothing about those trucks but I am still impressed by the knowledge of some forum members come with to help their fellow mate in such unusual fields.
I guess a small truck like that must cost a little mortgage ? How mush do you charge for your drilling to recover the cost and make a living?

@Harryg, that looks quite good, thank you!
@Friwi, It'll take a couple of years to pay off. The last estimate I sent out today was around $16k. That's 20 test holes to ~20m, for geotech testing it's really good value for money.

Most of the 6X6 stuff is for pulling non driven trailers off road.I don't think you would need it for what you are doing.

You are going to have about the same axel weights with 6x6 and 4x6 anyhow.6X6 isn't less "sinky" it's just 30% more traction.

If you want a 6x6 offroad, Kamaz?

My thoughts exactly,

But for his terrain profile I think it would be a bit of overkill:ORLY:

MAN and others are doing a 6x4 with a PTO hydraulic assist drive on the front axial for a temporary low speed 6x6. I'm sure it's not cheep down here.
Other wise look at what the power companies do for there offroad trucks.

For the money as stated above a set of super singles on the front to reduce sinking and a CTI system and full diff locks on both rear axles like the forestry trucks plus front and rear winches.
Z
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEVjN251a1Y

6x4 works IF you are talking both back axels drive....the absolute pits on any sort of uneven ground is a 6x2 eg lazy rear axel...you can literally get stuck going over a curb.....
the big advantage of fronts driving is steerage in any thing less than ideal-muddy as shit.
a longer truck thats 6x4 will keep going really well in full difflock but wont steer.... if you can lock between dif and cross lock rear you have to spin 3 to be stuck...pretty good at that...ultimate is full difflock so all 4 turn together.
9ton payload....most two axel fert sowers have payload of 6 ton....chuck that 3rd axel in and you be good to go...ISUZUs are cheap..but hard riding and rather tall,lots of ground clearance...difflocks not standard....
scania costs a bomb but are plurry nice trucks all around. super singles on front axel make softer ride and arguably less sinky...but choose tyre rim size wisely or you will be stuck with retreads or bus tyres which are piss poor steerage wise in anything greasy.

hino might be good option..not to pricey and they drive well....shorter wheelbase so turn on a dime,pretty good tractionwise...fit decent tyres and could be really good.... look at what silage contractors use...also what tipping trucks are around your area.another bonus with Hino...they arent built for midgets...decent room in cab,plenty leg room and steering wheel and seat adjust enough for comfort.

Something like this?? 6x4 with cross locks, 26 ton, change out the tipper body, even has live drive PTO for your hydraulic rams.
Or too close to the ground??
https://www.keithandrews.co.nz/merce...z/stock/590365
Attachment 163089

Snorkel in Palmerston North do auto leveling systems for their All Terrain access equipment, They maybe able to help with that side of it, just need to add larger rams and the engineering to take the truck weight without damaging the chassis.
Also a number of the Motor home builders do hydraulic self leveling systems, we have plumbed a few when the supplied kits don't fit..

Easy for us to comment but I think this is the sort of thing needs to end up with a specialist Transport Engineering operation
Z

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Originally Posted by berg243

if needing decent off road capabilities mount it all on a trailer and use a big tractor to pull it . if needing to travel more than 50km get it transported. much cheaper and no headache with cof as using someone elses transporter , you will have to cof tractor and trailer for on road use.

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That’s sounds like more of a headache than a dedicated truck


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Some really good food for thought here so far. Thank you for that.

I've looked at options for a transporter arrangement. Much easier and faster if I can roll up and test, saves a heap of set up time.

Whatever we end up going with it'll then require a long chat with an engineering company to get the fit out and loading right. Both for road use and being user friendly. At this point I'll be the operator/driver, will try to be careful and not twist the thing in half. Long walk home otherwise.

Those Kamaz units look fantastic! Overkill is still dead springs to mind :thumbsup:
In reality a tipper or flat deck unit with some modifications is looking most cost effective.

Yup you're bang on there Mauser. The trick is needing the ballest of the truck to hold everything down while pushing the drill string down. Current rig is a tracked crawler that needs augers set in the ground to bolt to. Its a right bastard getting them set properly if there is gravel I've found.

If I can get something worked out and a budget for it I'll put up a photo for ya.

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Originally Posted by ZQLewis

Something like this?? 6x4 with cross locks, 26 ton, change out the tipper body, even has live drive PTO for your hydraulic rams.
Or too close to the ground??
https://www.keithandrews.co.nz/merce...z/stock/590365
Attachment 163089

Snorkel in Palmerston North do auto leveling systems for their All Terrain access equipment, They maybe able to help with that side of it, just need to add larger rams and the engineering to take the truck weight without damaging the chassis.
Also a number of the Motor home builders do hydraulic self leveling systems, we have plumbed a few when the supplied kits don't fit..

Easy for us to comment but I think this is the sort of thing needs to end up with a specialist Transport Engineering operation
Z

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6x4 26 ton ?you wont be legal on the road here with that weight.

I recently had a iveco 6x6 built and had done fair bit of research prior . Give me a pm and I could be of some help.

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Originally Posted by Mauser308

Minor details, minor details...

You'll get that as a twin steer rigid, but that is a whole nuther mother offroad. Think Fonterra tanker minus the bendy bit on the bum...

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Driven twin steers off road much?? Better have something heavy floating around to pull you out they suck off road.

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Originally Posted by Markgibsonr25

Driven twin steers off road much?? Better have something heavy floating around to pull you out they suck off road.

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Was it an 8x8 you were driving Mark?

What make was it?

6x6 Iveco

and thats why numpties take out gateways late at night with 4 axel trucks more so than 3 axels . heck we have farm gates here we have to reverse into with 2 axels....funny how it works out,just have to look 4 times and go slowly slowly catchy monkey...

Up here I use Perry Geotechnical, they have a track mounted CPT rig with a cabin transported on the back of a truck. I'm generally only interested in looking at the top 15 meters for the work we do.

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Originally Posted by 300winmag

Up here I use Perry Geotechnical, they have a track mounted CPT rig with a cabin transported on the back of a truck. I'm generally only interested in looking at the top 15 meters for the work we do.

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A cabin crawler would be fantastic to have! About $1mil of gear rolling around for testing dirt, I love my industry some days.

Don't worry, I have over a mil tied up in shit digging and sheet piling dirt. There's good money in dirt.