Mention 6x2 axles and one thing for certain is you won’t get a lukewarm reaction. There are fleets like Nussbaum and Ploger that have embraced them and don’t understand why other fleets aren't switching to them. And then there are other fleets that say there is no way they would switch especially given the fact that a lot of drivers say they don’t like 6x2s. Given the shortage of drivers, lots of fleets avoid doing things that drivers have indicated they don’t like.
The thing about 6x2 axles is that fleets that switch can see fuel savings in the 2.5% range – that’s huge. Still, 6x2s only make up about 4 to 5% of the market. Liftable 6x2s are a promising development and are well suited for fleets with diminishing loads where the full carrying capacity of a tandem axle is not needed all the time.
I am not going to tell you that 6x2s are without their problems because they do indeed have challenges. Not the least is the aforementioned lack of driver acceptance. There are also traction issues although those can be mitigated with load shifting technologies to increase weight on the drive axle at low speed. Early versions of 6x2s had tire wear issues but tire manufacturers now have recommendations on how 6x2 vehicles should be equipped to mitigate tire wear.
On the plus side in addition to fuel efficiency gains, 6x2s weigh less — 400 too 500 lbs. less. In addition, 6x2s can give the truck additional stability and control when operating in slippery or poor road conditions. This can help reduce the potential for a jackknife that is initiated by wheel spin.
The fleets like Nussbaum and Ploger who have gone all in with 6x2s are seeing success. I suspect that is due to that fact that they are really “all in.” In other words, they have made a commitment to the technology and are taking the steps necessary to overcome the challenges especially the ones that involve getting drivers on board with them. Evidence of that was just last Friday when Joel Morrow, head of product development at Ploger, joined me on the Dave Nemo Show on SiriusXM channel 146. Joel shared the myriad of actions they are taking to make 6x2s perform as well as 6x4s, while getting as he described it “north of 4% in fuel savings!”
I’d be happy to talk more with you about how 6x2s can be a good thing for your fleet because I’ve learned a lot from our Confidence Report on the subject and from lots of conversations about 6x2s in real-world applications with the folks at Ploger, Nussbaum and other fleets.
Give me a shout ([email protected]) and we can also talk about the need to communicate the overall benefits of 6x2 axles to drivers so they understand how they work and can get comfortable with them. If you try them under the right conditions, I am sure you’ll like them.
