From: Bruce Kalin (convoy@mtaofnj.us)
Date: Sun May 23 2004 - 06:18:58 PDT
Art,
With your axle lock out is it possible to put this on the leading rear
axle, rather than the trailing rear? It would seem to me that leaving
the axles with the longest wheel base with the drive ability would
create better traction than the shorter wheel base and a trailing tag axle.
This theory was already used in the 70s on the older "Eagle" brand
buses, the tag axle would lead (although this was only a single wheel
set up) while the rear axle was a duel driver. By "singling" the leading
rear, there was very little drag, even in reverse. GM had a different
variation, where they made the rear axle the tag, but they had a lift
mechanism for the axle, which would eliminate the drag, and put the
weight on the drive axle when needed for additional traction. Often, it
was necessary to lift the tag in order to get the bus moving on a
slippery surface. Then, GM went to one rear, without a tag axle, and
after that, GM sold it's coach bus division.
Perhaps someone could try the "Eagle" method out, making the leading
rear a single wheel tag axle, with the lock out hub in that axle.
Just a thought.
-- Bruce Kalin Convoy coordinator Coordinator@eastcoastconvoy.com http://www.EastCoastConvoy.com USMC MTA, MVPA, MTA NJ, NCMVPA
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