# 6 wheel motorhomes



## Deleted member 2636 (Jun 3, 2010)

I have seen a few of these 6 wheeler motorhomes about. 
If anyone has or has experience of them I'd be pleased to hear of the pros and cons


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## Gixermark (Jun 3, 2010)

Er, "6 Wheeler Motorhomes" ! 

By this do you mean a tag-axle motorhome ???? 

Obviously stability & load carrying capacity are the main things and why I have only owned them ( currently on a Swift Kontiki 669 ) but I am sure others will fill you in better!

Oh! and they also look far better than a single axle motorhome !!!


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## n8rbos (Jun 3, 2010)

cons.......6 tyres,6 wheel bearings etc


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## Fatherjack (Jun 3, 2010)

6 wheels good, on two axles, rear wheel drive.

 6 wheels bad, on three axles, front wheel drive.


  Reasons, with 3 axle FWD you will suffer from poor traction, espescially when you're trying to turn at the same time because the 2 rear ales are trying to go straight on.

  Second reason, tyre scrub. That's why trucks can lift axles on te tractor unit and trailer.

  If you never go off road or encounter slopes or tight bends then the 3 axle vans should be O.K. otherwise if you need the capacity that 6 wheels gives then 2 axles RWD is the way to go.

  Got to admit the tag axle vans do look the dog's though.


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## jim mcdonald (Jun 3, 2010)

*six wheelers*

Father jack
You mst drive a different 6 wheeler to me i must admit they are no good off the road but no different to 4 wheelers, I have had both as for going round corners they are better than a 4 wheeler more stable SO DONT KNOCK EM


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## Deleted member 2636 (Jun 3, 2010)

Are any od these 6 leggers rear wheel drive? Apart from MAN conversions and the like?
I thought that they were all tag axle jobbies on Alko chassis


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## Deleted member 775 (Jun 3, 2010)

i dont know about these newer transits load capabilitys, but the older ones with the sloping front were never that clever in the 80 90 100 120 guise, only untill you got up to 150 to the 190 then you got some decent load handling but then again the only good thing about the tranny was the engine &gearbox diffs were crap


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## Telstar (Jun 3, 2010)

*tag axle*

I must start off by saying that I haven't had one or ever intend to buy one.

extra axle = extra weight you are always dragging around.  Will certainly take you over 3500kg gross and probably 3050kg unladen, therefore speed limit issues.

Need to watch the weight allowance you are left with.  Some can be like the Aclass Hymers (without uprated chassis) where you aren't left with much spare capacity.

On the plus side they tend to be bigger/longer vehicles giving more internal room.

Jon


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## Nomad1 (Jun 3, 2010)

Not sure about the tag axel motorhomes Phil,,i recon traction would be a problem knowing the places you get too,,,,,they look nice tho,,,,but i spoz its like a truck,,you need double drive or at least a lift axel,,


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## Deleted member 207 (Jun 3, 2010)

Rear drive tag axles need a different driving technique, I got stuck in a Volvo F86 with a tag axle years ago - crossing a driveway. I had to be towed about 5 feet before I could get the drive wheels back on the ground. Must have been the most expensive 5 feet travelled ever.

Most tag axle fitments now have an air bag setup on the drive axle to force it down, or a lift arrangement on the tag to transfer weight to the drive. Some dont - beware, the leaf spring load sharing axles are the ones that cause the dramas. 

I've noticed that a lot of the slide on campers are now being fitted to 6x2 or 6x4 conversions to get the weight distribution right.

Saw a great Landcruiser 6x6 conversion with a camper on the back a few years ago, the Land Rover Perenties 6x6 also have plenty of demountable camper bodies available.


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## vindiboy (Jun 4, 2010)

I have a HYMER B694 Tag axle and it is the BEES KNEES, I have done 60,000 miles in mine, I have replaced the two front tyres and the two rear most tyres, the middle row of tyres are original and are good for a lot more miles yet. My vans gross weight is 4,500 kilograms and we carry just about everything  in it, including a washing machine, spin dryer, gennie, and all the creature comforts needed for long term camping, Speed limits, well who wants to rush about, it is a leisure vehicle after all, We have been to Greece, Germany, Holland, Belguim, France ,Spain ,Portugal etc in the van, wildcamping extensively, I paid £46.50 for a return ferry crossing Dover Calais this year,Sea France.I have a large garage with a big double bed over permanently made up,so no nightly scrabble  with cushions to make beds, the garage is great for storage, I hate clutter in  a van so everything that belongs outside stays outside,the van is fully winterised and has a double floor so all the water tanks and pipework is fully protected from frost, so for methe Tag Axle van is great.


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## deputydawg (Jun 10, 2010)

What's it like on fuel?

  I think that tyre scrub and lack of traction, espescially on a tight lock could be major problems.

  Don't know of any mainstream vehicle manufacturer that makes a fwd 3 axle vehicle, do you?


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## vindiboy (Jun 12, 2010)

I previously posted that my van was doing around 30 mpg thanks to  a TB turbo update and  an engine chip also TB turbo fitted,but the post dissappeared ? I keep the speed around 60 MPH and don't do racing starts ,my tyres last longer that way,the van is a dream to drive and I love it.


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## leeboreham (Jun 13, 2010)

I do have a '6 wheeler' at the moment, a Burstner 747.
I have had no problem turning the van on hairpins. To reduce the drag on the 3rd axle i have the tyres pressure a bit higher than that of the 2nd axle tyres. This also helps to reduce the wear on the rear axle tyres.
No traction is lost on hairpins if you keep your right foot up, wheel spin can be created by a boot full of gas, so dont do it !
No problem getting places with it, unless your scared of its size. 
Like Vindiboy i to have had an engine remap done by TB Turbo, who have now sadly gone. Im getting 157bhp out of my 2.8jtd and i get 25mpg at 58-60mph. I run at a weight of 4.7tons.
So tyre scrub and lack of traction are not a major, or minor problem if you know how to drive them.
Ive had 4 wheeler motorhomes stuck on grass just as much as my 6 wheeler has, so i take care to place my matts down under all 6 wheels when im on soft ground, with these in place i have never had a problem coming of a grass pitch.


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## jezport (Jun 13, 2010)

Fatherjack said:


> 6 wheels good, on two axles, rear wheel drive.
> 
> 6 wheels bad, on three axles, front wheel drive.
> 
> ...



We changed from a 4 wheel FWD Transit to a 6 wheel FWD Ducato. The transit slipped on damp grass, the Ducato has pulled out of mud almost upto its rims.


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## Deleted member 2636 (Jun 13, 2010)

The poor old Transits have always bgeen bad on grass.


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