What is the difference between a pusher axle and a tag axle

It is plated to 4. We deliver a lot of cast concrete products, and these are loaded by the customer on to our foot trailers. With a bulk tipper or a tanker, you have a short-neck, foot trailer.

With a longer-necked trailer, put too much weight against the headboard and you put more weight over the kingpin, which can easily overload a lightweight pusher axle. If manoeuvrability and adhesion is key to your operation, the tag axle can offer numerous benefits. It comes in three types: pusher, rear-steer and, for STGO operations, twin-tyre lifting bogie. The tag axle has the ability to give a 6x2 the manoeuvrability of a 4x2, but McNulty points out that there are drawbacks.

But you have to be very careful when the axle is raised, because you get a lot of overhang. With the axle lowered, it allows the tractor to pivot around the drive axle, without scrubbing the tyres.

I recently delivered a full load into a small building site. I had to do a three-point turn in the site, to get the truck to where it was needed. With a normal tag or mid-lift, that would have been very difficult, and would have put a lot of strain on the vehicle, in terms of tyre wear and wear on the wheel bearings. The rear overhang can easily catch them out, with expensive results.

It can also sit down on the tag axle, leaving you with very little ground clearance. It happened to me once, and I caught a rear air tank on some uneven ground and pulled it off. As a result, we have moved the rear air tanks higher up on the chassis.

We bought the tag for additional traction, but another negative is if you are running with the tag raised, the tractor unit is nowhere near as stable as a mid-lift, because of the shorter wheelbase. You really notice it in cross winds. So there are good reasons why there are a lot more mid-lifts on the road than tags. Click here to find out.

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By David Sickels. Do you need a push? Maintaining a pusher axle is similar to maintaining the other axles on the vehicle with the added inspection requirements associated with the additional lift air suspension, Mastroianni says, but pushers can show other maintenance benefits as well.

Are pusher axles a good fit for over-the-road use? In this article: Axles , Cummins Inc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options I call that a pusher axle. Tag is after the rear suspension. Jim It doesn't cost anything to pay attention. Posted May 1, Brandt Posted May 1, OK, Thanx. Posted June 29, We call them both tags around here. About the only time I hear pusher is on forums like this. Outbehindthebarn Posted August 4, Posted August 4, Fun is what they fine you for!

My name is Bob Buckman sir,.