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New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12615, 27 November 1926, Page 18

SIX-WHEELED VEHICLES HAULAGE OF HEAVY LOADS. So much attention has been devoted during recent years to the production of six-wheeled motor vehicles that it may be interesting to consider how an apparent complication, as compared with an ordinary four-wheel design, can be justified in practice. Six-wheelers are built in two broad and distinct types for at least two equally distinct- purposes. The object of the flexible type of six-wheeler- is to provide a vehicle which will carry and haul a 'very' large load without a reasonable limit of axle weight being exceeded. The type has a great advantage over an ordinary tractor to which a trailer is coupled, because much of the load helps to secure adhesion of the driving wheels. Also the flexible six-wheeler is much easier to manoeuvre than is a combination of tractor and trailer. The objects sought to be achieved b.v the designers of what are called rigid six-wheelers are quite different, and are particularly interesting to those who wish to conduct transport in. an economical manner in districts where roads are either weak or are merely formed bv a couple of rough tracks on soft ground. Thcv are interesting also to the proprietors of in-ter-urban motor-’bus services, often running over indifferent road surfaces: hut, at the moment, it is proposed to discuss mainly the advantages of the rigid six-wheelcr from the standpoint of freedom from shock when travelling over bad surfaces and abilitv to negotiate country such that the ordinary four-wheeled vehicle would often find itself in trouble. A silent motor-cycle is a mechanism of which to bo proud, whereas many motor-cyclists hitherto seem to have rogardrd noise as a necessary indication of power ami speed.