Under-loading suspension

[d.brophy]

That's awesome news, thanks! I'm in the UK.

 

[Madoxen]

As others have said i would build your truck and try it out, then see what it weighs and play with the suspension only at that point. But yes you should be fine to remove a leaf, but check regs for your area

 

[Neil]

I remember driving our truck , a 12 ton Mercedes 1017a , for the first time when it was a naked flatbed weighing about 5.2 ton

It was horrific, bouncing about all over the show on the back end.

Once loaded up to about 9 ton it felt great

Neil

 

[nick disjunkt]

I'm thinking about building an expedition vehicle on a 33 ton Mercedes Actros 6x6 chassis... However, I'm a bit worried that the suspension (leaf springs all round) will be too hard, considering my total weight will only be about 16 tons (less than half the GVW)...

Under UK C&U regs, a 3 axle truck will be limited to 26 tonne GVW. The chassis might be specced for 33 tonne, but I expect the suspension would be less. The exception would be if the truck had been built for a special off road purpose. A 26 tonne truck at 16 tonnes shouldn't be horrifically uncomfortable.