USA 6X6 rig..

Found this on their site:

http://www.usa6x6.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=26

29760105-M.jpg


normal_8x8%20at%20shop.jpg


6X6CaboverSmall.jpg
 
There are more pictures at www.octamog.com

The craftsmanship looks shoddy at best, and somebody didn't do their math on center of gravity of that "camper" on the back...

Spence
 
Pawing through their site, and the octamog site last night eventually brought me to youtube where there were dozens of videos of Russian 6x6, 8x8, and 10x10 trucks tacking some extremely knarly terrain. I have to admit it got my "wheels turning". The 8x8 vehicle that USA6x6 used to create their monster was built by an engineering firm out west (Stevenson? & XXXXXX????), dubbed the SS300. They no longer build them (and supposedly dismantled the last 40 in their production line) because of severe instability at highway speeds. Sounds like a real winner...

Spence
 
spencyg said:
an engineering firm out west (Stevenson? & XXXXXX????)

Stewart & Stevenson. Unless I'm mistaken, they changed their name to Tactical Vehicle Systems. I drive by one of thier plants occasionally that used to say S&S on the sign, now says TVS. It's along highway 95 between Austin and Houston. Sorry, don't remember the exact location. There's a LMTV parked under the sign.*

Member Joaquin Suave knows more 'bout 'em, I believe.

spencyg said:
They no longer build them (and supposedly dismantled the last 40 in their production line) because of severe instability at highway speeds. Sounds like a real winner...

Spence

You know, I think that's a ruse that the MFRs use to prevent surplus sales to the public.

I know that's the excuse I've heard for sales of surplus M151A2s. I've had quite a bit of wheel time in 'em, on and off road, and would love to have one. They're fine at highway speeds.

I think they used the same excuse for HMMVs.

So they crush 'em or cut 'em in half.

What a waste.

*ADDED: A google search says that they (TVS) were recently bought out by Armor. Not to be confused with the hotdog maker.

ADDED MORE: You know, now that I think about it, I remember reading something from Octamog (I think on the now-defunct ExpeditionCampers site) about instability caused by the four-wheel steering. IIRC the front and rear wheels steer in opposite directions to improve turning radius, but it was too touchy at highway speeds. Octamog was looking at a way to disable the rear steering above a certain speed??? Something like that.
 
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You're right...the instability was in-part due to the 4WS (8WS??), but it also had a severe frontal weight bias, making the truck "endo" during hard braking. This second note seems a bit moot since it would only apply to a vehicle with nothing on the back. The minute you add a camper back there, I would image the issue would disappear.

Disabling the all wheel steering wouldn't have been that difficult to achieve. I hope it wasn't the only real reason the line was discontinued. It is pretty sad to look around for large multi axle trucks like that, only to find Russian and Czech models which aren't even available here. They are extremely capable...

Spence
 
it is amazing that company is still in business considering some of the things I've read.. A start is pirate4x4.com and the forums there :steak:
 
Lynn said:
Stewart & Stevenson. Unless I'm mistaken, they changed their name to Tactical Vehicle Systems. I drive by one of thier plants occasionally that used to say S&S on the sign, now says TVS. It's along highway 95 between Austin and Houston.

We drove past after Christmas and the sign now say's, "BAE."

The truck is still parked under the sign, though, so maybe it was yet another buy-out?
 

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