Three Volvo 8x4 rear-end-loaders featuring tridem rear axles are proving so successful that west country waste recycling firm Viridor has placed orders for additional vehicles.
The tridem features a conventional double-drive rear bogie, ahead of which sits a steering axle, fitted with single-tyres – and is offered on twin-steer eight wheelers with rear-end-loaders.
Truck and Bus Wales and West salesman Andy Button was convinced of the tridem's benefits, so worked with Volvo sales engineers, body-builder Heil UK and Viridor South West regional fleet and plant engineer Gary Elms on this specification.
"This vehicle is almost perfect for our operation," reports Elms. Not only is the weight distribution much better than that of a traditional eight-wheeler, but the tridem scales in at a whole tonne lighter. On our type of work, these factors are hugely important."
Specified with the 13-litre Volvo engine, rated at 420hp, matched to the I-Shift fully-automated gearbox, the FM tridem has been fitted with a 27-cubic metre Heil Big Bite compactor body.
