Two Spicer tag axle conversion kits, designed to "improve fuel efficiency, reduce vehicle weight and lower installation costs", by making it easy to change 6x2s into 6x4s and vice versa, have been introduced by Dana.
Jay Klinko, senior product manager for heavy-duty drive axles, says the product can also be used to convert 4x2s into 6x2s, with a lifting tag.
"With Spicer axles and conversion kits, owners can easily increase the resale value of their trucks, while being [able] to change the application of their vehicles at any point," says Klinko.
Ether way, he claims fuel economy improvements of up to 3% on 6x2 to 6x4 conversion, primarily by decreasing mechanical drivetrain losses and a total weight reduction, compared with traditional tandem arrangements.
That saving can also be used to offset the weight of emission-related components, auxiliary power units etc, he says – or to increase payload.
One other point: as usual, traction problems associated with 6x2 trucks can be mitigated by the use of a differential lock, a six-channel ABS/TCS system, or adjusting air suspension bag pressures to temporarily shift weight to the driven axle at low speed, says Klinko.
