@@JonathanChan212 We're talking about a performance issue inefficiency with this bus, telling somebody to fuck off because he had a informative comment about the bus is fucktardish. Sure he says it's humid, who gives a fuck if it's raining everyday, the goddamn bus should not be doing that! Better tires, traction control and rear axle turning could solve these issues.
This is a weird chassis. Usally the middle axle is driven and the rear axle is steerable, this is the other way around. Just be thankful you don't have snow in Hong Kong, otherwise this thing wouldn't go anywhere.
Dennis use this design for Trident 3, and other Volvo 3-axle bus too. But the Super Olympian/B10TL is a design that is modified from the Leyland/Volvo Olympian, which utilizes such layout. It wouldn‘t be until 2018 when Volvo releases the B8L that it finally ditches all the design relics from the Olympian era.
Had the same trouble here in a truck (UK) stupid mid-lift axles that won't lift when you need them to. I got stuck on a sharp left hand bend on to a steep bridge one night in the wet and it was a nightmare to get going again. That was at 44 tonnes/100,000lbs all up though..
The bus layout makes no sense the front rear axle is supposed to be the drive axle because if you come to a speed bump or rail road crossing the hump will pull the rear wheels off the floor and it can't drive which is dangerous especially if on a railroad crossing or intersection. Another thing is the rear axles don't steer so you get tire scrub and they will make the bus turn wider and wear faster.
Most buses here in USA, have air suspension. The engine, transmission and drive axle are unitized at the rear end. The intermediate axle (tag axle)suspension in front of the drive axle can be depressurized, by a switch, putting all the weight on duel rear tires. Steerable rear wheel axles are only used on exotic vehicles in USA, like extremely long transports. Too expensive to maintain for mass transit. Eventually, DC electric wheel motors might replace cumbersome gears, joints, drive shafts, etc. Then all the wheels could be driven. You raised some valid points. You should do design and engineering work.
The extra rear axle fitted in front of the drive has no power to it. it's only fitted to carry the extra weight of the air conditioner unit. On some surface angle this axle will cause traction to be lost on the drive axle. The driver just got his best drive line off a bit, the other drivers faired better, maybe a concrete planer is required if this is a frequent problem. I spent a year in HK and knew the chap in charge of building those buses, he told me about the extra axle. I had the same problem trying to drive aboard a ferry where the ramp was to steep, in this case the drive axle was in front of the trailing axle. Laid some timbers and managed to get on.
inside outside upside downside Trucks and buses all need and do have limited slip differentials (LSD:s) in order to get going. The masses are much larger than in cars ergo they are used.
Chris Thompson I'll figure that you don't know much of heavy vehicle machinery, do you? LSDs are part of the drive axle almost always. In trucks and buses it's a must due to the weights involved.
