Some more NZ log trucks.

[Resonator]

I wonder why they use a tandem with an an extra steer axle rather than our increasingly popular tri drive.

On excessive weight trucks you want the extra steer axle, not only because you have fewer tires dragging sideways in a turn, but also to fight "torque understeer". That's where the drive wheels all hook up with traction, and shove the truck in a straight line regardless of which way your trying to steer. (The reason why almost all giant mine haul dump trucks have only 1 drive axle).

[Riwaka]

Return of the CNI triple log trailers(central north island). 
This part of the forest region(trees) is majority owned by Canadian PSP Investments.

578hp Cummins, 18speed manual Road Ranger, (Australian assembled Kenworth 509.) 140 metric tonne load, 50 tonne truck, 190 tonnes plus over the scales. Little wonder the road corrugations make the truck look a bit bouncy.

GITI Tyres Big Test Kenworth C509 6x4 Day Cab - YouTube

[barbender]

That is an impressive load! I bet a 578 hp X15 feels underpowered tugging all of that around.

It just occurred to me that in a right hand drive, I would have to run a manual tranny with my left hand. It would make for a very long day jumping in a truck in that part of the world! 

[Walnut Beast]

Cummins power baby!!

[Ianab]

Did you notice in the video where the rig drives over an overbridge? That's because the company trucks aren't road legal, so can't even be driven across a public road with that sort of load. On the company roads they can of course make their own weight and length rules. But they have to use a bridge to cross the State Highway that passes through the forest. 

[teakwood]

they should use some of the european truck brands with up to 750hp engines

https://blog.truckscout24.com/allgemein/the-10-most-powerful-trucks-in-the-world/#:~:text=%23%203%3A%20Scania%20R%20730&text=Strong%2C%20stronger%2C%20Scania!,and%203500%20Nm%20of%20torque.

[moodnacreek]

Very interesting. Sawguy used a term that I here alot nowadays; Front clip. A front clip repair is a very rare thing. Back in the day I did quite a few rear clips, roofs and only once a quarter section. A front clip would include the fire wall, windshield post cut offs and part of front floor. I guess 'clip' is a neat thing to say but the term is nose.                              Running low tire pressure is not for every tire. I ruined both wide singles on my 'new' forklift running 75 lbs instead of 150. It broke up the sidewalls on the inside.

[Resonator]

Like an Australian road train, drives only on a set pre planned route. Notice how long the drawbar between trailers is to spread out "bridge" weight. I know the few times I drove doubles you have to plan it all out. And you do not back up, except a couple feet to hitch and un hitch. Pre-trip would take a while with all those tires to thump, and lots of brake lines to listen to for hisses. Like Barbender said, driving on the right and shifting an 18 with the left hand would be a challenge to learn.

[Ianab]

they should use some of the european truck brands with up to 750hp engines

Some of the local on-road trucks are up around 800hp now, , but that's so they can keep up speed on the hills and pull away from slow corners quicker. The closer they can stick to ~55mph, the more trips they can get done in a day.  That truck looks to be operating on gravel roads and pretty flat country most of the time. Keeping highway speed isn't a priority, and I'm guessing traction is an issue on the gravel. 

[barbender]

Don't get me wrong either, I love an 18 speed above another transmission I've operated. I'm just picturing sitting on the opposite side of the truck, coming off a woods road on to the highway. Cutting it wide to keep the trailer out of the ditch, getting busy on the steering wheel with my right hand and pulling gears and running the splitter with my left. I'm afraid I'd look like an absolute amatuer for a week at least!😂

[Resonator]

If those are company trucks I would guess fuel economy is a higher priority than horsepower. I drove for big fleets with lower HP engines and restricted speeds, where I knew I'd get there, but I wouldn't get there fast. ;D

[Riwaka]

If they pop a lower horsepower engine and put a conrod through the block. There is more likely to be complete new engine in the local warehouse. Some of the less common higher horsepower replacement engines could be further away in Australia etc.

KW (Australian assembled) T909 logger 'Blue Sue' in the far South Of NZ. Similar to the Southern parts of the US - Southerners of NZ can have their own distinctive 'drawl'.

Dynes Transport NZ T909 Kenworth - YouTube

[Riwaka]

Kenny T659 twin steer, with chain tossers/ tensioners in development.

Kenworth T659 8x4 with chain throwers and auto tensioners | New Zealand Trucks | Beyond the Noise - YouTube

[Old Greenhorn]

Wow, nice rig! Love the chain throwers! Fold up bunks are neat too. Is there a version of this video with English sub-titles or closed caption so I can understand what he is saying? :D

[sawguy21]

 :D The fold up bunks and chain throwers are really neat! She has a pretty good life, our logging roads don't come close to theirs. 

[Riwaka]

Kaingaroa Forest off road log truck. Running 160 metric tonnes/ 352K lbs. Scania 730 euro-horsepower, V8, two driver shifts.
Central tire inflation.

Logs on the truck in one of the runs are 7.8 meters/ 25 feet 7 inches long, might give an idea of the overall length of the truck and trailers.

I think the Harvard pension fund still has some shareholding in the trees. (The 150 page Forest management document (for public reading) was updated in October, 2023)  

GITI Tyres Big Test Super Hero: Scania S 730A6x4HZ XT - YouTube

[Peter Drouin]

How many board feet are on one of the trucks?

[Riwaka]

Ballpark for the 'Black Adam' truck with the 120 metric tonnes payload (264K lb payload) between 102K and 113K board feet minus a bit for the bark still on the logs, approx on the density, most logs appeared well 'skinned'/ debarked from the skidder drag and processor drive wheels. 
-------------------------
Another company's newish Scania truck, the "Red Scania" 560 8x4 with 5 axle trailer. central tire inflation on the drive tires. 560 horsepower, euro 6. 13 liter. 

53.25 metric tonnes (117K lbs) all up on the public roads. 3 x 5 meter (16 feet 5 inch) logs. 
The example filmed route is skid to the sawmill is about 122miles/ 195km one way(244 miles/ 390km round trip). There are mills closer but direct to wharf or log yard (with log train to port connection) log truck trips might be 280 miles or 240 miles (round trip). 

Company log truck so cheap on the chain load binders. 

Fuel use - claimed average 2.14km/ liter which is 5.03 miles per US gallon for 17.5K miles/ 28.5K km (hauling in hills)

Engine - https://traton.com/en.html   (Traton - Umbrella for Scania, M.A.N, Navistar, VW-truck&bus)

Giti Tyres Big Test: Scania G 560 B8x4NA - YouTube

 

[Ianab]

All fun and games until you meet them in the mail van, on a one lane gravel road.   :D
Like today...

Well be both came to a halt and assessed the situation. Luckily I could creep into the ditch, and give him enough space to creep past, along with the cattle truck and trailer that were following. The cattle truck had seen the road signs, and radio channel etc, and waited for a log truck to follow. 2 x 8 axles artic rigs meeting on hat bit of road would have been tricky. 

[Peter Drouin]

Wow! That's a lot of wood. Here in NH USA, I think It's 95,000 LB Truck with logs.
That would be a TT. With 8 to 9000 BF on it. Your roads must be built like a tank.
:D ;) I think a trip for them to a mill runs 50 to 80 miles one-way
Thanks for the info.

[Firewoodjoe]

That's decent fuel mileage. Our trucks run about 50 ton of just wood so 154-164,000 average gross. And they average about 3+/- mpg. 

[Riwaka]

Scania 770S with adjustable width low loader trailer for mainly forest equipment haulage (and earth moving).

Rolling down the road at 86 metric tonnes for this load, (189K lbs).
Scania 770S - heavy haul unit | New Zealand Trucks | Big Business - YouTube

[Peter Drouin]

That's a lot of $$$$$ going down the road.

[Riwaka]

3 Australian log trucks. The Kenworths are assembled in the factory in Melbourne, Australia.

Sunchip long logger australia (North East)
Elphinstone Long-Logger working with Sunchip Harvesting - YouTube

Monaro Logging (Easyloader) Bombala (South East, Australia)
Elphinstone EasyLoader with Monaro Logging - YouTube

Doglogger pole trailer, hardwood in Gympie, Queensland  (North East)
EasySteer DogLogger pole trailer working in Gympie QLD - YouTube

[Riwaka]

Stems truck Scania 620 horsepower. 187K lbs loaded (85 metric tonnes loaded) over the scales. 

8x4 with central tire inflation. 7 days a week. 4 days on/ off for 2 drivers. Must fit maintenance in there somewhere. 100 foot plus (30 metres) for the stems.

https://youtu.be/1tQ5db2ApJc?si=8ntemer5C7zWcyVj