WILL CARS HAVE SIX WHEELS?

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 71, Issue 195, 18 August 1928, Page 21 (Supplement)

WILL CARS HAVE SIX WHEELS?

ANOTHER MOTORING DEVELOPMENT A film in which a six-wheeled five seater car performed interesting feats on {Salisbury Plain was exhibited in Auckland last week. The demonstration could not have failed; to impress anyone who has had experience with service cars under winter conditions on some North Island roads. It is apparent that six wheels need not be exclusive to heavy commercial vehicles. The six-wheel touring car is not a freak vehicle. It is a very practical means of transport for country which becomes impassable to the ordinary car in spite of its chains and jacks. The delays and breakages experienced, in maintaining services on many North Auckland roads result in operating costs which would astonish the city user of a large six cylinder car. The six j wheeler car demonstrated to I ’• itish army experts seems to answer many problems which have embarrassed rural transport in all parts of the world- No firm has standardised a six-wheci car but several have been specially built in England-. Two have already been supplied to Indian princes of Bhopal and Udaipur for hunting expeditions in rough country. They have specially designed five seater bodies with roomy lockers for guns and other equipment. These cars can run with comfort on tracks whies have never before carried, a power propelled vehicle. In considering the six-wheeler as a touring car sceptics might err in setting them djown as hopelessly clumsy and slow. The latest six-wheel designs should not be confused with the Kegress or creeper track drives which have put up striking performances in desert country during the last few years.

There are several arguments in favour of six wheels for large cars opeiated on indifferent roads. Paramount is the fact that the six wheeler is as nearly skid proof as any vehicle on tyres can be expected, to be. In the second place the riding comfort ai - forded by four-wheel drive can never be attained with the orthodox systems of suspension/ In a six-whecler it is very difficult to make any one of the four rear wheels leave the ground on account of the bogie action of the spension. Further, the coupling of the driving axles prevents any one wheel clear of the ground from accelerating above the speed: of the remaining wheels. To obtain wheel spin with a six wheeler two wheels must bo >n the air at the same time and they must be either diagonally opposite or both on one side. If the rear pair leave the ground together there is no spin and similarly spin cannot occur if the front pair are off the ground. It is well known that the spinning which occurs with the ordinary car used under rough conditions causes heavy wear on tyres. With four wheel drive the load per tyre is reduced and in addition there is a great deal less wear caused, by slipping. It is not surprising therefore that tyres on the driving wheels of six wheelers last at least as long as those on the steering wheels. The additional complication of two rear wheels is not a serious matter. It i smerely a duplication which is perhaps no more open to criticism than an eight cylinder engine as compared with a four.