Six-wheel drive (6WD or 6×6) is an all-wheel drive drivetrain configuration of three axles with at least two wheels on each axle capable of being driven simultaneously by the vehicle's engine. Unlike four-wheel drive drivetrains, the configuration is largely confined to heavy-duty off-road and military vehicles, such as

all-terrain vehicles An all-terrain vehicle (ATV), also known as a light utility vehicle (LUV), a quad bike, or simply a quad, as defined by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI); is a vehicle that travels on low-pressure tires, with a seat that is stra ...

, armored vehicles, and prime movers. Amfibiebil m-1965 101 B

When such a vehicle only has six wheels by definition all are driven. When it has ten – with two pairs of ganged "dual" wheels on each rear axle as on a GMC CCKW – all are also driven but the 6×6 designation remains. For most military applications where traction/mobility are considered more important than payload capability, single wheels on each axle (often referred to as super singles) are the norm. Heavy hauler and

ballast tractor A ballast tractor is a specially weighted tractor unit of a heavy hauler combination. It is designed to utilize a drawbar to pull or push heavy or exceptionally large trailer loads which are loaded in a hydraulic modular trailer. When feasible ...

6×6s have had a long history as prime movers both in the military (as tank transports and artillery tractors), and commercially in logging and heavy equipment hauling both on- and

off-road Off-roading is the activity of driving or riding in a vehicle on unpaved surfaces such as sand, gravel, riverbeds, mud, snow, rocks, and other natural terrain. Types of off-roading range in intensity, from leisure drives with unmodified vehicl ...

. Most six-wheel drive vehicles have a forward axle and two at the rear (with only the front pair steering), or three evenly spaced in varying steering configurations. Depending on the vehicle's role, the number of wheels varies between six (in three pairs) and ten (with two in the front and two dual axles with four wheels apiece in the rear). Drive may be limited to the rear two axles for on-road use.

Examples

Military * British Alvis FV600 series: Saladin, Saracen, Salamander and

Stalwart Stalwart is an adjective synonymous with ''"strong"''. It may also refer to: Relating to people: * Stalwart (politics), member of the most patronage-oriented faction of the United States Republican Party in the late 19th century In ships and mil ...

* Finland Sisu SA-240 & SA-241 * French

Renault TRM 10000 The Renault TRM 10000 is a truck used by the French armed forces since 1987. It is utilized both as a troop transport and logistics vehicle. History Production of the TRM 10000 began in 1985. It was developed from the TRM 9000, which was a 9 ...

* French ACMAT VLRA * German Mercedes-Benz G300 CDI G-Class 6x6 * German MAN/RMMV SX44 * German MAN LX and FX * German RMMV HX58, HX61 & HX42M * Austrian Pinzgauer High Mobility All-Terrain Vehicle * Italian Astra Veicoli Industriali tactical range SM66.40 * Poland

Star 266 The Star 266 is a Polish 6x6 truck designed for transport of cargo and personnel. Created by Starachowice-based FSC Star, it was the basic transport truck used by the Polish Army, it was also available to civilian market. A successor to a highly ...

* Serbian FAP 2026 * U.S. M25 tank transporter * U.S. Mack NO heavy cargo truck * U.S. CCKW ton medium cargo truck * U.S. M35 ton medium cargo truck * U.S.

M561 The Gama Goat was a six-wheel drive semi-Amphibious vehicle, amphibious off-road vehicle originally developed for use by the US military in the Vietnam War. The Goat uses an articulated chassis, so that from distance it appears to be a four-whee ...

Gama Goat * U.S. M939 heavy cargo truck * U.S. MTVR all-terrain cargo truck * U.S. FMTV MTV * U.S. M123/123A, M125/125A prime mover/heavy cargo truck * Indian Ashok Leyland FAT 6×6 cargo truck Military/commercial * Canada Western Star Trucks * Czech Tatra T815 * German Mercedes-Benz Actros * German Mercedes-Benz Zetros * Russian Ural-4320 * Russian ZIL-131 * Ukrainian KrAZ-255 * U.S. Oshkosh M911 (also produced as 8x6 with a liftable second axle) Commercial * Commercial 6×6 prime movers were made by Hayes Manufacturing and Pacific Trucks. which also produced heavy haul

s. The Freightliner Business Class M2 is a commercial medium-duty truck sold in the United States and available in a 6×6 configuration. Conversions * Six-by-six conversions of four-wheel drive trucks are made, such as the Australian Army's Perentie Land Rover Defender and "Landcruiser Sherman"), as are 6×4 versions (with only front and rear or front and middle axles driven). Recreational ATV/UTV * Polaris Industries has produced a number of six-wheel drive

ATVs ATV may refer to: Broadcasting * Amateur television *Analog television Television stations and companies * Ràdio i Televisió d'Andorra * ATV (Armenia) * ATV (Aruba), NBC affiliate * ATV (Australian TV station), Melbourne * ATV (Austria) * ATV ...

and UTVs for many years, based on a standard Magnum, Sportsman or Ranger with an extra axle and a cargo box over the rear wheels.

Concept cars

Concept car, testbed, and limited production commercial examples include: * Hennessey Ford VelociRaptor 6×6, with a 30-inch extended frame and six driven wheels.
6x6 Six Wheel Drive Jeep.
Fully custom chassis, body and drive-line. Twin front axle * Ford Seattle-ite XXI (concept car) * Tyrrell P34 Twin rear axle * Bogie-drive (Twin axle) 6x6 vehicles are built by 6x6 Australia Pty Ltd and have full load-sharing coil-spring rear suspension with full-time bogie-drive (Twin axle) drive in the rear, and an integrated "roll steer" function built into the suspension design. All 6x6 Australia Pty Ltd vehicles are ADR-compliant with IPA for both "heavy" and "light" vehicles. * Dodge T-Rex * Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG 6x6 4x4 plus two without load-share, meaning far less wheel articulation for off-road, needing five differential locks to operate

Gallery

File:M25 Tank Transporter Dragon Wagon pic1.JPG, 10-wheel U.S. Army 6×6 Pacific Car & Foundry Co.-built M26 armored tank transporter tractor unit File:Deuce and a half truck.gif, 10-wheel U.S. Army 6×6 M35 2½ ton cargo truck, with one front and two rear axles File:Valmet 1502 six wheels.jpg, Six-wheeled Valmet 1502 tractor, with a bogie axle at the rear File:Flickr - Official U.S. Navy Imagery - Marines on the move..jpg, 6-wheel U.S. Marines 6×6 MTVR, with one front and two rear axles File:Slovakia army 868.jpg, Unusual two forward and one rear axle configuration of the Czech TATRAPAN File:KamAZ military tank transporter.jpg, A Russian KamAZ military tank transporter carrying an SU-85M File:Hayes Arbegui 2010.JPG, Hayes extra-heavy 6x6 (10-wheel) truck operated in Spain by Transportes Arbegui

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Six-Wheel Drive Car layouts Six-wheeled vehicles All-wheel-drive vehicles

Examples

Concept cars

Gallery

See also

Notes