Saturday, March 06, 2021

Six/ten meant a 6 wheel ordinary drive truck would get a tag axle with 4 more tires, connected with this belt drive, to result in 10 power driven wheels for maximum traction (thank you Lane G!)

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/vintage-shots-from-days-gone-by-part-2.1154030/page-153#post-13216270

In the early ’50s tag axles were gaining in popularity, but it soon became apparent that they lacked in traction. In an effort to address this problem, a company was started in 1953 in Sioux City, Iowa, producing large pulleys to be installed between the dual tires of the drive axle and tag axle. By connecting these pulleys with a large V-belt, the drive axle powered the tag axle.

Since the tag axle was powered by silent V-belts instead of noisy gears, the company was called Silent Drive.

https://silentdrive.com/our-company/

similar Thornton drive, or Transpec pusher axle

3 comments:

  1. I remember seeing this on an actual truck when I was little. Would have been late 50's - early 60's. I had a friend whose dad drove a lumber truck. It had a belt like this between the rear tires. We used to jump on it.

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  2. Just found this link; https://silentdrive.com/our-company/

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    Replies
    1. thank you! Now this post will be informative!

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