I know this is not strictly military, but it has a link with a diorama I am planning. The idea is to depict a scene at a WW2 military vehicle show, with a commercial truck offloading a military vehicle, ready to join the other exhibits at the event.
My question relates to the load carrying capacity of a three-axle lorry (with twin wheels on the rear two axles). The lorry in question is a Mercedes-Benz Eurocab (fixed body), which I intend to convert into a 'beavertail' low-loader. I need to work out what such a lorry would be able to carry, as this will determine the type of WW2 vehicle to be added. Any suggestions welcome.

Thanks.

This one:
https://www.alle-lkw.de/lkw/kipper/mercedes-benz-sk-2638-ak-6x6-bordmatik-a3131018.html?utm_source=kleinanzeige.focus.de
has a payload of 12720 kg (28000 pounds). I would assume that they mean the weight you could put in the load bed.
A beavertail could possibly be lighter so maybe you could set the load limit at 13000 kg.

Exactly which Eurocab is it that you have a kit of?

/ Robin

Robin,

Thanks for that information ... most helpful.
The model in question is from Kentoys. I'm not sure whether they are still in business, but they produced a small range of modern trucks in 1/76 scale ... fairly accurate, and well detailed.

Is this the kind of truck you're talking about ?



I though they were rather close to 1/72nd scale...

H.P.

The kind of vehicle you're talking about, with one front (non-driven) axle and tandem (two) driven rear axles with dual wheels would most likely be considered a "Class 9" Truck. That would generally mean a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of 60,000 lbs or 27,000 kg. The actual Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) of a vehicle consists of the empty weight of the unloaded vehicle (or curb weight) plus the weight of cargo or payload. So as you can tell, the lighter the actual vehicle is, the heavier the payload it can accommodate. The vehicle that Robin mentioned with a payload of 12,270 kg appears to be a dump truck, and I'd guess that means it would have a higher CURB weight with all the extra weight of the dump bed, and thus a vehicle like that which Frenchy showed would likely have a lower curb weight. Not knowing the EXACT values of the GVW rating of the truck you're proposing and it's actual curb weight, you can't know it's actual payload capacity. But assuming you have a Class 9 type truck, I'd say you could EASILY accommodate the 28,000 lb (14 tons) of payload or perhaps 1-2 more.

So with that type of truck, you'd probably be OK with a cargo vehicle which weighs around 15-16 tons. Anything much heavier and it would probably have needed to be transported on a "low-boy" trailer.

The truck I linked to has a GVW of 26000 kg (26 metric tons)
Add the dump bed and tipping cylinders to the payload and it is likely around 15-16 tons
/ Robin

Many thanks for the various responses ... most helpful. Yes, the model I have is similar to the one shown (apart from colour and markings). I stand corrected ... perhaps it is more towards 1/72 scale than 1/76.

Paul