(first posted 11/11/2013) This is one of my favorite street-side finds. I’ve seen pictures of these tag-axle vans, but never in person. And I bet that took a bit of doing, cutting up two vans and welding them together. Somewhat oddly, this obviously started out as a short-wheelbase (110″) van, before getting its extension. It’s probably not much longer than the 155″ extra-long wheelbase version that Chevy added to this line in 1990. But not nearly as cool.
Of course, only the second (middle) axle is driven, which I can imagine could lead to some rather awkward moments, like if one happens to drive up (or back up) a very steep ramp, and the middle axle starts hanging in the air. Ok, that’s pretty hypothetical. And how about making tight turns; a bit of axle scrub, perhaps?
I did catch up with it again in a parking lot, where it had pulled into a space. That gave me a chance to determine the affect of a tight-ish turn on the rear wheels. The rear-most wheel’s camber is clearly being affected some.
And the opposite effect is on the opposite side, natch. Well, big buses and trucks scrub their tires all the time.
Holy hugeness, Batman!
That first picture really messed with my mind after staring at it for a bit. Like real-life Photoshopping, only with a welder and Bondo rather than virtual airbrushes.
I can only imagine how much work went into that conversion. But yet, it still begs the question… why?
Exactly, why!?
Unless the owner is hauling something very heavy?
When I first saw it, it reminded me of the 23 foot version of the GMC motor home.
Didn’t Bill Murray and Harold Ramis inadvertently invade Czechoslovakia in one of these rigs?
It just doesn’t matter. It just doesn’t matter.
Same taillights!
Yes, I too ask, why? If you wanted greater towing stability it would be easier to add dual rear wheels than a dual axle. If your hauling a load that heavy and long, why permanently add length and complexity? If the rear axle was driven as well at least you could say you had a 4×6 drive.
Just a head scratch-er to me.
Say you have two old vans, a chop saw and a MIG welder. The question is not “Why?” but, “Why not?” 🙂
Yes, you all question “why”.
But “why not”?? I bet you don’t have one!! I don’t either, but i do have 2 old dodge motorhomes. 1 a class ‘C’, the roof and interior was rotted. The 2nd one is just a rolling chassis. So, i think i have mostly all the pieces?? I plan to build a 3 axle out of both of them. May even stretch the frame??
Any how, “why not”. ‘Only in America’ to Quote Christopher Titus.
How about two steering axles ? That would truly be an oddball
That is quite the wide spacing between the rear axles. I think the ones that make a single rear wheel opening look better and of course it helps to minimize the scrub and the likelihood of unloading the driving axle.
Many years ago a local small used car dealership had a tandem axle Dodge conversion van sitting on their lot for many years. I guess they used it to draw people in, because they had it sitting sideways on the front line. However they just dealt in the late model run of the mill used cars so I don’t know how well it worked to bring the the type of customer that was looking for a Camry or Taurus.
And after all that work . . . . its still a Chevy Van!?!?! I don’t remember the factory versions as being all that rigid structurally, this cannot have helped.
I never had any structural problems with my van, albeit it didn’t have dual rear axles.
That looks pretty cool, but as others have stated, would probably benefit from having the rear axles closer together.
Very cool but I reckon they got the axle placing wrong the tandem rears are too far apart, Screwing it around parking must side load the springs a lot, Chinese 6 is a better way to go with twin tyres on the drive and single tyres on the lazy like buses are configured for maneuverability.
It really isn’t that hard to give 5 axles in a row enough maneuverability.
(Photo: B. Corts)
Yes, but where the redneck engineering challenge in that? What you posted is white coats and actual calculations going on.. the van in this story… that’s a “Hold my beer… I’mma do science on these two wrecked vans!” kind of thinking.
I agree on the calculations, but no white coats in the small Ginaf factory.
Probably no beer either, since they’re from the Bible Belt.
Easy with that setup single screw drive and 4 steer axles most trucks here are tandem drive.
Bryce, this one is a 10×4, the last 2 axles are drive axles. They also make 10×8 models.
(Legal GVW in both cases around 110,000 lbs)
At Tommy and Eric. Your comments are both right on. You would probably have to convert the rear (or both) from springs to coils to get them close enough and you still might not.
I did this (redneck engineering) with a couple nissan rears to make a trailer. It works fine behind a tractor in dirt but no place else that I can think of. The drawbacks are exactly what you said. It works fine for a lot of work on the property. I did it to see if I could. I can but I won’t again.
I got some relief by making the rear tires 14″ and the front 15″. The rears touch when it is loaded heavily. It is a trailer with the same advantages (hauling cap) and disadvantages (too numerous to list) as this van. Someday I will probably take it back apart.
I suspect that you are right concerning the spacing of the wheels. They likely cut the front van right after the rear spring mount and the rear van right in front of its front spring mount. If they were smart they would pull a leaf or two from the rear spring pack to minimize the likelihood of getting it low centered.
Not rear wheel drive or front wheel drive.
Mid wheel drive.
Putting air suspension on the rear axle would allow the driver to unload it when making tight turns or when a ramp would leave the middle/drive axle hanging. This reduces tire scrub and improves drive traction on steep ramps. Larger busses and motor coaches use this system and it works well if the driver remembers to use it.
Some junkyard air bags, a 12 volt air compressor, a little plumbing and electrical work and van man has a lift able tag axle. Of course it still looks like a scaled up sex offender express but that is a different problem entirely.
Why the third axle? So that it could carry a fullsized waterbed inside and not overload the van?
The whole thing just came together in my mind. Bet I’m right, too.
Two words: JACUZZI VAN.
That’s gotta be it! But how to keep the water from sloshing out?
Yikes. Someone needs to invest in some new tires before they find themselves sliding down a wet road with locked-up brakes and headed toward a large object.
6 wheels braking you might be surprised how well this stops.
Nice exhaust work — must have taken a lot of creative bending to clear both axles.
Wow. With a van like this I could live under a bridge, down by the river…
well I did see one like this a few years ago in Eugene could not get close to it because of s fence, I thought it was a dodge but can’t remember.
Great find – I missed it the first time around.
When I saw the top picture, tire scrub was the first thing that crossed my mind too.
Certainly looks very well done from 20 feet. Jim.
I know exactly why and I love it i plan on following this for my build
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