Just saw 4 on a flatbed heading west over highway 80.
3 Likes
I have to agree, while many including myself thought the bigger type 3’s would be a huge problem they have proved to work well. The added room had allowed much more equipment and enough room for a crew of 4 to have a personal red OC bag on at all times.
1 Like
I sure hope these work out! With such a large box providing so much storage space, overloading is a real possibility. The large pump supports all the equipment for structural firefighting, more weight. Advances in alloys and synthetic materials has dramatically lighted the equipment I sure hope agencies weigh their units wet with full equipment. The history of building on light truck chassis (they are regardless of the “heavy duty in the name”) is filled with instances of overloading causing not only braking and handling problems but huge maintenance and reliability problems as well. Small wheels and high box also brings in the issue of roll stability. The long wheel base will help but I sure hope it is tested again with a unit carrying full equipment. Most of the time the tilt table is a unit with water and fuel but no equipment. Since I can remember (late 70ies) folks have tried to stuff a 5lb loaf into a 4lb container and so far it has never worked, I hope this time is different.
Another concern is when chasing these large lowest bidder contracts, manufactures look for every way to cut every possible expense. The largest expense is the labor for fabrication and assembly. Engineering - manufacturing errors are disastrous to lesson manufacturing hours for each unit. CDF received a large number of type 3’s with defective body mounting system design requiring a major retrofit in the first year, another set of engines from a now out of business manufacture required a complete rebuild of the tank & fire box cradle they rest on that mounts to the chassis within 10 years of delivery.
While the medium truck chassis have grown to immense size driven by the engine cooling requirements of emission standards, you can build a type 3 with equipment and stay around 70% of GVW (crew may add 5 to 7% leaving a 20% cushion. When new this cushion is not as important as to the ending years of service when the machine is a bit warn and tired. As in every aspect of life, apparatus design is give and take, so far no one has been able to design everything into the desired compact size we would like.
video from A-F on the Super 6. Not a fan of the Fox. I like the Rosenbauer if you’re going into tight areas or bombing dozer lines.
The rig is on a Ford F-550 four-door chassis and cab and carries a Hale HPX 150-gpm pump, a 300-gallon water tank, and a 20-gallon foam tank.
Anyone know what the contract price is on these things? Not the whole order, just per unit? Would be nice to get in on contract pricing for LG use.
2 Likes
I think it will be interesting to say the least. I have driven type 6s with large fire rated pumps and none of them have handled well. The longer cab may help that. The other aspect that will be interesting is making everything fit. I have not seen an inventory list, but three people and their structure gear, wildland gear, and personal gear eats up room fast, especially if you are carrying wildland AND structure equipment in the limited space.
Anyone have any info re: these rigs actually being tested off road ? By the looks of them I doubt they will handle great .
2 Likes
The wheel base is close the same as a type three? Ground clearance with small wheels and long wheel base is going to be very minimal at best. not as high and slightly narrower may not get you more places than the big type 3’ss
I agree … the video posted and info is not the same as the specs. This “super six” is way overbuilt and someone is trying to do too much. I think a type 6 should be small and Wildland focused. A 1500 midship pump and panel is not what a type 6 was designed for … Just my humble opinion.
3 Likes
Are we missing the Model 4 yet?
1 Like
Oh ya
A little updated design and I would run a model 4 all day long…
1 Like
Any chance of moving this topic from the Hotlist to General Discussion? My Inbox would thank the Mod’s! Thanks…
/////////////////////// indent preformatted text by 4 spaces
Anyone here anything new on where the Cal OES type 6s are?
Anyone get a type 6 from OES yet ? How do you like it ?
I believe Riverside City got one but I haven’t heard anything about it.
Can someone please put a new post up about the #GlacierFire in Inyo County in CA. 1:39PM 7/14/2021
I’m writing because I’m stunned.
Earlier this year the city of Dubai, in the hottest part of the middle east, used a rain making technique with great success.
Why, I wonder, aren’t fire officials and the general public on the west coast demanding the Dubai technology be tried there too??
Eleanor White