This is the most common type of truck on the road in the UK – that’s why there are always hundreds of 6×2 tractor units for sale on these pages. These three axled tractor units outsell their two-axled counterparts by at least 6 to 1 because they can carry an additional four tonnes (maximum 44 tonnes gross train weight) simply by adding an extra axle that weighs just over a tonne or so. That’s an extra three tones for every journey. The ‘6’ means six points of contact on the ground, and the ‘2’ means that two of these points provide the drive. You will find examples of 6×2 tractor units where the non-driving rear axle is in front of the drive axle (midlift) and some behind the drive axle (rearlift or tag-axle). All of these third axles can be raised when the tractor unit is not operating at full load, saving on tyre wear and fuel consumption. If you are looking to buy a tractor unit to operate on the continent, then a 6×2 tractor unit will be of no use – opt for the 4×2 version as there is no additional 4 tonne allowance on the continent.