In fairness, Okinawa has some very rural areas. Granted it’s been 35 years since I was there but it had a good bit of farm land and wicked mud during monsoon season.
Yes. I’m well aware that Japan is about as far from third world as you can get. Just an attempt at a little humor. And when I lived there, you could still see some traditional agricultural practices. An example was harvesting sugar cane by hand. That is mechanized in the states but the reason there was probably the smaller fields that were being harvested.
I remember I was telling a friend of mine about how I hired a Skyline to drive around in Japan. He said that would’ve been fun because “they just drive around in tuk-tuks over there, don’t they?”
I don’t know if he just thought all Asian countries were Bali or if he hasn’t seen Japan since the early 1950s. Like, the Skyline itself is from Japan haha
This [blog post (Japanese)](https://www.ystruck.jp/blog/%E3%83%80%E3%83%B3%E3%83%97%E3%81%AE%E5%BE%8C%E8%BC%AA%E3%81%AB%E3%81%A4%E3%81%84%E3%81%A6%E3%81%84%E3%82%8B%E3%83%99%E3%83%AB%E3%83%88%E3%81%AE%E5%BD%B9%E7%9B%AE%E3%81%AF%EF%BC%9Fv%E3%83%99%E3%83%AB/) seems to agree.
Translated by Google:
What exactly is the function of a V-belt?
Choices
① Since dump trucks sometimes have to travel through muddy conditions, the rear wheels are fitted with a V-belt to give the truck four-wheel drive.
2. To improve fuel efficiency
3) To prevent stones from getting stuck in the tires
So, which one is it?
The correct answer was ③, to prevent stones from getting stuck in the tires.
Number 1 is the correct answer. Number 3 is wrong because the belt is too far below where any rock would get stuck. The belt acts as a “locker” type axle. Typical differentials are “limited slip”, meaning that both side engage, but only as power is needed to the dominant side. And while the power divider for tandem axles provides power to both axles, the differentials only provide power to one wheel. Which are always opposite of the other axle. IE… right wheel is powered on rear axle, left wheel is powered on front axle. Placing the band between the axles provides power to all 4 wheel ends.
Looks like a belt driven tag axle. As weight is added, the suspension compresses pushing the axles apart. As that happens tension is increased in the belt, which then “powers” the tag axle.
Based on the hubs both units were definitely driven axles, at least originally anyway, plus that belt seems kinda small for a true belt drive tag axle. My bet is it’s a redneck interaxle lock.
I’ve got them on my old ‘74 IH Loadstar down in Texas. Works very well for traction. Old in-line six gasser doesn’t have the power to spin them both if it gets that soft, though.
55 Comments
Kkalemauser@reddit
NoManufacturer2634@reddit
GarageQueen@reddit
Fluffy-Caterpillar49@reddit
OldDude1391@reddit
WhyWouldYouBother@reddit
OldDude1391@reddit
WhyWouldYouBother@reddit
Parasite76@reddit
luddite86@reddit
Cow-puncher77@reddit
RecentRegal@reddit
SuperChaos002@reddit
Different-Air-2000@reddit
OffduhTopic@reddit
Different-Air-2000@reddit
OffduhTopic@reddit
Different-Air-2000@reddit
Responsible_CDN_Duck@reddit
cdnyhz@reddit
last_somewhere@reddit
No_Program3588@reddit
HideyoshiJP@reddit
HarleyTrekking@reddit
No_Program3588@reddit
LiketySpite@reddit
Outlandah_@reddit
Mytwatisfat@reddit
Mechanik_J@reddit
mxadema@reddit
AHorseCalledMan@reddit
WARGEAR917@reddit
xj5635@reddit
AHorseCalledMan@reddit
davnav2@reddit
EastSideFlo@reddit
redman66687@reddit
Western-Willow-9496@reddit
okron1k@reddit
FlatPlenty8668@reddit
DriftingOnWater@reddit
specfreq@reddit
DriftingOnWater@reddit
specfreq@reddit
Cow-puncher77@reddit
Largofarburn@reddit
Mikey_BC@reddit
buttweasel76@reddit
Environmental-Film-5@reddit
L0quence@reddit
rvlifestyle74@reddit
Nickelsass@reddit
02fordtaurus@reddit
beamin1@reddit
Abucfan21@reddit