Twin Steer Kenworths

I'm wondering if anybody knows the history on twin steer Kenworth's? The ones I'm interested in are the early K12x series built in the US. When were they first introduced in the US? How did the serial numbers work? What the difference between the K12x and K14x series? Any other thoughts?

It's only to satisfy my own curiosities, but any information is appreciated. Ta.

DeezelDawg
Gudday M8

AFAIK
the imported KW 8 legged beasts
were a ruff conversion to RHD and they did not have load share n up front
they then produced the 8x4 @ bayswater but did not have load shar n @ the front
Twazn't till much later the KW went to Load shar n coz the Euro trucks offered this n grab n a few sales th# KW could have offered
KW Bayswater had a prototype 8x4 on Torsion bar suspension on the 4 corners of D beast

But

EyeDoSt&2BCorrected

Jimbo probly nose more about it than me
cya

The twin steer KW with torsion bar suspension front and rear was an import. It was built as RHD and bought here for evaluation. From memory it was a slim-line 903 powered jigger.
It sat at the old KW Footscray workshop for a while and was eventually taken out to Bayswater for engineering to have a look-see.
The suspension was removed and if I remember correctly, the truck went to Brown and Mitchell as a "glider assembly".
It was a pig of a thing to drive, sloppy handling and no sense of direction.

There is a twin steer KW up this neck of the woods. Of note is that the power assist ram linkage is as remote from the steering box as you can get which would account for the wandering feeling. Swish - don't know about Euro's having load sharing as I have seen correspondence from the early days between Volvo Australia engineers and Woolongong University when they were laying out the twin steers and the push was on to provide load sharing to get that extra ton. It was emphatic that load sharing was not acceptable (by the Volvo Aus blokes) as it compromised the steering geometry.

Bell Bros. had two 8-wheeled KWs in about 1970. They were numbered 344 and 345. They had tipping bodies on them and were used on the manganese run from Port Hedland to Woodie Woodie. They used to pull three Superlift tipping trailers and had a permit for a 10-ton axle loading. I am not sure what gear box they had in them, but I remember they had a V8 GM motor. Later, the were used pulling quad axle low loaders with a dolly.

I'm wondering if anybody knows the history on twin steer Kenworth's? The ones I'm interested in are the early K12x series built in the US. When were they first introduced in the US? How did the serial numbers work? What the difference between the K12x and K14x series? Any other thoughts?

It's only to satisfy my own curiosities, but any information is appreciated. Ta.

Came across this pic a long time ago & was always interested in the story behind it.It,s in Australia, but has the five hole alcoa,s on it.Could this be the import truck?. .

Thanks guys, some interesting stuff there. I've noticed that the COE imports had a rounded diamond shape recess for the headlights, which from what I can work out is about the mid to late sixties but I can't find any pictures of anything earlier. I'm guessing this was about the time they were both produced and imported?

DeeezelDawg
Gudday M8

the imported COE KW had the headlight bucket az an addon where by the local product twaz all molded into the cab

Gr8 Pix Angel
Keep m cummin

cood say the 8 legger KW haz W/B

LOL
cya

The imported 8 wheeler with all round torsion bar suspension was delivered at KW Footscray (old Swing Bridge Motors) around mid 1975 from memory. There was another cab-over that came with it too. After we did evaluations of both trucks, the twin steer went to Bayswater and the cab over was sold to some cowboy that used to run Sesame Street. They tell me the cowboy had a sign on the back "You have just been passed by big wheels". I don't think he lasted too long but!!

In 1977 a permatrak twinsteer was fitted to a KW slimline cab to be a tipper
Only one was done to my knowledge