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Articulated truck is a multi-unit off-highway vehicle in which a powered front frame (“tractor” or “front unit”) is connected to a trailing frame (“rear unit”) by a centrally located articulation and oscillation joint that provides yaw steering and relative roll, enabling high mobility on deformable or uneven ground under heavy payloads. In heavy equipment usage the term denotes articulated dump trucks and related articulated haulers rather than road-going tractor–semitrailer combinations. The machine integrates a turbocharged diesel engine with aftertreatment, a hydrodynamic torque converter and automatic powershift transmission or hydro-mechanical drive, an inter-axle transfer case, and typically three drive axles in a 6×6 configuration with planetary hub reductions and lockable differentials. The rear unit carries a dump body or specialized module; the front unit houses the cab with ROPS/FOPS structure, steering and implement hydraulics, electronics, and cooling pack. Core assemblies include the articulation hitch with tapered roller or spherical bearings and a vertical kingpin or cross-shaft, double-acting hydraulic steering cylinders sized for full-lock maneuvering under grade and payload, and an oscillation joint that allows ±8–15° relative roll to maintain tire contact. Braking systems are full-hydraulic with inboard wet multi-disc service brakes on all axles, spring-applied hydraulic-release parking brakes, and one or more retarders (hydraulic transmission retarder and/or engine compression brake) for downhill speed control. The dump system uses load-sensing piston pumps feeding large-bore, single- or dual-acting hoist cylinders with proportional valves, position feedback, and body-down regeneration; ejector bodies substitute a hydraulic blade on rails for continuous discharge without raising the center of gravity. Frames are high-strength, welded box or ladder fabrications with cast nodes around high-load interfaces; the dump body uses abrasion-resistant quenched steel with optional liners and exhaust or coolant heat routing for freeze mitigation. Tires are large OTR radials matched to axle load and ground conditions; optional supplemental steering of the rear axle set appears on some large machines to reduce scrub. Operating principle is articulated-frame steering: steering torque from the cylinders rotates the front and rear frames about the articulation pin, producing a small turning radius without relying on wheel steer geometry; the oscillation joint decouples frame twist so that axle pairs maintain contact and tractive effort on rough ground. Tractive force flows from the engine through the torque converter (with lockup clutch), transmission gearsets, and transfer case to inter-axle shafts and differentials; automatic traction control manages inter- and cross-axle locks based on wheel speed deltas and operator inputs. Thermal balance is set by engine cooling airflow and hydraulic oil heat rejection sized for sustained high drawbar loads at low vehicle speed. Payload and cycle data come from onboard weighing using frame strain or suspension pressure sensors; GNSS and telematics log location, fuel burn, idle, and event data for fleet management. Stability derives from body hinge placement ahead of the rear axle group, wide rear track, and control of dump angle and slew during tipping; gradeability reflects engine net power, gear ratios, and tire–ground friction. Manufacture uses large welded fabrications for frames and bodies with robotic or submerged-arc processes, stress relief or controlled cooling, and shot blast prior to primer and topcoat. Articulation and oscillation bores are line-bored and fitted with hardened pins and bushings; axles are assembled with outboard planetaries and wet brake packs; engines, transmissions, and transfer cases are mounted on isolators with aligned driveline shafts. Hydraulic systems are built from bent and flared tube assemblies and crimped hose with cleanliness controls and filtration; wiring harnesses use sealed connectors and CAN/Ethernet backbones for powertrain and machine control ECUs, payload weighing modules, and telematics. Cab modules are welded or molded shells with glass bonding, HVAC integration, and ISO operator controls; final assembly includes wheel and tire fitment, body-to-frame hinge and cylinder alignment, and calibration of steering stops, brake pressures, payload sensors, and retarder control. End-of-line verification covers leak tests, brake and retarder performance, steering effort, articulation oscillation limits, dump cycle time under load, noise and vibration, and tilt-table stability. Applications concentrate on earthmoving and bulk material haulage where flexible routing and soft-ground capability are required: overburden and ore in surface mining and quarrying, cut-to-fill cycles in large civil works, tailings and landfill operations, forestry and oilfield road construction, and Arctic or wet-season projects where low ground pressure is advantageous. Variants include water and fuel service tanks, low-profile articulated underground trucks for hard-rock mines, ejector trucks for continuous spreading, and hook-lift or platform modules for support roles. Typical payload classes range from roughly 20–60 t with engine outputs on the order of 200–500 kW, turning angles near ±40° at the articulation, oscillation sufficient to track rutted haul roads, and travel speeds tuned for short- to medium-haul cycles. The defining attributes are frame articulation with oscillation for terrain compliance, full-time multi-axle drive with protected brakes for grade control, hydraulically actuated bodies for rapid dump cycles, and a fabrication and systems architecture built for high duty cycles in abrasive, thermally variable environments.
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