The extremely complex suspension system design of the Tiger I heavy tank, consisting of four rows of overlapped and interleaved road wheels, three per axle, two doubles and a single:
It provided a smooth ride for the tank, alongside an improved accuracy, reduced wear and tear of the tank, provided extra protection for the sides of the hull, allowed continuous operation even after the loss of varios road wheels, and allegedly even improved fuel consumption, but it came with the cost of being a maintenance nightmare, as the replacement of any of the internal road wheels could mean the removal of up to 8 of them:
not to mention problems given by mud getting into the system, which could leave the entire tank stuck, either by accumulation or freezing in the harsh soviet climate, forcing the tank’s crew to manually remove it.
Later in the war, the Tiger I got a new suspension system, similar to that found on her successor, the Tiger II, which while still overlapping, it greatly simplified the layout, reducing it to just four road wheels per axle, installed in pairs.
This suspension system was almost exclusively used by the Germans, where it was known as
Schachtellaufwerk, and after the war no other nation has used it since, as it’s drawbacks far surpassed its benefits.
