Ok I am confused as to how to get the length of the vehicle legal. I've looked in the road atlas and am assuming I need to follow the tractor and semitrailer in combo. How can I figure out how long they are and are their any tricks for sliding tandems. Also where should the tandems be when empty
Sliding tandems
Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by Rthiery, Apr 2, 2013.
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And also what does it mean "full trailer" length in the road atlas
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Are you loaded now?What states will you be running?As far as when your mt keep em about 1/2 way.Unless your gonna have super tight turns,then you put em almost all the way up.There's only a few states that enforce the bridge law.like Cali,md,tn.etc.
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Assuming youre using the rand mcnally motor carrier atlas, turn to the page titled 'State/provincial weight and size limits' -- The right-most column on the left page gives length limits for a semi-trailer by state, along with inner-bridge restrictions.
For example, California allows 53' semi-trailers only when the distance from the kingpin to the center of the rear axle is 40' or less. (Tip: all my trailers have a 3' kingpin setting, so I just measure from the rear of the trailer forward 10' and stick some masking tape there so I can easily see if I need to slide tandems to be CA legal.) If you scroll to the right across the spine two columns you'll see that the overall length of the tractor-semitrailer combination is limited to 65'. Now that is for state highways.
For interstates & national truck routes, turn back 1 page and you'll see 'national weight and size provisions' -- "semitrailer in tractor traiper combo" -- again you'll see California listing 53' maximum with a footnote stating that the kcra must be 40' or less. Some states have different rules for interstate vs highway, for example michigan allows 53' trucks on the interstate with a kcra of 40-41' but limits trailers to 50' on most state routes. CA allows unlimited overall length on interstates, but 65' (day-cab & 53') on non-truck routes
As for where you put the tandems, that all depends. If you have no restrictions, I usually put the rear axle right under the last pallet -- this generally gives me a balanced weight distribution between my drives and tandems. But if I'm going to CA I definitely want them under 40' from the kingpin (and I sometimes have to go back to the shipper to have them move freight around when I can't get under 34,000 lbs on my tandems at 40' kcra).
If I'm empty I usually just run them all the way up front for a better turning radius.Last edited: Apr 3, 2013
danielfrench83 and Justmom Thank this. -
MT or light I usually keep them as far up (under the Trlr) as they can go.
If they were 1-6 Holes back only Loaded I won't move them when MT. -
When pulling away from the receiver, I pull those tandems all the way up, i then drive it like a 4 wheeler!! I curb a few curbs but it is so easy after running for days with them 3 holes from the back, I hate those loads!,
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Measure from the back of the trailer towards the cab with a tape measure - Example: 10 feet from the back - forward is 40 feet, sometimes I'll mark it with a fine point permanent marker every six inches from 40 foot to 43 ft - If the handle won't stay out, use some vice grips to keep the handle pulled or insert the correct size stick in the whole once the handle is pulled out.. There are times the tandems won;t unlock because the pins catch on the sides, look to see which side (front or back) then move (rock) the trailer a hair which takes some patience at times, I have a wheel chock I use in case the brakes don't grab on the trailer to slide the tandems, but this means the brakes are in need of adjustments or repair and dealt with accordingly.
Set to the shortest state on the route -
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If youo slide your tandems all the way up remember it will be easier to turn but your trailer swing will be amplified when you turn tight. So making a tight right hand turn, the rear of the trailer will swing more to the left around the turn so you need to allow extra distance for anything on your left. Also uphill and downhill will also be amplified. So if you are pulling out going downhill with your wheels all the way up the rear of the trailer will rise higher then if the tandems were at the rear. Conversely pulling out uphill could cause your ICC bumper to drag because the wheels are slid up. So basically the more overhang you have from your tandems back, easier to turn goign forward, your trailer will respond much quicker when backing and reverse swing left right, up/down is amplified the further the rear of the trailer is from the last axle.
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