maximum weight you can load on a dry van

**1 Question** · 12.31.2009

here is the scenario

regular size sleeper tractor with sliding 5th wheel, 53 foot dry van with sliding tandems

what is the most weight you can load on the trailer and stay legal? i understand you only load the first 48 feet...and its 12k steers 34k drives 34k trailer tandems

asking cuz i disagreed with 2 of the guys from work...i say around 44k and a driver told me 45k and these 2 guys both said 41k or less

**notarps4me** · 12.31.2009

Depends on what the truck and trailer weigh empty. Or how much fuel you are going to run.

**LandShark** · 12.31.2009

i have scaled 46,000 on my dry van with full tanks...the first thing you do is top off your tanks then go get an empty weight from a cat scale...then subtract that empty wieght from 80.000 and thats how much you can load on your dry van...

**LavenderTrucker** · 12.31.2009

You can only have a total weight of 80,000lbs. So, for example if you and I drive exactly the same truck, and have exactly the same fuel, but I have an extra 300lbs of clothes, accessories and passengers in my cab than you. You could load 300 more lbs in your trailer.

**1 Question** · 12.31.2009

Originally Posted by LavenderTrucker

You can only have a total weight of 80,000lbs. So, for example if you and I drive exactly the same truck, and have exactly the same fuel, but I have an extra 300lbs of clothes, accessories and passengers in my cab than you. You could load 300 more lbs in your trailer.

thats obvious, but im talkin about averages, me and the guys disagreed by thousands of pounds, i dont think you have thousands of pounds of stuff in your cab

**mustang970** · 12.31.2009

46500# max on our company t600 with 70" sleeper, 2x100 gallon tanks, 53' plate trailer. But that is really pushing the envelope.

**Tazz** · 12.31.2009

Originally Posted by 1 Question

thats obvious, but im talkin about averages, me and the guys disagreed by thousands of pounds, i dont think you have thousands of pounds of stuff in your cab

Average 43,000-46,000 dependent upon tractor and trailer type(dura-plate,roller,e-track........Type of suspension,single or dual wheels.

Too many variables to nail it down smaller

**blackw900** · 12.31.2009

Originally Posted by 1 Question

thats obvious, but im talkin about averages, me and the guys disagreed by thousands of pounds, i dont think you have thousands of pounds of stuff in your cab

It all depends on ho much your truck weighs empty!
If your truck weighs 32,000 pounds, You can load 48,000 pounds on the truck and be legal.
If your truck weighs 40,000 pounds, You can load 40,000 pounds on the truck and be legal.

There is no room for disagreement...I'd have enjoyed being there to hear the argument, I bet it was hilarious to anyone with a clue.

**1 Question** · 12.31.2009

Originally Posted by blackw900

It all depends on ho much your truck weighs empty!
If your truck weighs 32,000 pounds, You can load 48,000 pounds on the truck and be legal.
If your truck weighs 40,000 pounds, You can load 40,000 pounds on the truck and be legal.

There is no room for disagreement...I'd have enjoyed being there to hear the argument, I bet it was hilarious to anyone with a clue.

they said it was impossible to get 44k on a trailer and scale legal no matter what

**Allow Me.** · 12.31.2009

Your payload, in order to maximize total weight loaded on, needs to be spread from the nose of the trailer to the 48' mark. In other words, if you want to gross the legal weight allowed (80,000 lbs) spread it out in the trailer. That may mean singling some pallets, depending on pallet weight and product etc. If you weigh your truck empty, and subtract from 80,000, in theory, you can load that much weight, IF, you can axle it out legally. That can get tricky sometimes and time consuming fussing with the Cat scale, so most savvy truck drivers tell the shipper to only load 44,000 to have some wiggle room and not be spending 2 hours trying to get legal. Maximizing weight does not benefit the driver, only the shipper, except grain jocks.