Spread Axle Dump Guys

Ive been pulling a bucket more lately and if I can keep business up I would like to upgrade my old 1/2 round eventually. I was curious on how you guys that pull spread axles dumps across states that use the federal bridge law make inner bridge weight on the drives and trailer axles. Here in IL you loose your exemption of being able to carry 68K on 4 axles if you do not have to consecutive tandems (going to the spread) I have measured and if I put my 5th wheel center (maybe one pine forward) of the drives I can get the 39' required from axle 2 to axle 5 to carry 68K but that still leaves me having to carry 12K on the front. I doubt with the 5th wheel slid that far back I would be able to transfer any weight to the steers. I know individually axling out would be easy its just the 2-5 that I am having problems mathing out correctly. Unless you all just run and dont worry about it. Say run 10.5K or so on the steer and the rest on trailer and drives even though together the would technically be 1500 lbs over on the inner bridge.

Hopefully that made some sort of sense. I would like to run the spread just to be able to always axle out easier on the scales leaving the quarry's since it never seems like i get loaded just right. I see plenty of guys pulling 40' spreads through IL but nobody local to me runs them. Thought it would be nice to run one with a rear axle dump to get into tight places since it would turn on the front axle at slow speeds and axle out easier. I run local just trying to figure out how to make it work to my advantage and not be more of pain than the extra worn out tires are worth.

 

Nobody on here pulls a spread axle 40' dump?

 

WHY NOT, I know here in NC we are allowed 40k on spread axle long as they are 10'2" (I believe, that's the measurement) between axles. And 38500 on drives and depends on what axle and tires you have for steers. But we try and keep below 12000, could go all way to 20k. Most of our 379 Pete's 48-64" sleepers run with 5th wheel just forward of center and that puts about 11800 -12400 on steers at max 80k gross the day cab kw is all way to rear with 5th wheel and steer axle weight is 10700 with 80k gross. The spread is going to add anywhere from 1000 to 3000 lbs depending on setup, at least it does on our East 39' genisis hybrid frameless dumps, I like the spread just make sure to have a dump switch in cab for tight turns and parking or eat a bunch of tires up

 

I ran a Ravens covered wagon 48 foot flatbed trailer aluminum in coil work and pipe etc. It had a 10 foot 1 inch spread back there with real axle dump.

You could scale 20K a axle back there 40,000 pounds on the ### end.

If you handed me any trailer with at least a 10 foot one inch spread Ima be happy to load it up and run it. Issues come in when you come up against wheel base length and spacing between trailer and tractor etc. In the Bridge Law algebra.

I actually prefer the spread against a normal tandem. The normal tandem is inadequate. And gets abuse in sliding back and forth all the time, skating tires, flexing airlines and so on etc etc etc etc.

 

The 38,500 allowance you all have on the drives must be what gets you the extra that you need. Here we can only run 34K on the drives. I may just try and ride the gray area and make it work. 10.5ish on steers then carry the 69.5 on the truck and trailer (which axles fine) but at 39' from axle 2-5 I can only put 68K on the inner bridge.

Its the trailer length is the issue I am having, only a 40' trailer and it gets into a inner bridge problem on the drives and trailer axles only being able to gross 68K and then not being able to get the 12 on the front because the 5th wheel is slid back to get my 39' from axles 2 to axle 5

 

Right. So you are back to Tandems again.

Hmmm.

What happens if you got rid of that 40 and got a 48?

 

It would work even with a 42'. Problem is end dumps are 39 or 40'

 

Ok, forget the spread. There isnt any point. What happens if you add a third axle or even a tag on either end?

 

can get 42,500 on a tri axle dump, but the trailers tend to weight quite a bit more than even a spread axle. Even on a 36'
Pretty much I want my cake and to eat it too. That and a spread axle dump looks great and can pivot on the front axle and get in tight places since my W9 turns pretty much like a barge

 

You managed to reach the end of any useful thinking on my end. If my mind was a warehouse it's empty now.

Oh wait...

Ha.

I guess if you got length you have your spread. But load it like a 40. Ignoring temporarily the extra what? 8 feet of air?