Scale/Weight/Axle Question

Discussion in 'Experienced Truckers' Advice' started by Grumppy, Jul 20, 2014.

  1. Grumppy

    Grumppy Trucker Forum STAFF Staff Member

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    I cant argue, cause honestly, I dont know. Some say forward... some say back. To me, it seems like ... for the 5th wheel to lower the weight on the steers... I need to slide the 5th wheel back. Now, since its already back, maybe I am wrong (cause this sure aint workin). Again, honestly, I dont know.
    (Note: Keep in mind, most of my truck driving has been straight truck. Some hotshot with a flat gooseneck & my last job was a few years with light load material where weight wasn't an issue in our line of work. It was 18 wheelers but always light weights... so again, all this weighing & sliding & adjusting is something that is new to me. I got this trailer weight thing down but now this steer axle issue over the last two weeks has me totally confused)

    Thanks to all for the relevant info...

    TC
     
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  3. MACK E-6

    MACK E-6 Moderator Staff Member

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    Moving his fifth wheel forward would add to his steer axle, not lighten it. With the scale reading he posted I would move the fifth wheel back maybe 2 holes and call it a day.

    However, moving his trailer axles forward as you describe would lighten both the drive and the steer. I would advise against that in this case.
     
  4. GabeScott

    GabeScott Medium Load Member

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    I'm not certain on this, but if we error on the side of caution and go by the lower weight we should be legal.
     
  5. double yellow

    double yellow Road Train Member

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    Think of it like this: if you were to put individual scales down under every tire, would one tire be exceeding its rating?
     
  6. Sly Fox

    Sly Fox Road Train Member

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    This is a fun argument that crops up from time to time.

    I know when I was in school with CR England 7+ years ago, they told everyone you had to be under 12k for steers. And everyone believed them.

    Why? Because it was easier than explaining the intricacies of it. Just like they always said 40' kingpin setting because of CA, etc. It's easier to tell a student one thing and not overload them.

    The truth is, you can be over 12k on your steers. My '06 Freightliner Century regularly runs with full tanks at 12,500-12,600 and not once, in all the years I've driven, had one DOT officer or scale worker say anything to me about it. And that includes Oregon. Not once. In almost a million miles in 48 states in 7 years.

    DOT is looking for overgross trucks. That's their bread and butter. Now, can they hassle you if you don't know what you're doing and you have 13k on your steers.... sure. But, I just don't see how they're going to care. Most of these weigh station scales are not that accurate. I've pulled over them a few biscuits north of 80k and not one peep from the scale. Even it out if you want, take some weight off if you want, but I'm not about to waste my time sliding my fifth wheel for it.
     
    MadScientist Thanks this.
  7. mitchtazz

    mitchtazz Road Train Member

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    Did this happen with a different trailer or the same one? Is it loaded the same?
     
  8. Grumppy

    Grumppy Trucker Forum STAFF Staff Member

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    Thank you

    Again, that is the problem. The 5th wheel is already all the way back on these weights posted. I can not move the 5th wheel back. This is why I keep asking what the problem is & what should I look for & what should I do?


    That, I cant be sure about. It could be, but may not be. I work out of our yard & sometimes I handle multiple trailers a day, certainly a different trailer everyday. However, I could also use the same trailer several times during the week. I do not have just one trailer that I keep & pull all the time. We have about 10-15 trailers that I work with.
    So again, I cant be sure if it was the same trailer for not.

    I am still having problems uploading my scale tickets to this thread. I can upload other pictures (as you can see from a thread above), but I have several pictures of scale tickets that wont upload. Why? All pics are from my iPhone & are all jpeg format. Some will load, some will not...???

    This is even more confusing now. Here are a couple of scale tickets from today:

    Yeah I know its over gross & over on the drives & the trailer....... that's the kicker.... look at the steers! Its 1000 - 1500 under this time (depending on steer rates).

    Steers: 10920
    Drives: 35380
    Trailer: 35720
    Gross: 82020

    On another ticket today (5th wheel is still all the way back)
    Steers: 10940 (which is close to the other ticket above)
    Drives: 26980
    Trailer: 23920
    Gross: 61840

    (Compare these weights to the weights in previous posts)

    It just doesn't make any sense. Today, the steers look good. Yesterday, the steers are all over the place. Over on light load this time & under on the next light load. Turn right around & I'll be over on a heavy load one time & the next heavy load it'll be under. It's just all over the place with no rhyme or reason.

    The steers should be pretty predictable & safe on most all loads if positioned in the right place. But its just all over. The steers just shouldn't move around this much.

    As I mentioned previously, I never had any problems until about a week ago. The steers were always good.
    I've been working for this company for a year this month & prior to getting this new truck 7 weeks ago, I never had any issues with the old '07 Frieghtliner Columbia. Same loads same company, same trailers... never any problem with the '07 & haven't had any problems the prior 6 weeks with the new 2015 Cascadia. Now the last week its all over the place. It just doesn't make any sense.
     
  9. tinytim

    tinytim Road Train Member

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    Are you scaling all these loads at the same place?
     
  10. Grumppy

    Grumppy Trucker Forum STAFF Staff Member

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    No, but they are all on Cat Scales.

    Some at the Pilot in West Monroe, La (exit 112) (regularly)
    Two of these recently at the Loves in Tallulah, La (exit 171)
    One at Loves in Minden, La. (exit 49)

    I weigh at all of these regularly. (Doesnt mean they are correct but just sayin')
     
  11. mitchtazz

    mitchtazz Road Train Member

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    well if your trailers have different king pin settins, that will effect the steer axle weights.. if they load all of the product on the nose of the trailer, that'll effect the weight of the steers, if they load the product two feet away from the bulk head of the trailer, that'll effect the steer weight.

    if you're fifthwheel is all the way back, you'll never make it anywhere near 12k on your steers.. slide it towards your cab two notches and it'll add about 1k to your steer axle. slide it away from your cab to put that weight on your drives.
     
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