California axle length

Discussion in 'Trucking Industry Regulations' started by LimpyLegs, Jan 13, 2022.

  1. LimpyLegs

    LimpyLegs Medium Load Member

    329
    169
    Aug 26, 2008
    Midland,VA
    0
    I'm sure this question has been asked probably many times over, but can you clarify something for me? The law says 40 feet from the king pin to the center of the rear axle. But if I'm less than 40 feet I should still be okay right? Like 40 feet is the furthest back you can go, but that doesn't mean that 35 feet is illegal.Am I correct? I don't know why I'm asking this question after 12 years of driving.
     
    Crude Truckin' Thanks this.
  2. Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.

  3. buzzarddriver

    buzzarddriver Road Train Member

    3,219
    8,651
    Feb 1, 2011
    Dallas, TX
    0
    Yes. The 40' is max allowed. But you still have to maintain the 34000# max per axle pair.
     
  4. rydr

    rydr Light Load Member

    123
    92
    Jan 8, 2019
    0
    I take my 53' spread into CA every week. I leave my axles spread. never had a problem. CA isnt as strict as people make it seem.
     
    Bean Jr. Thanks this.
  5. Antinomian

    Antinomian Road Train Member

    1,927
    2,931
    Feb 17, 2013
    0
    Bad advise. The weigh stations in Ca will ticket you if you're too long. It's the only weight station ticket I've ever gotten and I was only off by a few inches. While I was inside they pulled in another guy for having his trailer air line a little too low. That was the weigh station at Riverside. I hear Banning is bad as well, but I've never been through that one.
     
    Bean Jr. Thanks this.
  6. rydr

    rydr Light Load Member

    123
    92
    Jan 8, 2019
    0
    Ive been through most scales in CA from Sacramento to San Diego with my 53' spread, up and down 101,99,5, across 80, 40, 58, 10, and 8. Never had an issue
     
    Bean Jr. Thanks this.
  7. blairandgretchen

    blairandgretchen Road Train Member

    12,001
    60,367
    Dec 9, 2011
    South west Missouri
    0
    Just be sure to hold the "smart end" of the tape measure . :)
     
    IH Truck Guy, Oxbow and InTooDeep Thank this.
  8. REO6205

    REO6205 Trucker Forum STAFF Staff Member

    12,586
    56,871
    Feb 15, 2014
    California.
    0
    Yet.
     
    Bean Jr., Antinomian and InTooDeep Thank this.
  9. rydr

    rydr Light Load Member

    123
    92
    Jan 8, 2019
    0
    Been doing it for a few years now with a pre emissions eld exempt truck, no issues. :) california isnt as scary as you old timers make it seem.
     
  10. REO6205

    REO6205 Trucker Forum STAFF Staff Member

    12,586
    56,871
    Feb 15, 2014
    California.
    0
    I admire your optimistic attitude. When you get caught, and you will eventually, be sure to tell the cop who cites you or the judge you're standing in front of that California doesn't scare you at all. Let us know how that works for you.
     
    Crude Truckin' and Bean Jr. Thank this.
  11. Long FLD

    Long FLD Road Train Member

    9,502
    36,966
    Mar 4, 2015
    0
    I ran two rounds a week to CA and back for the better part of 2 years with a 52ft spread. Crossed Truckee nearly every trip going in unless I was heavy. Crossed Cottonwood I don’t know how many times going one way or the other. Then one time I got a ticket at Truckee and escorted back to the NV line. Got the whole speech about “we can’t say what the fine will be, that’s up to the judge. Blah blah blah”. Ticket showed up in the mail and it probably cost more for the trooper to escort me back to Nevada. It was $137 fine. All I did was take the long way around Truckee for a couple months before I started crossing the scale again. Never had another issue for the rest of the time I was running out there.
     
    Accidental Trucker and Oxbow Thank this.
  12. LimpyLegs

    LimpyLegs Medium Load Member

    329
    169
    Aug 26, 2008
    Midland,VA
    0
    Thank you

    It seems like everybody else's answer had absolutely nothing to do with what the law actually meant or anything even related to my question at all.

    It was just a bunch of different people saying "don't worry about it"
     
    Crude Truckin' Thanks this.
  • Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.