Kingpin to rear axle laws

Discussion in 'Trucking Industry Regulations' started by cdavis188, Oct 12, 2022.

  1. cdavis188

    cdavis188 Road Train Member

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    In a bit of a situation here. Taking a load from Savannah, GA to Totowa, NJ. Got loaded up and i slid my tandems all the way back to be legal. 11.8k on steers, 32.5 on drives, and 33.7 on tandems. So perfectly legal from a weight standpoint. But i know that MD and NJ in particular are very picky on where your tandems are set at. Not too worried about NJ since once i hit the Jersey Turnpike from the border with Delaware, there isn't any scalehouses along the way to the reciever. Looking up kingpin/rear axle laws and I'm 99.8% sure they made it up to be intentionally confusing. I saw that Delaware of all states on the east coast seems to have no such law. Reworking it at the shipper wasn't an option since I'm hauling bulk product and it's all the same, loaded from top to bottom, and front to back. Some sort of fiber/insulation material. I don't see what the issue is here if I'm fully legal on all my weights, but I know DOT officers would disagree with me. What's even the point of these laws anyway? Some states have them, some don't, and the ones that do seem to be different than the next state.
     
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  3. dptrucker

    dptrucker Road Train Member

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    not all states have it to rear axle.
    some are to middle of tandem wheels
     
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  4. Bean Jr.

    Bean Jr. Road Train Member

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    You have a 53', right?
     
  5. cdavis188

    cdavis188 Road Train Member

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    Yes. Reefer trailer hauling dry load.
     
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  6. Concorde

    Concorde Road Train Member

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    I’d tell them to remove some product from the rear of the trailer so you can be legal. If not have them remove the entire load..not like there isn’t freight out of Savanna.

    The worst that can happen is you’ll be put out of service and someone will have to come and make it legal..That and forgetting the trailer tandem is slid all the way back and taking someone’s hood off in a truck stop.

    Just my two cents.
     
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  7. Numb

    Numb Crusty Curmudgeon

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    there is a chart in the front of the Rand McNally, by state.

    the reason for the laws, is so you fit on the streets and road. your off-track stays in your lane.

    the north-east has narrow rds and city streets.
     
    Last edited: Oct 12, 2022
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  8. Joyce's Volvo

    Joyce's Volvo Light Load Member

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    Most states eastern are at 41’ king pin to center of group of axles , for a single axle it’s the center of axle, for tandem it’s center of the 2 ( close tandem) , tri axle it’s center axle ( close tri ) . Va, Tn, is at 41’ and they’ll check .
     
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