Loads heading to CA

Awfully bold of you to assume that shippers even know how to properly load ANY trailer. They generally have zero clue about laws, unless they're shipping hazmat. I've even had some that didn't realize I needed a BOL.

 

Most do some don't have a clue

 

A BOL is the carriers responsibility, not the shippers.
Most shippers make 1 out for the carrier though, but technically it's up to the carrier.

 

My previous employer loaded differently. They had a pallet scale that attached the weight to the pallet’s bar code. One of the shipping leads was very good at laying out pallets, so the trailer would axle out legal. They had a platform scale to verify, as well. Great place to work.

 

Not always. I took meat from Marshalltown, IA out to California. The load was 43k. The wheels were a couple of holes behind the 40 foot mark. Ran it out there anyway. Crossed the scale and kept it moving. It was late when I ran that way.

 

I've taken many loads into Cali. My experience is that any shipper that does CA loads regularly will get it right. You are likely only to encounter issues if the shipper does CA loads on a very irregular basis.

 

Sliding the 5th wheel forward has zero affect on tandem weight.

Look at your steer tire weight rating and use that as your front axle weight guideline. My door sticker doesn’t have a steer axle weight rating on it, but, I’m over 12K, when I’m at 34K on the drives. I’ve not been bothered.