Smoke Coming from Drive Axle Area

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by PianoManCJS, Mar 28, 2026 at 12:22 AM.

  1. PianoManCJS

    PianoManCJS Light Load Member

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    Today I got finished getting dry van live loaded at shipper...I thought I'd wait until the nearest truck stop to slide my tandems after using the CAT Scale. On the short 1-2 mile drive to the truck stop I had my trailer tandems all the way back and something near my drive axles started smoking, but I couldn't figure out what it was...it didn't smell like rubber from tires nor did it smell like wear from brakes. It was a very bright white smoke, and when I stopped in truck stop the smoke died down a lot and I couldn't see where it was originating from. I felt no heat from the tires or brakes.

    I thought perhaps it was the exhaust because when I turned the truck off it subsided...but when I turned it back on it was sorta in the area, but still very hard to pinpoint...I also did just get off a 34hr break of just sitting, idling in the truck...

    When I did scale the drives where at 37,000lbs. I adjusted them to 33,360lb.
     
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  3. Moosetek13

    Moosetek13 Road Train Member

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    White smoke could be a regen in progress, especially after a 34 with lots of idling.
    If it is a Cascadia that is where the exhaust pipe is.
     
  4. PianoManCJS

    PianoManCJS Light Load Member

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    Volvo...
     
  5. MACK E-6

    MACK E-6 Moderator Staff Member

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    I would’ve guessed a bad seal leaking gear oil in the brakes, but I’ll go with Moosetek’s answer.
     
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  6. PianoManCJS

    PianoManCJS Light Load Member

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    Do you suppose it could have been the extra 3,000lbs that would do what you described?
     
  7. MACK E-6

    MACK E-6 Moderator Staff Member

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    Well, if that’s going on it will happen regardless of weight. You’ll smell the gear oil, and the smell of that nasty #### is pretty unmistakable.

    If it were me I’d crawl underneath and check around the brakes on the drive axles for wetness to be safe.
     
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  8. ESAFO

    ESAFO Light Load Member

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    #PianoManCJS
    Where are you at?
    Could it possibly be dried road brine or dried up salt from roads being winter conditioned?
     
  9. Long FLD

    Long FLD Road Train Member

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    It was trying to regen from all your idling. Driving a mile or two wouldn’t get anything on the axle hot enough to smoke and an extra 3k isn’t enough weight to cause damage.
     
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  10. PianoManCJS

    PianoManCJS Light Load Member

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    It was near Lebanon, OR. It wasn't coming up from the road though...
     
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  11. AModelCat

    AModelCat Road Train Member

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    99% of tandem trucks on the road have rear axles rated at 40k lbs or higher combined. 37k lbs is nothing to worry about in terms of mechanical abuse.
     
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