12,320 on steers....

Discussion in 'Experienced Truckers' Advice' started by Crazyeyes, Sep 30, 2010.

  1. Crazyeyes

    Crazyeyes Light Load Member

    86
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    Jul 18, 2009
    Bufu, Illinois
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    Alright,

    Been researching this for about 2 hours plus now and Im at an impasse....
    Sittin in or around Gary, Ind. Scaled my load... 12,320 on my steers. Only 76240 gross with the drives and trailer tandems split very evenly....

    Destination Lower Kentucky... Handful of scales in my way. I just recently tried to get in touch with indiana DOT to check to see if they would allow me... (Wish I done that first since they close at 4pm....SIGH) Anyhow Ive read a number of threads about this issue in the last hour or 2, Ive heard many a stories of ppl being over on steers by 500 or less, yada, yada, but under gross so they get a pass... Still I cant find one definitive answer...


    My main problem is my 5th wheel will not budge.. Its slammed forward all the way.... The pins pop out just fine and Ive tried to grease it somewhat as well, but to no avail.... I dont think sliding trailer tandems forward will help me, but Im gonna give it a shot for giggles soon.....

    Reading the Motor carries' Road atlas leaves me a tad confused as well..
    It reads as follows:
    Indiana-steering axle 12,000lb.....single axle-20,000.... etc....
    Kentucky-steering axle 700lb. per inch of width for all tires!!?? The hell you say????? lol.... single axle-20,000...

    Guess that basically answers my own question, can anyone else share some quick wisdom?
     
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  3. Injun

    Injun Road Train Member

    8,501
    9,491
    May 15, 2010
    West o' the Big Crick
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    Look at the sidewall of your steer tires. Should give you a max allowable weight. Usually it's 6,175. Double that cause it's for each tire and that's your absolute max: 12,350.

    Some states will allow up to 20K on any single axle, but in any case, you are not allowed to go above the tire rating.

    Hope this helps.
     
    Brickman Thanks this.
  4. Crazyeyes

    Crazyeyes Light Load Member

    86
    15
    Jul 18, 2009
    Bufu, Illinois
    0

    Thanks.

    It does and it doesn't help.. Yes Im 6175... But the #### road atlas tells me directly 12,000.... Illinois=18,000.... Iowa=20,000..... etc.. etc..

    Indiana, Arkansas, and Louisiana are the only states with 12,000.. Wisconsin says 13,000.. the rest seem to be 20,000 or more or have the 600-700 lb per inch of width of all tires....




    P.S. Yes I like periods!!! And I gotta take on fuel during this trip as well!
     
  5. Bent Wrench

    Bent Wrench Medium Load Member

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    Aug 11, 2009
    Cornholio, OR
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    What about fixing the hitch?

    My guess is the hitch is wedged one side farther forward than the other.
    Or it has been slammed forward and is jammed on a stop.

    Can you loosen the bolts holding the rails to the frame to take the pressure off the bind it is in and then work it loose?

    I would not count on any slack from the coop, and whatever you do don't tell them your 5th is stuck. Their response will be "So you knew you were over and rolled anyway?"
     
  6. Hammer166

    Hammer166 Crusty Information Officer

    7,605
    27,793
    Aug 18, 2007
    ~8600+' and loving it!
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    As a carhauler, I'm always 13K+ when loaded. I've had a few come out and read the sidewall, but no grief other than that. My last two regular tractors were both set-back front axles, and neither one of them spent much time below 12K. (I was running 24.5 LPs though, higher weight rating.)

    Also, did you dolly the trailer to unload the 5th wheel when trying to slide?
     
  7. kwswan

    kwswan Road Train Member

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    mcminnville,tn.
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    why don't you go around them & then you won't have to worry about it.
     
  8. stranger

    stranger Road Train Member

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    Oct 10, 2006
    NC
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    No one is going to bother you at all. I had a co-driver going crazy because our truck was the same as yours. He insisted on sliding the trailer tandems, when I told him that only affected the tandem and trailer axles. I told him the truck had a stationary 5th wheel, was 5 years old, and had never had an over on the steers ticket, and would not get one now.

    Hint. If you want to break the fifth wheel loose, lower the trailer dollies as far as you can, drop the air out of your tractor air bags. This will take the pressure off the 5th wheel. Rock the truck gently back and forth until it frees up.
     
  9. HEAVY DUDE

    HEAVY DUDE Road Train Member

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    Jan 5, 2010
    NUNYA
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    Then squirt some dish soap on the "slide" and chances are it will slide.
     
    bullhaulerswife Thanks this.
  10. Injun

    Injun Road Train Member

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    May 15, 2010
    West o' the Big Crick
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    But don't jerk the truck. Operative word is gently. Too rough and you can rupture an air bag.

    If your truck does not have air dump valve, crank the dolly down to the ground, put it in low gear and crank on it some more. You will hear the axle settle. That's how you know you've taken the pressure off the fifth wheel. If you really want to mess with it.

    Me? I'd run it as is. You're under max gross and under tire rating. You can tell the bears it's a fixed fifth wheel. Just because there are slots doesn't mean it'll move. May have been welded from inside by the company know-it-all.
     
  11. chompi

    chompi Road Train Member

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    Jun 21, 2008
    Deland, FL
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    I don't want to tell you to do anything illegal but you should be fine. I would say 75% of my loads were over 12,000 on the drives. As long as your steers are rated for it. I will say I have never had DOT read the rating on my steers. You also are well under gross. Try putting as much as you can on your tandems.
     
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