Sliding tandems horror stories

I've suggested this before and been slammed for it but I have carried a 100' tape measure with me for years! It takes little space and when needed is a life saver especially if you need to measure lengths for permits!

Heres what you need.
1- 100' tape measure
1- vicegrip (GOOD ONE MADE IN AMERICA NOT CHINA!)
1- black magic marker

ALL trailer manufactures holes differ! Yes some companies put their marks and red tags and lines on the side of their trailers and most of the time they can be correct BUT it's still a CYA job! I do not trust that 7th hole deal until I've measured the distance from king pin to tandems!

Here's how you can do it all by your lonesome!

Standing next to the trailer if it's hooked to your trailer look at the 5th wheel. You can see where the kingpin is and this is where all "bridge law" or length measurements start. Pull several feet of tape off the measure and using the vice grip clamp the end of the tape to the side of the trailer making sure that the tip is EXACTLY in the center of the king pin.

Now just pick up the spool and walk to the back of the trailer to the tandems and pulling the tape tight against the side of the trailer mark with the magic marker a small tic mark where you need to be. You need to look up the information but remember that it's not only a certain length BUT there is also a formula you have to follow also to ensure you have the "proper" length! I suck at algebra! I just guess and hope! LOL
But by using a tape measure that 1" might not happen. I know as Banning got me for 1 freaking inch and it cost me $168 back in '01-'02 or somewhere back then! Since then I make absolutely sure that the tape is tight and I'm looking at the hole and where that measurement is going!

Don't forget that these places on the trailer differ from state to state! It can be from center of group, center of front or rear axle! That gets to be a scam for these states! My center line of a group is NEVER the same as that DOT officer! The C/L of a axle/tire is a lot easier!
The thing about measuring when driving in these states with differing laws is to CYA! Using an AVERAGE measurement because you didn't feel like being accurate can cost just like it did me! Would you build a house without an accurate measure? Nope! Yeah you can get away with telling that hottie that this is 6" <-----------------> and she can believe you, but telling that to a DOT cop just don't float any boats! Yes the studs in the trailer wall are 16" on center but what about those off set ones? Yes you can do the 53' -3 or -7 studs and you might be in the neighborhood but that's like horseshoes and hand grenades! AN estimate of sorts! Money is done by numbers and any you give to a state isn't in your pocket! They don't tell you, oh, average it out do they? They want $168 or $150 not $147! LOL

It's only a few minutes out of your life and log but it's not going to kill you either is it?

 

that's one of our private chassis so it's actually maintained on a regular basis which makes it really sad

 

Just to note fuel weighs approx 8 lbs per gallon

 

Closer to 7.5 pounds per gallon for Diesel Fuel #2, but you almost had it. (Former petroleum tanker yanker)

 

I knew this would come up! Google "weight of diesel fuel" and it's actually NOT approximately 8 pounds a gallon! The measure starts at 7.1 but add the additives and the most you see is 7.3. Now when cold it does add a little weight but when that engine is running the diesel is flowing around the engine and warming up so the weight stays about the 7.3 pound range.

Now that low sulfur fuel is the standard it actually reduced the weight by 0.05&#37;. Someone do that math for me please! LOL I get .365 whatever that is!

Now if someone would go get a gallon and throw it on a scale and let us know but remember to weigh the jug, bottle or whatever you put it in so you know the tare and get the net and not the gross weight!

As I said before, you want to use exact weights and not averages! If you need that few extra gallons and use a higher figure and are working with a tight weight you just might not make it to the fuel island!

Look at it this way. you do the figures at 8 pounds a gallon then if it really is 7.3 as the Petropium Institute states (who knows better than the people who make the stuff)

Now, on the other hand water weighs almost 8 pounds a gallon! Thats why fuel floats on water! No wonder my truck gained weight when I loaded up at home! Those 8 gallons of water was costing me money to haul so I had good coffee in the truck! ROFLMAO! And yeah, I did and still do drink that much coffee a week!

 

Ouch got me by a few minutes while I was typing mine! Thanks for the input! How much is the low sulphur weighing now??

 

Depending on temperatures, its real close to 7.1 pounds per gallon.

I had the displeasure of hauling that L-S C.A.R.B. crap around just before I moved out of pulling tankers as my occupation in the trucking biz.

Lots of old diesel motors just can take that garbage straight into the injectors without some lubricity factors added in.

Its really hard on the old agricultural industry motors from the 80's on back. Lots of the old timers put some motor oil in with the mix to keep them running.

 

Already 7 pages of stories and tips/tricks that all could be eliminated by buying spread axle trailers.

 

Watched a flatbedder with a spread axle pull a tire right off of the rim night before last trying to turn around at a little PEE-lot.

 

Bad idea, its been found to cause a lot of ash and other buildups in motors not including the different viscosity wreaks havoc on anything it runs through intened for another liquid.