How to scale a heavy truck

Everytime you get a new rig, weigh it with full tanks and trailer (MT) on a cat scale. Always good info to have in the back of your mind.

 

One important thing to consider when pulling a closed tandem trailer is the weight you carry on your steer axle when loaded. You have to be able to get some weight on your steer axle or you won't be able to haul 80K.

 

Chuck your spare tire, get rid of your chains in the summertime. Watch how much xtra liquids you are carrying such as, coolant, oil, water, detergent, can goods etc... You could get rid of your passenger seat. I have seen some drivers do this. Instead of a fridge use a styrofoam cooler. Go on a diet! Only keep necessary tools. We had a W9 and had to do all of this.

 

w-9's are a pain to get the weights right
i for one think throwing out the spare tire and chains is good---but i sure am not going to be sacrificing my goodys just to haul more weight

 

Run the back roads? Ever hear about mobile scales?
The fifth wheel slides and so does the tandems.
Pick the load up with a 3/8 tank instaed of full.
If you are overweight go back to the shipper. Simple.

 

You forgot the enema.

 

If the tractor and trailer both have air suspension guages, you'll catch on real quick. If they don't have them, go to a wrecking lot and buy them for about $5.00 a piece,

 

I have a feeling i know who your running for and that puts you pretty close to my shop where i have a scale. Could meet you at the shop some evening or on the weekend to help you get things figured out.

 

Empty 53' van with full fuel tanks I will say about 33-33,500. Of course it will depend on fuel tank size, what brand trailer too.

 

For what it's worth, my 04 century (old CRETE truck) with an apu, about 100lbs.of tools, 3 sets of cable chains, 200 gal.fuel and an MT 53' a/r Utility dry box weighs in at 32,500#.
Most dry vans weigh about 14,000 lbs. +or- a little.

Sliding the 5th. will allow you to move weight on the tractor only. Move it forward & you take weight off the drives and it goes on the stear axle. It does nothing to weight on the trailer axles.

Sliding the trailer tandems forward takes weight off of the tractor, but puts it on the trailer.

It's a ballance thing. Once you have the 5th. set so that when you have 12k. on the front & 34k. on the drives, you will probably never have to slide it again. At that point it's just transfering weight from the tractor-trailer or vice-versa to get legal.

Hope this helps!