international pro star and steer axel weight.

I have my 5th wheel set one notch from the far back and with full tanks and 33900 on the drives my steers are 12150... Now if my drive weight is dropped to 33000 my steers gain another 100 to 12250 with full tanks... With less than 32000 on drives my steers are below 12000 wih full tank. Don't understand it but Tis what it is according to the scales at the yard.

 

What is the wheelbase of your tractor?
That could play a big roll in it i would think.

 

I think where the confusion is coming in with 20,000 lbs. on the steering is that you are allowed to scale up to 20,000 on the steering, not that you should.
It used to be 12,000 lbs. on the steering, but when truck makers started to make trucks with set back front axles, like most trucks have today, it was almost impossible to keep the steering axle under 12,000 on a heavy load without going over on the drives or trailer, or both. If you drive a large car, with the steering axle at the front of the frame ahead of the engine, you don't have that problem.
So, the law says you can scale 34,000+34,000+20,000 max, but NOT over 80,000 lbs total. If you are at 13,000 on the steering, you have to make up for it somewhere else.
So, that's the basic answer. You still want to stay within specs for the axle on your specific truck.

 

You can NOT scale 20k on a steer axle UNLESS you have a 20k steer axle! If the DOT let you put 20k on a 12k axle they would be liable if you ever had an accident. The breaks, springs and tires also have a weight raiting. Your tires are only raited for 6610lbs each single. This means even if you have a 14600 steer axle the most DOT can alow is 13220lbs. Federal bridge laws are 12k-34k-34k and no more. State laws very. Some will let you scale up to the weight of the axle or the tires which ever is the least. I think VA will let you scale up to the axle or tire rating. Here in NY 12 k is the max even with heavier axle and tirers unless you buy permits. NY has what they call DIVISABLE LOAD PERMITS. They are over weight permits. They alow you to put up to you axle or tire rating up 102k. We also have 107k, and 117k permits but need more axle and tire rating than the total gross. Just because you have a 20k steer axle dont mean you get 20k at the scales. Almost all OTR type freight trucks only have a 12k front axle. I have noticed some new trucks are useing 12.5k and 13.2k steers. Usually trucks with 14.6k or heavier are heavy haul trucks. Years ago I got an over axle in Ohio for being 12,200lbs on my steers. Tires were raited for 13,220lbs. Axle was only a 12k. Ohio/ Federal bridge law is 12k. I paid.

 

You obviously did not read my post. I specifically said you should NOT load over the specified weight for your truck. What I was trying to say is the law allows for being over 12,000 lbs. on the steer axle, and why the law allows it. but since you don't believe me, maybe you'll believe the law;
§ 658.17 Weight.
(a) The provisions of the section are
applicable to the National System of
Interstate and Defense Highways and
reasonable access thereto.
(b) The maximum gross vehicle
weight shall be 80,000 pounds except
where lower gross vehicle weight is dictated
by the bridge formula.
(c) The maximum gross weight upon
any one axle, including any one axle of
a group of axles, of a vehicle is 20,000
pounds.
(d) The maximum gross weight on
tandem axles is 34,000 pounds.
If you were to continue reading this section of the law, you will see that it refers to all single axles, including the steering axle.
Of course, you can always look in the front of your Motor carriers road atlas where you can verify this for yourself.
I am not in the habit of giving bad advice. Please read my post again, and you will see that I did not give bad advice there either.

 

To continue with the same section of the same law I quoted in my last post, this may be of interest to everybody;
(f) Except as provided herein, States
may not enforce on the Interstate System
vehicle weight limits of less than
20,000 pounds on a single axle, 34,000
pounds on a tandem axle, or the
weights derived from the Bridge Formula,
up to a maximum of 80,000
pounds, including all enforcement tolerances.
States may not limit tire
loads to less than 500 pounds per inch
of tire or tread width, except that such
limits may not be applied to tires on
the steering axle. States may not limit
steering axle weights to less than 20,000
pounds or the axle rating established
by the manufacturer, whichever is
lower.
Like I said several times before, you should stay within the manufacturer's specs for your truck.

 

States may not limit steering axle weights to less than 20000 pounds OR the axle rating axle rating established by the manufacturer,whichever is lower. In other words on most trucks 12000 to 12500 not 20000. Sounds like running 3/4 tanks instead of full tanks would solve the problem on the Prostar.

 

I drove a 2012 Cascadia, it was always heavy on the steers no matter the load size. Thinking it must have been the refer.

 

WRONG! I called the NJ FMCSA and was told only if the axle and tires are different then stock and RATED for the additional weight.