Spread axels?

Sometimes, the slide comes in handy. We have the 53 ft flats and steps with the rear axle slide. Closing the spread moves 2500 lbs from the drives to the rears. Yes, I know that if you do that, you drop the trailer from 40k to 34 k. Sometimes, you need to have some adjustment room if you pick up a preloaded trailer that's loaded heavy to the front.

We were doing a crane move from Texas to Haines city, Florida. Pulled into the scale in Hammond on 12. One of the guys was loaded too heavy on the drives. Scale master says, " you're a thousand pounds over on your drives and you have no adjustment. I will have to write you a ticket." I ask the scale master that if I get the weights right for the driver, will he let him go? The scale master agrees. I went outside with the driver and had him close the spread. Both the driver and the scale master were amazed. The scale master kept his word and let the driver go.

 

Partially true. You can buy a permit in Alberta for a spread but you're only allowed 1 or 2 permits. Manitoba, Saskatchewan and BC (bring cash) restrict weight on spread axles. Also, anywhere from Ontario to eastern Canada spread axles are allowed with no weight restriction, and in western Canada you are allowed 38000 per tandem and 88000lb gross on a 5 axle setup. The same setup in Ontario and Quebec is good for 92000lb.

 

We don't have to back into 60 year old grocery docks too often.

 

I can't remember who said it but in a different thread it was pointed out alot of shippers are used to loading spreads and would have a tough time dealing with tandems.

 

What would be hard, just have to move 6000lbs forward.
BTW...shippers that load dry vans all days have a hard time loading them too. Most get in a hurry to get you out of there then have to re-do the job and you're there twice as long.

 

Spread gives so much flexibility in loading and hiding slight
overloading mishaps! Most have a rear axle dump wired into
the cab. Being a good law abiding citizen I've never crossed an
open California weigh station grossing 84,000, but I've heard that
if you dump the rear axle about a mile before the scale it will stop
leaking air when the bags deflate and will lift 3000-5000lbs off the truck,
depending on how the trailer is loaded. Then simply flip the switch back
to normal just as the rear drive comes off the scale. The trailer axles will balance
back out by the time the front trailer axle rolls on the scale. I would never try this,
then again, that #### scale is never open that early!

 

Mornin' Chad! I didn't know if any other Yellowbullet guys were members here besides me.

 

To answer a question to the OP, the spreads are alot better for your tractor. Zero stress on your driveline trying to get weights right. This can be hard on your tractor trying to slide often with 46-50000 lb loads.

 

Morning....I think you quoted the wrong one. Lol
Don't scare these guys talking about YB. They'll get curious and then see that and give up on life

 

With a spread there is no need to adjust anything to be legal. That saves greatly on injuries , wasted time, and scale tickets. Most flatbed loads are grossed out or near gross, compared to van loads, so all in all, it just makes sense. I've had loads that couldn't be loaded but one way and ended up with 38000 on the spread. Without that flexibility, a lot of issues would have arisen.