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Scale/Weight/Axle Question

Discussion in 'Experienced Truckers' Advice' started by Grumppy, Jul 20, 2014.

Page 1 of 10
  1. Jul 20, 2014 #1
    Grumppy

    Grumppy Trucker Forum STAFF Staff Member

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    Dec 11, 2010
    West Monroe, La
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    I stopped & weighed on Cat scales today. This is what I had:
    Steer 12780
    Drive 31480
    Trailer 32460
    Gross 76720

    My question is could I have moved my trailer axles forward (or back) & moved that 280 lb off the steer axle? I know moving the 5th wheel back a notch would take care of it but, I really dont want to move that 5th wheel if I can slide the trailers & take care of it. As you can see, I have about 1500 lb to play with on the trailers & about 2500 on the drives, but I dont know if that would fix the steers or not.... in this case.

    And no I didn't try it because it was only 280 over (& under gross by 3500) & I didn't wanna start jackin around with it, no more than it was over. I went 3 miles down the road & crossed the scales at the I-20 Louisiana/Texas line & they never event turned the green light off.

    Thanks for any relevant input....
     
    Grumppy, Jul 20, 2014
    Grumppy, Jul 20, 2014
    #1
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  3. Jul 20, 2014 #2
    bigkev1115

    bigkev1115 Road Train Member

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    Alexandria, AL
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    How much fuel did you have? And you could possibly slid the tandems 2 holes forward to ease some weight off drives and steers
     
    bigkev1115, Jul 20, 2014
    bigkev1115, Jul 20, 2014
    #2
    Grumppy Thanks this.
  4. Jul 20, 2014 #3
    tucker

    tucker Road Train Member

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    IN
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    Did you try sliding your seat back?
     
    tucker, Jul 20, 2014
    tucker, Jul 20, 2014
    #3
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  5. Jul 20, 2014 #4
    Stew209

    Stew209 Medium Load Member

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    Mar 28, 2014
    Out in the Sticks
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    That's ###### up...lol!!!!!
     
    Stew209, Jul 20, 2014
    Stew209, Jul 20, 2014
    #4
    tucker, tow614 and Skydivedavec Thank this.
  7. Jul 20, 2014 #5
    snowwy

    snowwy Road Train Member

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    Oregon will charge you 3 bens with that much weight on sterrs.

    move 5th wheel back 2 notches and call it good.
    you don't want to be over 12400 with full tanks.

    your probably not rated for more then 12300 anyways
     
    snowwy, Jul 20, 2014
    snowwy, Jul 20, 2014
    #5
    Grumppy Thanks this.
  8. Jul 20, 2014 #6
    Grumppy

    Grumppy Trucker Forum STAFF Staff Member

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    Dec 11, 2010
    West Monroe, La
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    I had over 3/4 tank of fuel...

    Yes I was in the 8th hole from the front, I could have easily gone either way. I was just wondering for future reference. Had I gotten pulled in at the chicken coop, I woulda just slid the 5th wheel back a notch, but I am trying to learn the tricks here... for future situations. I mean, if I could shift the trailer axles & did the same thing, its a lot easier than dollying down & fooling with that.

    So as far as the 5th wheel is concerned, you're saying I shoulda went back two notches on the 5th wheel for 280 lb?
     
    Grumppy, Jul 20, 2014
    Grumppy, Jul 20, 2014
    #6
  9. Jul 20, 2014 #7
    dptrucker

    dptrucker Road Train Member

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    adelanto,ca.
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    moving tandems on trailer will have no effect on steers. just as moving 5th wheel will have no effect on tandems. moving one notch on 5th wheel,moves about 500 lbs
     
    dptrucker, Jul 20, 2014
    dptrucker, Jul 20, 2014
    #7
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  10. Jul 20, 2014 #8
    mitchtazz

    mitchtazz Road Train Member

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    Lake Wales, Fl
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    you were 780lbs over on your steers, you needed two notches because one would have been 500lbs, and you would have still be 280lbs over on your steers, so two notches would have moved a full 1000lbs...

    so much for the trailer.. imagine the trailer as a see saw, if you put alot on the tail end, then it will lift the nose of the trailer up along with the tail of the truck, while adding pressure/weight to the steer axle..

    I haul end dump and i always try to load dead center of the trailer because if they do a two dumps in the nose of the trailer, and two dumps on the back of the trailer, it'll normally throw my steer axle WAY off..
     
    mitchtazz, Jul 20, 2014
    mitchtazz, Jul 20, 2014
    #8
  11. Jul 20, 2014 #9
    lowgear14

    lowgear14 Medium Load Member

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    Jun 1, 2014
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    Question: Does your 5th wheel slide? If you can, then, I would take some weight off of your steers. If not, then, I would leave it a lone, because, certain tires are rated higher than 12,000, and you can have more on your steers as long as your other 2 axles are not over the legal limit. Hope that helps.
     
    lowgear14, Jul 20, 2014
    lowgear14, Jul 20, 2014
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  12. Jul 20, 2014 #10
    snowwy

    snowwy Road Train Member

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    depends on the 5th wheel setup. if you have the square spacing which is spaced kinda far apart. or if you have that little notched bracket.

    i can only move 250 lbs with the little notches. i was 500 pound with the squares.

    i drive around the country weighing 12,400. i can't vouch for east coast states. but i have no desire to learn who might fine me. oregon was all the money i plan on donating.

    the truck i'm driving around now. was manufactured wrong. they welded the bracket as far forward as they could. so, my 5th wheel is as far back as it's going. which is fine with me. 12,400 with full tanks. is perfect for me. course, i pull a 48 flat, so basically i have nothing to slide what so ever. the trailer axle is spread and permanent.

    but if i pulled a sliding trailer. i'd only want to worry about the trailer axles. and not deal with the 5th wheel. so, set 5th wheel and happy trucking.
     
    snowwy, Jul 20, 2014
    snowwy, Jul 20, 2014
    #10
    Grumppy Thanks this.
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