Scaling Woes with a 2013 Freightliner (Cascadia?)

Discussion in 'Swift' started by HorizonRider74, Sep 14, 2014.

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  1. HorizonRider74

    HorizonRider74 Light Load Member

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    Jan 11, 2014
    Sand Springs, OK
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    Okay, so the International they had me on previously, unceremoniously died on me, leaving me stuck at the Greer, SC terminal for a week while they tried to figure out what to do with my truck. Finally they gave me another truck. I'm not sure if it is a Cascadia or not, as it doesn't say it on either door. For the most part I love the new truck, as I know have plenty of storage space, can move around easily inside, and no longer have to deal with the opti-idle system. But I'm having serious issues with getting and keeping the steers legal, even after moving the 5th wheel all the way back. These are my current weights with 1/4 tank of fuel, 5th wheel all the way back, and tandems all the way forward:

    Steer axle: 12,700
    Drive axle: 27,900
    Trailer axle: 33,960
    Gross weight: 74,560

    This is what I have even after having the shipper rework the load, moving over 1,500 from front of the trailer to the rear, and it only moved off about 120 pounds from the steers. Now the load I had before picking this one up, I had more weight, more fuel and the tandems were at the 40 mark, and my steers came in under 11k. I tried scaling this load more times than I care to remember, and on two different CAT scales and still can't get the steers legal. Is there something that I, and about 5 other people from the company are missing here?
     
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  3. HorizonRider74

    HorizonRider74 Light Load Member

    52
    4
    Jan 11, 2014
    Sand Springs, OK
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    By the way, when I first scaled this load, and before the rework, my tandems were at the 40' mark, was right around 30k on both the drives and tandems, but was over 13k on the steers. Still with 5 th wheel all the way back and 1/4 fuel.
     
  4. Trckdrvr

    Trckdrvr Heavy Load Member

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    Dec 25, 2010
    Georgia
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    slide the tandems to 41 to even out the load or its going to rida aweful.
    Then Roll w it.
     
  5. Nukem

    Nukem Road Train Member

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    May 11, 2014
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    Looks like the shipper might have to remove some cargo for you to be legal. It's a last resort I know, but I had to do it once with a load of beer from Anheuser Busch. I was under GW (1100lbs under, LOL), but No matter what I did, I couldn't get the drives legal. They ended up having to remove 2 pallets, and I am in a 2012 Cascadia.
     
  6. HorizonRider74

    HorizonRider74 Light Load Member

    52
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    Jan 11, 2014
    Sand Springs, OK
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    That's what the company is saying, but it doesn't make sense that I had more weight on the last load, and was fine on the steers. I'm going to try moving the tandems back past the 40 and see if that pulls any of the steer weight back with it, then if that doesn't work I guess I'll have to have them cut the load.
     
  7. Grumppy

    Grumppy Trucker Forum STAFF Staff Member

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    Dec 11, 2010
    West Monroe, La
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    I have had the same problem in a 2015 Cascadia... look over this thread. I have posted a lot of information & lots of scenerio's & members here have posted lots of guess's/help.
    http://www.thetruckersreport.com/tr...advice/256960-scale-weight-axle-question.html

    I still don't know if I have my issue fixed but, over the last few days I haven't had any issues. The closest guess that I tend to believe is a problem with the air suspension system... possibly a valve. Since my 5th wheel was all the way back too, I decided to slide mine forward half way to see if that would help level out the problem. I was hoping that because it was all the way back it was confusing or over compensating for the weight on the rear. I ran like that for about 3 or 4 days (I swap trailers on short runs sometimes several times daily) & it didn't seem to help or hurt. It was still over & under... no rhyme or reason to how or why the steer weight moves around so much. After a few days, I decided, since it didn't help, I would just move the 5th wheel back to the rear & at least have some defense if I was over & questioned. I have been running with the 5th wheel all the way back now for about a week or so & I have yet to go over on the steers. Did it fix the problem somehow? I don't know. But so far, I have been around 11,000 give or take (10,500 - 11,500). Possibly it adjusted the valve or calibrated itself somehow? I don't know. I haven't given in that its fixed yet though. I know that sometimes its good & sometimes its over. It may be over 8 out of 10 times , then be good 8 of the next 10 times.

    Good luck..
     
  8. joseph1135

    joseph1135 Papa Murphy

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    Nov 8, 2009
    The Highway To Hell.
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    At 12,700 you're fine with a Cascadia. Those tires are rated for 13,000 and the axle is rated for 20,000. You're legal.
     
    harlycharly55 Thanks this.
  9. tow614

    tow614 Road Train Member

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    Sorry joe but the cascadia is rated for 12,360 on steering axle....

    I believe you are weighing an air ride trailer...i had the same problem where i am now and finally figured it out.

    when scaling an air ride trailer with the cascadia do not set the trailer brakes. When you do it causes the trailer to drop on the rear and rise in the front lifting the fifth wheel and transfering the weight to the steers.

    if you do this you will get the correct.weight.
     
    25(2)+2, anj8488, RocketmAAn and 6 others Thank this.
  10. HorizonRider74

    HorizonRider74 Light Load Member

    52
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    Jan 11, 2014
    Sand Springs, OK
    0
    Omfg Tow you are a freaking genius! All I need to do now is move the tandems back up a bit and I'm golden, steers were down to 10,500. Why the hell is it no one from the offices or even act could tell me this?! I wasted so much time on this yesterday. I had thought the front of the trailer was riding high, but thought was just from the weight all being in the back. How do you tell if you have an air ride trailer? Is that the new ones in the 58 series that have the indicator that looks like a camera?
     
  11. tow614

    tow614 Road Train Member

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    Mar 18, 2013
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    I dont drive for your company but air ride trailers have air bags on the trailer axles. When you set the brakes it dumps the air on them...

    when i came over to my new company from gordon i had same problem. Gordon did not use air ride trailers so it took me a few days to figure it out.
     
    The Challenger Thanks this.
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