Ca legal step deck?

I'm confused. I'll be pulling a 51 ft. drop deck with a sliding rear axle. I can run tandem or spread. I think spread, the rear axle will be about 46 ft from the kingpin. Is that legal in most states? How do I find it in writing without searching each state? Do I use the same rules as the vans?

 

I didn't get it in writing but I have immediately joined the tandems and got stopped on the next weight station. I saw the officer stood up to check if my tandems were closed and let me pass.

 

Yes. The next weight station weighted me, the officer stood up from his chair to check my rear axles and let me pass.

 

Someone just posted the citation of regulation (check the posts above).

You need to close (join) the rear axles because KP from the middle of rear axles cannot exceed 41'.

Check the attachment. The weight station officer gave me this paper.

 

Yeah. but that's for just Florida? I guess I'll just reference the rand mc nally for each state. Right?

 

I'm thinking the states that require the axles to be closed and limit weight to 34k will be the biggest challenge when running a heavy load. Looks like the load position would have to be almost exact. How do you deal with that without a weight gauge?

 

Very carefully. I'm 46' KPRA and i run with it closed most of the time because I'm usually under 70k. When i looked up the regulations i came to this conclusion.

I'm too long for QC, NY, FL, CA, CT.
I might be too long for IL, IN, OH, WV, and MI.
With that being said when Im close to gross I still run as a spread and take my chances. I had two other guys on the same run I am always run spread and never got hassled. That was in KS, MO, IL, IN, OH, MI, ON, NY, PA, AND WV.

 

I, personally, didn't manage to solve this mystery. Whatever's heavier than 40k lbs I wouldn't be sure how to distribute the load.

Since I have just moved to CA from IL, I've decided to give up on 53' step deck and get a 48' flatbed or conestoga.

 

You'll find Tn, Fl, and the northeast and northern states with KP rules. Cali being the lone state on the west side. There's 13 states total if i remember right.

 

You'll be fine with a spread in Ohio.