Overweight on steers!?!? S~O~S

Used to drive for a large reefer company that didn't have sliding 5th wheels and used steer tires rated at 6000 pounds apiece. Word apparently got around in some midwestern DOT circles that our tires weren't rated to haul what we were often crossing the scales at, so they started pulling us in. I got an $83 citation in Iowa on 4/22/08 for 12,750, then another one in Illinois in 2009 for 12,960 (my copy doesn't show the fine amount).

To its credit the company paid the fines and agreed to move all our 5th wheels back if we could present them with a CAT scale ticket with a certain amount of weight on the steers---think it was 12,500 pounds or more.

 

There is a federal exemption if you have an apu for 450 lbs.. most scale houses I’ve been thru regardless of type of truck or trailer have just been everyone getting by with being around 500 lbs over on their steers.. that’s all I’ve noticed the last couple of years...

 

Just an FYI t.
The 400 (or 550) lb extension is only for gross vehicle weight. It also is only up the the actual weight of the unit.
Say the unit has a physical weight if 350lbs, then 350lbs would be the exemption for you. To get the exemption you must carry a certified document with the true weight listed on it.

 

Perhaps there's a stow away on board?

 

Did the weight on your drives go up as well? Maybe they changed the way they are loading the trailer.

 

If all else fails...trade truck in and get another truck. Your gonna lose your mind on this

 

Was there a resolution to this?

 

Did you figure out what was going on?

 

Did you have new tires put on? Different brands can have very different weights.