700lbs over, what should I do

My last post is not meant in any way to be negative.

I actually was thinking what a good driver we have here potentially, thinking about tire capacities on steers. Maybe he will get his company to spend a dollar or ten on 20K tires. That might come out to something.

I have not seen 20K tires on the steers for a long long time so I don't know what it would take in terms of money to find a set.

 

Probably would be very slippery unless you could actually get that much weight on them...

 

Nope. Most states allow 20,000 on the steer. But it depends on your specific truck's specs. If your steer axle is rated for 12,500 but your steer tires are rated for 12,000 than legally you can only run 12,000 up there. Most scales are not going to bother checking wether your axle/tires are rated for 12,000 or 12,500. Having said that, don't be fooled ... An anal scalemaster could cite you if you are running 12,500 on a steer axle thats rated for 12,000.

Wouldnt be worth anything on a 12k steer axle though.

 

What's an atlas????

 

Most states have a 20,000 lbs steer axle limit. So it not like at 12,700 lbs your overweight. What they look at the axle rating on drivers door sticker. Lots of truck have 13,000 lbs rating. Then they would have to look at the steer tire rating also. So at 12,700 most D.O.T never checked.

If you see cement trucks or some dump truck with those BIG steer tires, those are 20,000 steer tires and axle

 

An extremely strong man who was condemned to hold up the weight of the entire world for all eternity

 

This isn't always true. Our 5th wheel is set all the way back, and heavier loads would actually take weight off the steer tires. 15k paper loads would have the steers at 12400, while 45k beer loads would have us at 12150.

I think once you start getting the 5th wheel too far back, the teeter totter effect can happen. More weight on the drives can push down behind the wheels, making the front end raise slightly.

 

I assume we're talking about a typical mega fleet spec tractor. In this case, 5th all the way back is rarely optimal.

Also you make my point. If increased weight actually takes weight OFF the steers, then the weight removed MUST be ADDED to the drives in equal amounts. I run all the way forward. If I have 12,700 on the steers, I'm probably 35k on the drives. However if I had it all the way back and at 12,700, I'd probably be some crazy over on the drives.

If your configuration makes you get lighter on the steers as you increase weight, you're in a hazardous configuration ... IMHO

 

I don't see how I made your point. A lighter load with less weight on the drives had increased weight on the steers. The heavier load with almost 34k on the drives had less weight on the steer tires. This is the opposite of what your logic predicted.

It might never happen when you slide yours all the way back, because the 5th wheel might be bolted to the frame farther up than it is on my truck. But automatically assuming that the drives would be over because the steers are over isn't always correct.

 

Wonder how much time is being wasted on this load because schools and megas preach 12/34/34 instead of what the regulation actually is......

 

Still have not listed the actual axle weights from the op. Slide the trailer tandems forward about 2 holes and that could help? Or is this a spread axle?