Jo Dog / Single Axle Jeep

To be legal under the tri-drive new rules just recently approved for all of Canada, the 3 axles all have to be drive axles, no dead axles. And no lift provisions, as the US allows.

 

I was not aware of the change, thanks for the information.
Changes a little the building of a truck i am doing this winter.

 

I'll try to find the complete regs about the new tri-drive standard configurations and reference it for the forum. I actually printed it up before, so I know it's available. It was about 2-3 years ago that a tri-drive was accepted in all jurisdictions across Canada as a standard configuration with no longer any need for special permits in each province.

 

O.K., I found the info for anybody interested. It is available in PDF format off the web by searching "Heavy Truck Weight and Dimension Limits for Interprovincial Operations in Canada"
It was last revised in December of 2016, and the tri-drive configuration was added Oct.03, 2014, category 1A.
This could be useful to anybody specing a new truck, or looking for a good used one..

 

I read it over and see where they mentioned that some lift axles maybe prohibited. I'll stop by the scales someday and ask them specifically about it as it is new to me. It will affect my new trailer being built in the early part of 2019 as well then, but they are building it to BC specs they assured me. I didn't find mention of all 3 being powered, but will ask for information about that at the same time.
The scale guys are awesome and helpful around here.

 

Lift axles have not been allowed on trucks for quite awhile.

British Columbia

Commercial Transport Act
COMMERCIAL TRANSPORT REGULATIONS

Division 7 — Size and Weight
7.11 Lift Axles

Commercial Transport Regulations
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Alberta

Attached Conditions for Tridem Drive Trucks

4. Drive Axle Specifications:
(a) All three axles shall drive. Pusher and tag axles are not allowed.
(b) All three axles shall be equally spaced
(c) All axles shall be on a common suspension designed to equalize the weight between the axles.
(d) Lift axles or any other devices that shift weight within the tridem group are not allowed.
(e) The axles shall have a track width of between 2.5 metres and 2.6 metres.
(f) All of the tires on the drive axle shall be the same size and have a minimum width of 255 mm.
(g) The tridem drive shall have a minimum of 12 wheels.

- https://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&sour...FjAAegQIAhAB&usg=AOvVaw3kDjBFRpyV3kai47IZWqKx
​

 

New on the forum, and late in joining this discussion, but I thought I might get a few pointers from you professional heavy haulers. I haul my own construction equipment, although I do have my own operating authority and am a Landstar approved carrier, in case I want to haul for others in the construction off-season. I recently bought a new haul truck, a new W900L with a 276 inch wheelbase and 24 inches of 5th wheel slide. It does not have a pusher axle, and I don't want one.

The new truck is quite a bit heavier than my old 2007 model, partly because it's a heavier spec'ed truck and partly because of that $10,000.00 suck box instead of a $80 muffler, and so now I find that my largest excavator (350 class) is over maximum permit weight by maybe 3500# plus more if dirty in my home state unless I remove the bucket. Bummer. So, is the solution a single axle jeep?

My 50 ton hydraulic RGN has 95 inches of swing clearance. My limited research seems to show that there are a few brands of jeeps that would accommodate this, i.e. Nuttall, XL, and maybe a Canadian or two.

So, if I spend $25,000.00 and add 3500 or 4000 pounds of jeep to my rig (which is about 41,500# empty with full fuel), have I accomplished anything? IF I can get it all adjusted properly, I suppose I could permit 60,000# on the tandem+jeep, 60,000# on the trailer tridem, and whatever steer weight I can get in the various states. So realistically, I'm looking at around 133,200# to maybe 135,000# gross, for a payload of about 89,000#, or plenty to haul my 350. Maybe even a D8 class dozer, too.

So, what am I missing? Will it axle out to put 60,000# on the tandems/jeep and 13,000# or a little more on the steer axle? Or, is there just not enough slide and swing clearance to get what I need on the truck end of the combination? (The W900L is a fine truck, but it's kinda long to be trying to load up the front axle.) FWIW, I know how to position my 350 to get exactly 60,000# on the trailer tridem both with and without the bucket attached.

 

I doubt there is enough swing and slide. I run a 7 axle with a pusher and 109” swing neck. I can load 88k which puts me at 136k. I can not how ever load it legit. More like 16k/14/23/23 20/20/20.

 

@Humblepie , what would it take or what would you need to do differently in your opinion to get the axle weights right on your tractor? Longer slide and swing?

 

Yes I would need a longer swing/slide to get more wgt on the steers. I think maybe a 120” swing and every bit of another foot of slide if not more.