Kingpin law length

Most states have always been enforcing kingpin settings on 53' trailers. The gray areas is overhanging on 53' trailers.

 

It's being enforced. I hear talk even here at the house. Overhang is the new overlengh I would think.

I don't know if the states were starving from trying to enforce vehicles that are squeaky new and nothing busted. Now they are reaching back to older laws like californias kingpin, clean air and all that stuff that is enforceable. Overhang would be another item that can be enforced on 53 foot vehicles but not 48's or shorter.

You can say that the winds have changed. And will continue to as the trucks evolve towards areodynamic standards gen 4 in a few years. Among other things.

This whole thing started when skirts were put on trailers and California required them in the beginning. I personally dont do skirts on trailers for a variety of practical reasons fuel is less of a concern.

 

The messed up thing is the skirts requirements on trailers. It is required by California Law to have Certified Smart Ways Skirts installed on all Van type trailers. Most skirts are not certified and would not meet this requirement. A certified Smart Way skirt kit cost $8k to $12k.

 

I know for a fact TN has been and still is enforcing their 41' kingpin length law....

 

Florida enforces theirs on 53 ft trlrs. You can use a sliding rear axle, or you can get either an OD trip permit or an annual permit. We get the annual permit. It is on bright orange paper and they wont accept a faxed copy. You gotta have the orange one.

 

Why do drivers slide there trailer tandems all the way forward to me its a sign , I cant drive , I see it all the time spotting at the mill and no its not easier to drive or back up , is it a trucking school thing.
Reminds me of a girl walking thru a mud puddle pulling her dress up.

 

No its a balance the weight thing. And there are certain docks that I will slide to get into easier, such as World Produces old docks in Los Angeles, Just depends on where I need the pivot to be, at World Variety I slide them all the way back, no overhang, tight, close spots no room in front of them.

 

My reference to sliding the back axle is on a spread axle flatbed if it is equiped that way. There are a number of legit reasons to slide the back forward making a closed tandem out of it. Usually it has to do with kingpin laws. In Canada, tandems and even tridems are legal. Spread axle configuration is not. So we gotta close them up. It can be a pain too. Moving the axle, of course, shifts weight. And you cant carry as much weight on a tandem as you can a spread. Gotta be careful and plan ahead.