5 axle tractor? Worth it or not?

Idk how you are going to fit 2 pusher axles on a 225" wheel base. You gonna use the second pusher as a step to get out of the truck?

 

Maybe I'm missing something, but if you can gross 105500 now, you will cut your net by the weight of the additional axles, and getting the weight up front might be difficult. Are you thinking of removing trailer axles?

I agree with the idea that carrying weight is easier than pulling it, but it seems the whole configuration would need to be changed to work.

 

Depends on where you run. And whether state allows it.

Flying j has a couple oil trucks with 2 pushers and 6 axle trailers i believe. They might be converting from doubles to single. I don't run around the refineries these days so I don't know what they're doing.

You might look at the bridge and seeing if the one you already have can be moved forward. Not all trucks have the drop close to the drives. Some have a little extra spacing. I don't know what the weight allowance would be for the extra spacing. All mine have been right next to the drives.

 

How much weight do you currently carry on your steer axle when you’re loaded? What’s your 7 axle bridge? Might be such a thing that you need to move your current lift axle ahead so you can get under your trailer more without cutting your 7 axle bridge down too much.

If you can actually bridge 105k currently then an extra axle will do nothing but cut down your payload.

 

I’ll amend my statement. I’m not sure where you run but adding an axle will increase your overall gross in UT WY MT, I’m not sure how ID and NV would handle 9 axles versus 8. WA would still be 105 and OR would probably still be 102 or whatever you can currently gross.

 

Idaho now allows up to 129 if you can bridge/axle it. The excess weight permit covers all divisible loads over 80k gross. @BlackjackCo runs a lot of NV and UT over 80K I think, maybe he knows for NV.

 

Here is a calculator provided by Idaho Transportation Department:

Legal_Weight_Calculator.xlsx

This will allow one to figure the benefit of extra axles, at least in Idaho.

I should add that the 129K is not on all highways.