Dimension Violation 42'2" from kingpin to center of tandems. Allowed 41'. HELP!!

From what I can gather, there's no points, and it's not a moving violation. Getting a lawyer involved will only cost you more. I'd just pay it.

 

Dont really need a 50' tape. Just measure from rear bumper to tandems

 

I've been hoping for a load to Hawaii, but they seem few and far between.

 

Over weight tickets alone will not get CSA points. But if they perform an inspection of any level and find any violations, then you will get points from weight. Doesn't make any sense to me but that is what they told my brother. He was over weight on KS scale and had a level 3. No violations. LEO told him if he had, then he would have gotten CSA points for them and the weight. Ended up just giving him a warning on weight since had no log/paperwork issues.

 

The last two loads I pulled I thought about the topic of this thread:

First load - maximum heavy from Ohio to Illinois. Consulting the quick guide I posted earlier in this thread I could see that Indiana was the shortest of the three states I'd go through at 43' using the Diagram 1 as the measuring method (to center of back axle). This customer had all axles set to the back on their lot, so I set the tandems to that dimension BEFORE scaling the load. That makes it easier to make any adjustments as needed after the first scale results.

Second load - I picked up another heavy in Iowa, headed for Arizona. There are no tandem setting restrictions in any of the states going to Arizona, so with the trailer sealed I took a WAG and set it about 42' and got lucky with a nicely balanced load with plenty of weight available on the drives and steers to take on a full tank of fuel.

The first thing I do whenever picking up a load over 35,000 lbs is start consulting my cheat sheet to see what the maximum setting is for the tandems in the states I'm going to go through. Then I set my tandems to that length before scaling the load. If I'm overweight on the trailer tandems then I know I need to move the 5th wheel.

Yep. 10' from the rear of the trailer will get you to the California 40' mark. If I'm pulling a trailer that doesn't already have that clearly marked and I need it for reference I'll pull out a tape measure and set the mark with a grease pen for myself and whoever else might need it.

 

I'd like to add for any newer drivers out there that if you are pulling a really LIGHT load and getting a heavy broadside wind, if you are in a state without any restrictions on the tandem settings then set the trailer tandems all the way back. That will give you more stability in a broadside wind.

I've had light loads heading through Wyoming or Kansas when the wind was really bad and I set those tandems to the back. Makes a difference! After I get through the windy section then I set the tandems short again to have better maneuvering in tight streets and lots.

 

if your overweight on the trailer tandems and you move the 5th wheel. how does that work????

 

If you move the truck back into the trailer, then the drive axles will take more of the weight off the trailer axles. Typically about 500 lbs per "notch" on the 5th wheel.

When you do this you need to pay attention to how much available weight you have on your steers and your drives for adding fuel if you are scaling with less than full tanks. Some customers with heavy loads require a driver NOT to have full tanks before picking up a load. Let's say I've got half full tanks when I scale out the load. If I calculate I can only take on an additional 360 lbs of fuel without putting the steers and drives over limit, then I know that translates into roughly 50 gallons (7.15 lbs per gallon). If I know I might be running some miles before hitting a scale I may take on more than 50 gallons and burn off the excess before I cross the scales.

While I may change the 5th wheel to put the truck back into the trailer to make a heavy load, I bring it back out for lighter loads for a more comfortable ride. When the truck is back into the trailer you tend to get a hard rock when going over bumps.

 

"If you move the truck back into the trailer, then the drive axles will take more of the weight off the trailer axles. Typically about 500 lbs per "notch" on the 5th wheel. "

Sorry, but that is incorrect. The only way to change the weight on the fifth wheel by sliding anything is to slide the tandems on the trailer. All sliding the fifth wheel does is change the position of the weight of the trailer on the tractor, from the drivers to the steer axle or vice versa.