driving w/ tandams all the way back, '53

I never seen it with my own eyes but I saw pictures of a truck who drove out of a t/s and his weren't locked in place they came out the rear then he drug his dot bumper on the asphalt for about 20 yards before he noticed and this was around a corner you know when you should be watching where your trailer is I will have my buddy send me the pics and ill try to post them when I get them

 

Also makes it smoother loading/unloading because you dont get the see-saw effect.

 

Some times that's the only way to run the load legal. Could be the people loading the trailer had no idea what they're doing. Other times it's the people loading the trailer that have no idea what they're doing. Then, in rare moments, you have people who don't know what they're doing loading the trailer.

 

Please folks, bridge law IS NOT the kingpin to tandem law. They are two different items.

Bridge law is how much weight is allowed in a given distance between axle groups. See the handy guide in your Rand McNally.

Kingpin distance laws have nothing to do with weight, period. It's simply the distance from the kingpin to center of rear axle or axle group. They only apply to trailers over 48'.


FL is on a kick right now, so make sure your tandems are legal. FYI, in FL you can have up to 44,000 on a set of tandems as long as the axles, suspension and tires are rated for the weight.

 

..and you're picking up and delivering within FL.

 

I run with my tandams set all the way back alot in the winter. I run light (20k) one way and empty the other so when the roads are nasty I slide em. That will put a little more weight on the drives BUT really helps keep the whole thing in a stright line when stopping. But then to get into where I park I gotta shorten her back up, PITA!

 

I don't understand why would you have your tandems set all the way back when you're your load or empty, if it wasn't loaded properly, take it back to the shipper and redo the load. It's a hassle making a turn having them set all the way back. There is no reason to have them pass the 48' mark anyway. When you're empty, have them all the way to front so you have some weight on them for braking purposes.

 

Minnesota DOES, trust me. Especially when they get in one of there ticket writing party moods.

As far as having them all the way back, it might actually be legal in Missouri, and a few other states, but i could be wrong...

 

How do I get these pics off of my phone to put them on here and I don't have a computer in my truck

 

That is part of the issue...the other side is "lift dynamics", like an airplane.

With the tandems forward, there are 2 lift points for a cross wind....in front of and behind the wheel groups...which will create a "double lift" potential. With the tandems all the way back, there is only one area for the lift, reducing the twisting effect as Hammer described.

Those "under belly wings" on the new trailers will actually help with a cross wind....blocking the lift force generated under the trailer. As strange as it may seem...a stationary trailer will take less wind force to tip than a trailer moving forward.