Getting into hauling heavy stuff, need experienced advice

Absulate max weight does not matter. You haul whatever is legal. Look at all your axle and tire ratings and any max ratings for whichever state you are in. Go scale your truck empty. The max is all those ratings added up and subtract the empty weight.
Don't forget to scale loaded to make sure individual axles are not overweight.

 

5 axles on your Motor Carriers atlas weight chart will go to 80K gross. Then your steer can go to 20K but drives pair and tandem pair is limited to 34K each. Thus 80,000 pounds. Be sure your steer tires have the capacity to take 20K up front. Im not current on retail truck tires and the capacities. The ones Im used to carried a minimum of 6000 pounds weight.

If you have trouble starting uphill, get on the trolley and have it set full. Move your feet after releasing trolley to put down that clutch under power to the tractor and apply fuel. DO NOT for whatever reason try to shift even if you are at red line until the gravity's most dangerous part of uphill (Such as trying to get out of a side street in a stop sign etc) is over. Do not run your truck against the red line upgrade for more than a few moments, you will burn your pyrometer.

If you are going to turn with a heavy load after getting started upgrade onto another road, DO NOT SHIFT until that turn is completed. It's hard for me to explain just how gravity can stab you in the back at the 5th wheel and frame should you try to shift with half your trailer still hanging downhill.

 

Depending on what your equipment is rated for ... Illinois will permit up to 24k on a single, 48k on a tandem, and 60k on a tridem. If you are a 5 axle tractor they will permit up to 100k. If you only have a 30 ton trailer .... and you're running day cabs. You will be hard pressed to hit the state's weight limit of 34k on a tandem and 80k gross before you exceed the limits of your equipment.

 

seems like a basic trucking 101 question coming from a veteran trucker. Not trying to sound like a prick buddy, just confused

 

oh ok. no bad blood

 

Ill get burned for this comment, but in the past I have hauled tons over the axle ratings because the company I was with was a bunch of a-holes. I dodged main roads hauling drilling equipment. The ratings are there for long term longevity of the trailer. Keep in my mind, you get in an accident or kill somebody, youre gonna burn

 

Homework for you:

Green and white regs books 393.100, start there.

1. What is a NONDIVISIBLE load?
2. What’s the difference between DIRECT and INDIRECT securement?
3. How do you find the center of a trailer to load?

Okay, on your trucks, what transmissions do you have? A 10 will do, but on a 9, the gears are spread so far apart that you will have a tough time.

How much can you realistically haul? That depends on your axle spacing for the absolute max. But with a 5 axle, say 93000 lbs. You can do more, but things get trickier from there.

Going uphill heavy, you want to try to avoid doing that from a dead stop. That’s hard on the drivetrain. If you have a transmission with deep reduction, it is much easier to get rolling from a dig. Resist the urge to rev the engine and dump the clutch...that’s a terrible thing to to a drivetrain. Start off on flat ground with a gear that you know can pull without shifting and keep the rpms up high (1500rpms or higher) and walk the hill slowly. You walk down the hill the same way.

For Illinois, do a google search for OPER993. The provisions will tell you everything you need to know about Illinois.