How much static weight can an axle hold?

Hey gang. This has always been a question of mine. I run an odd ball straight truck for flatbed expeding (basically hotshot). And run a lot of steel and machinery up to 30k lbs. Truck is a single axle drive with a 10k pusher and 10k tag axle.

Well when I'm parked over night with a heavy load, without running the truck all night, my drop axles will lose air pressure after about 3 or 4 hours and no longer be supporting the weight. So if I'm running fully loaded, It means I could see around 40k lbs on a single axle rated for 21k lbs.

Usually I leave the truck running or try to block up the frame using 8x8 lumber so the weight rests on that when the truck settles. But I've always wondered what the true limit is. Any one know? Id like to believe the axle and even wheels would be screaming for help if 40k was sitting on them.

 

I know axles can take a beating but I've always worried. Last think I want to wake up to is a broken hub, bearing or even worse, a broken axle or wheel lol. Hell I have always wondered if the internal bump stop on the air bag could handle that type of weight. Nice to hear some one to say it would be alright thought. Still curious as to what would be considered "pushing your luck"

 

yup. I do that now just to help save the main airbags in case they try to overinflate as the drops drain out. But I believe the whole system loses air relatively evenly.

 

Yeah I need to do that some time. There's 5 air tanks and about 100 fittings to check but I have a hunch it's with the rear drop axle. I had that installed fall 2023 and ever since then, the system wouldn't hold air as long as it used to. I used to only lose air in my front drop over time but the entire truck would hold air. Now it pulls the entire system out of air.

 

Thanks! Its a pain to keep clean after 5 seconds of rainy road spray but I love it. Wanted to do something different and I like how it turned out