How to determine by the weight on the BOL if you need to slide tandems or 5th wheel

One my wish list

http://www.air-weighscales.com/

 

back to the OP's question.

I don't trust BOL weights. I have had them go so far off on both directions, I don't trust them unless it's blatantly obvious they will be accurate. Like individually weight gaylords WITH the weights written on them.

 

I agree. One time they gave me a load that claimed to be 30,000 when I go weigh it I'm over 80,000 ... This is why the shipper's cover their butts by writing "subject to correction"

 

Get used to this. formula. Load, Weigh, Slide, Repeat if necessary. Every trailer is different. The great danes usually take about 500lbs/pin however I've seen utility's that only take 250lbs/pin so it depends on your trailer. ALWAYS scale a load no matter what. I'd rather pay the $10 and be safe than deal with the overweight ticket or the $5 at a grain scale just to get something that's close. Tuesday did that and about died though rolled over the scale guy wrote down 10,400 steer, 43000 drives, Bout died until he said no that's with your steer included. It was close and the tires weren't squatting so I figured it was alright. had me at 79000 gross and shippers weight was 50,000lbs. I don't trust a shippers weight at all they're never right (or rarely right) so I scale everything just wish cat scales would still axle my trailer out (I'm flat not van but still never hurts to scale it every time)

 

and the sliding of the 5th wheel?

can't remember the last time I had to resort to moving it. really.

 

My fifth wheel doesn't have pins. I've only had to slide it one time for a beer load. My company's trailers are closer to 250 per hole. If the BOL is under 38000 i don't scale unless the load is all stacked in the nose or something. Getting a look at how it's loaded helps out a lot, but I do mostly drop and hooks. Running dry van my loads almost always scale just fine with the tandems at the 40 foot mark.

 

so u usually haul strictly beer? are you otr, local or regional? cause if you go up to I think North Carolina from south Florida as it says on your information you have upto 38, 39k on tandems ... don't go to LA like that though

 

Don't trust bl's. Had a t2 with great dane reefer......had set of weigh right air scales. Get to know your scales. They are very acurate; or mine were anyway. Very handy when you get a load and there are no cat scales nearby.

 

I've been kind of spoiled lately. Only go to two shippers and one has a scale on site and the other has never been more than 1k off on the BOL weight. It's always under as well which helps.

 

Half of the BOL's I have seen LIE! Get it CAT scaled and then setup your legal weight. Remember it's your rear if that stupid thing is overweight. Get the paperwork to cover your back.