Let's Make Rules Up As We Go Along.....

It's called the bridge law. Been around for year's. I've only been taunted with a $10.00 ticket when I was 150lbs over on my tandems. Scalemaster told me I had a choice to either correct it or take the fine and didn't matter how many times it took to get it right. I explained I was on my way home and the nearest scale from where I was, was in the wrong direction of where I was going and I was going to scale it when I got to the next t/s that had one. So he offered me the chance. That was before the CSA 2010 #### was heard of. No violation's, tickets etc.

 

I got a citation for 1920lbs over on my trailer tandems, two months ago. Infact, I just paid it on the 2nd. Anyway, from what I remember, I don't get points for the tandems being over, would have if over 80,000 though. I remember seeing that very thing on an update a while back but too lazy to look for it now. Schneider never said a thing about it and it is paid and that is that.

SheepDog

 

All you have to be able to do is have a scale and be able to subtract. (from the way you worded it I'm assuming there is a scale at the quarry)

Step 1: Weigh the whole truck. Let's assume for easy calculating that you weigh 80,000.

Step 2: Pull up until the steer axle is off. Note the weight now, let's say it's 68,000. Subtract this weight from your original weight (80,000 - 68,000 = 12,000).

Step 3: Pull up again. If you're in a combination rig, pull up until the drive axles are off the scale. Otherwise pull up until the next axle you need to know the weight of is off the scale. Note your weight again (let's say it's 34,000). On a combination rig, this is your trailer axle weight (that's all that's on the scale at this point). All you still need to figure is your drive axle weight. Subtract the previous weight from this weight (68,000 - 34,000 = 34,000).

So now you know your weights are: Steer, 12,000; Drives, 34,000; Trailer, 34,000.

It looks more complicated than it is. Just take it one step at a time and think about the logic of what you're doing as you do it, and you'll get it in a snap.

 

In my case, I was lazy and never scaled the load, thought I was better than physics and new where my weight stood. There was a 10,000lb difference in my power tandems vs. my trailer tandems. I was surprised too....

SheepDog

 

Every truck I have driven has a simple air pressure guage on the air bags. When you scale a load that is real close to 46000lbs on the truck (drives + steers), take a sharpie marker and make a line right over the needle of the guage. When you pick up that heavy loaded trailer at night with no scales around slide the trailer tandems until the needle on the guage is right under your line you made on the guage face. Unless it's over gross you will be legal with the tractor right up to weight. I made my mark with a half tank of fuel, fuel load and fifth wheel placement will affect the accuracy of this.

I pull a spread axle flat and my mark puts me at 43000 lbs on the tractor with half tank of fuel. I have scales on my trailer too, and if I'm loaded even and centered on the trailer I'll be 43000 on the truck and 37000 on the trailer.

Also to the OP, how fast did they ticket you for going in California?