Overweight on Trailer tandems

Right, and each of my drop axles were rated at 10k.

 

if you have a spread axle. the weight is 40,000 lbs. but if over 80,000. permits are needed.

as for weight distribution. and bucking the truck. 99% of my loads are trailer heavy. around 36-38 thousand. with the drives being around 30 thousand.

i can make the drives heavier but that only lightens the steers. and sometimes lighters steers aren't a good thing. with all the weather that has been.

i have fixed axles so there's no changing the weight on the trailer.

48,000 is my typical load. if i get above 48,500. then i have to start watching fuel.

as for scales. you can find them on the highways. but good luck finding something on the back roads. they are few and far between.

as for weight stations. the atlas only shows you the MAJOR operations.
check stations are located ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. and will be shown NOWHERE on the atlas.

as for tickets. i recently got a overwidth violation to the tune of $105. and the ticket says ZERO points. there was no inspection. just the basic roll through the scale house.
i argued with the loader for a half hour. but he knows what he's doing and who am i to argue. is what it all came down too.

i've had my cdl 10 years now. i have been local the last 9 years. and have only been back on the road 5 months now. this is all a learning experience to me again as you all would probably claim that i should know it all by now. much like the OP of the thread who has only been driving 5 months. i've been driving 9 axles + between truck and trailer. so having to go back to 5 is a refresher course.

not everyone can be sharp as a whip. and shouldn't be harped on becuase. people F up. but we are not to scold. i come to this thread for answers and advice. and information.

isn't that why we ALL are here? besides good conversation.

 

Some people seem to be forgetting that the axle limit for highways is different from state provincial roads. States don't own the interstates. The federal government does.

 

Colorado and Wyoming both allow 36000 on drives/tandems with no permits.

 

That depends on the axle spread. With the axles 7 feet or less in length between the two extreemes, you can't go over 34,000 LBS.

Citation

 

Higher axle and gross weights were grandfathered in when they passed the STAA regulations. The 12k/34K/34K/80k/102" wide/48' trailer limits are what the states have to allow on the interstate system and designated routes however if a state already had higher limits at the time of the passage of STAA in 1982, those limits superceed the federal limits, even on the interstate system. It says as much in your commercial carriers road atlas.

 

What page on the atlas is this on?

The higher axle weights are meant for LCV's with a axle spread of more than 8 feet between the extreemes. Colorado allows trailers up to 57' 4" long. Wyoming allows 60' long trailers. You can't go over the axle rating for the trailer, and you can't go over the axle rating for the truck. For 53' trailers with a axle spread of less than 8 feet, this is 20 single and 34 double or manufacturer rating, whichever is less.

Go to the port of entry on I-80 with a axle weight of 35,000 LBS on a 53' trailer with a 8' axle spread and you will be placed OOS. The link I posted goes into more detail of what is allowed. It depends on the axle spread. The amount of axles changes the weight also.

 

Wrong again.

That is FEDERAL...as in on the interstates. Get off the interstate highways and onto the state & local roads, and the FEDERAL bridge law may no longer apply. Some states allow heavier weights on axles, tandems, and even gross weight. Some states have lower limits. Up until a year or two ago, Illinois was 18K on a single axle, 32K on a tandem, and 73,280 gross if you were off the designated truck routes...not to mention the 96" width and 65' overall length limits.

There's a page in the front of the motor carrier atlas which explains all of that, though. The '03 Rand McNally has it on page A16. I'd give you the page from a newer atlas, but that would involve going outside to one of my trucks.

 

I-80 is an interstate highway. Federal bridge law applies. Hit the scales on US26 w/o Torrington and you'd likely have different results.

Personally, I avoid scales. Plenty of roads to drive on without 'em....that way I don't have to worry about whether the scalemaster woke up on the wrong side of the bed that morning.

 

^

We must like to misinterpet eachother as I was referring to the highway system. State provincial laws are different because the feds don't own these roads. For Colorado this is 40k on doubles, 20k on singles. For Wyoming this is 36k on doubles, 20k on singles.

When mslashbar mentioned both states allow 36k on doubles, he was referencing the interstate system, which is what I corrected him on. If you have the deluxe road atlas, the interstate restrictions are on page A14. The provincial road systems are on page A16.

The grandfather laws PackRatTDI mentioned were in regards to LCV's that these two states allow to run on the highway system. Colorado and Wyoming do allow up to 36k on the interstates without a permit, but for LCV's only with a wide enough axle spread. Even for LCV's, the bridge formula still applies and they can't be over 80k GVW. Wyoming allows 117k GVW, but you must have enough axles to comply to the bridge formula.