Post flatbed load photos here V2.0

I always run tape around once or twice, and over the top at least once. No streamers for me.

 

You never really realize how long B-trains are until you take a picture of them with the truck from the side. Must be the articulation that makes it seems shorter when driving.

 

The articulation def fools you. Don't need to swing as wide for corners.

 

What is your gross on that thing? I am just trying to see how some justify the b train based on the bridge weights here.

Based on axle groups I look at 150k if that drop axle on the lead has a 10' spread. But just eyeballing the inner bridge I come up with 117,750 if the lead is a 32', and the rear is a 28'. If both are 28' then I come up with 115,500. If you then subtract the weight of the truck and trailer that I put at roughly 40k that puts the payload at 77 and 75k respectively.

What it really means is that I could haul roughly 10k more than a 4 axle truck with a 4 axle trailer here. I ask because b trains come through here all the time with a 3 axle lead and a 2 axle pup.

Now an average weight for a 5 axle b train is 17k and say 20k for the truck. With the standard b train I calculate a gross of 107,000 and if you subtract the weight of the truck and trailer it leaves you with 70k payload. With the quad truck and quad 53' trailer you can scale 65k for about 40-50k less in cost.

Now if you are in a 105,500 state then it does not make a sense to me at all because of the additional weight of the trailers unless the deck space is needed because of lighter weight materials.

 

Not sure about Michigan B-train allowances, but in Canada, typical 5 axle B-train arrangement is 32' lead and 28' pup. Axle allowances vary slightly, but mine are 12000-37500-50600-37500, gross 137,600.

I haven't ever loaded a Michigan B-train yet (we have a set that doesn't get used very often) but AFAIK, the weights for Michigan setups are the same as Canadian weights, they just require that extra axle.

 

OK so your inner bridge weights are much higher.

 

Yes, it's why our roads are in terrible shape.

On a 48' triaxle, you are allowed 50,600 in Canada, but on the same setup in the US, it's equivalent to a 10' split and 40,000. That 10,600 extra lbs destroys pavement.

 

@cnsper about 126k lbs on this particular load.