Question about maximum cargo weight

What was the ticket for exactly?

 

There is no max legal cargo weight. There is a max legal gross weight & max gross weight rating. The road or the equipment may not allow 80k lbs.

Like @Hatt91 asks what was the violation on the ticket specifically. If you are not on an STAA road you cannot assume 80k lbs is the legal limit.

 

GVW ( Total Registered Vehicle Weight Allowed) - TARE Weight ( Truck & Trailer empty) = Net Cargo Weight Allowed to haul
Example: 80,000 Pound Gross Vehicle Weight - 35,000 Pound Tare Weight ( Truck & Trailer Weight) = 45,000 (minus fuel) available net cargo weight to haul

 

what kind of truck, axles?

 

You're totally misunderstanding GVW. On a tractor, that just means the weight rating of the axles adds up to 52k. The trailer will have its own GVWR, part of which is carried by the 5th wheel and part by the tandem. The tractor will also have a GCVWR, which is the max weight of the combination. The cargo capacity is GCVWR or 80,000#, which ever is lesser, minus the tare weight.

 

I think avg dry Van wt. is around 14k.

 

If you are talking about a common 5-axle semi, the usual GVW is 80K. 52K is really, really light for a 5-axle semi. Expect your unladen weight for a dry-van RIG to be around 32K, leaving you about 48K possible for cargo, assuming you still keep axle loadings legal (usually 34k for tandems, both trailer and tractor), and 12K to 14K for the steer (depending on the state and sometimes the steer tire width).
I'm trying to wrap my head around your "flyweight" 52K GVW truck. Something does NOT make sense here....

 

Did you tag it for 52? To possibly avoid the 2290?