Question about Trailers

And if you have a dump on both axles like I did you can dump the front axle to make it pivot on the back, and doing this going between the axles you can actually walk the trailer sideways.

Also if it is really slick and you start to spin out, dumping your front axle can help you catch traction. I have done this many times.

 

I don't see much use for a dump on the front axle. Having had trailers with front lift axles lifting or dumping the front just makes the trailer longer and harder to get around with. Great to save tires/brakes empty or lightly loaded but horrible for maneuverability.

 

all it takes is a dump valve that weighs about 2 lbs.

And if you are trying to back into a hole, expecially in a tight truck stop, like lets say the flying J in Tacoma, having that front axle dump is a real life saver because it will allow you to pin the back axle in place once you get it ligned up with the hole then bring your truck around.

It would shock you how effective it is.

 

hey quick question what can you leagally gross with that set up i got a triaxle mac live floor with the rear lift and we can go 100k legally i try to keep mine in the 106-110k range

 

We're permitted to 144k on the 7 axle, and 160+/- with our 8 axle trailers. Due to a couple bridges I cross daily, the Mackinaw, and International, I can't be more than 144k, even with 8 axles, without special permits. I'm usually grossing around 120-130k, it depends on how wet the chips or dust is. Those are live floor as well.

What is that, a tri-axle spread, or tridem?

 

What's your empty weight? I see a lot of older 8 axle steel trailers with all steel wheels. Probably where the term "Lead Sled" comes from. I mean sure they can gross 160k but they can't net much more than a lighter 4-5 axle aluminum trailers.

 

Here's where it gets good. Gross weight empty is 50,050# with that 7 axle, and 53,530 with the 8. I like to think my loads alone are more than most 18's are grossing. I routinely haul 75k in the box, but like I said, I could go more except for those 2 bridges limiting me, and/or the volume in the trailer.
Ya, those steel ones have to be super heavy, ours are all Titan thinwalls, all aluminum.

 

wow thats freaking light i got an 05 W9L with 72 in bunk and with the 48ft triaxle MAC smooth wall i gross 45000lbs emty with full fuel tanks my net usually is in the 60k-62k range what kind of truck u got?

 

Ya, you'd think with those axles I'd be a lot heavier.

That's an '08 Western Star 4900SA, C15 Cat, 18speed, 18kFA, 46k rears. Wet kit, and 100 gallon tanks. No sleeper, it's a day cab. It's actually set up for the woods, even though we don't do that hardly at all any more. I do get offroad to some of the sawmills though.

I've never weighed the tractor only, have never had the opportunity, but I'll bet ya I weigh less than yours. That sleeper isn't light, plus you have a longer nose and wheelbase than me. Embarrassing on my part, I don't know what my wheelbase really is
Go back and check out those photos, that will give you an idea.

IIRC, my T6 with the same sleeper as you, and a 53' tandem was 34k empty.
The axles I have on the chip box, seem to weigh around 3500 each, at least that the difference between a 7 axle and the 8

 

My titan thin-wall tri-axle aluminum with my tractor tare weight is 19,500kg (so almost 43,000lbs)

Now the same truck with a steel body 4 axle walking floor trailer can be anywhere from 22,000kg to 26,000kg (so 48,501 - 57,320lbs ) depending on the what steel trailer is hooked up

Now our new 5 axle titan thin wall trailers with our newer tractors I believe have a tare of 22,500 around that.. I don't use the 5 axles that much nor to I have a new truck.. Suppose to be getting both within a few months once they arrive..

My 2007 FL-120 with a Detriot 60 and Eaton 18 has a tare of 9,400 I believe (so 20,723lbs)... We don't tare in the trucks separately from the trailers, in fact we don't tare our trucks in at all as they are saved into the computer system.. Stupid if you ask me because if the truck was weighted in with 1/2 tank of fuel and then you go through the scales with full tank you will be off.. So I know our net weights of the materials are always off because say I load 28 tons of material in my trailer I could possible be short 1 ton of material so only have 27 tons but the computer thinks there is 28 because of how the truck may have been weight in at one point...

off-topic a bit

JohnDay - did you talk to you boss about the trailer floor cleaning design?? If you go to youtube and search for "keith walking floor clean sweep" you should find the video of the tarp only system..