Single axle and steer axle are two different things. Steer axle 12000lbs. 20000lbs allowed for steer in some states if you got wide enough steer tires i.e. your tires must be rated to carry that weight. If you drive interstate you are limited to tandems because tridems not legal in every state. If you got a trailer with spread axles this will allow you to have 20000 lbs per axle because there either duals or super singe tires on those axles. Total of 40000lbs for your trailer. But your gross can not be over 80000lbs. 12000+34000+34000=80000 for tandems 12000+34000+up to 20000+up to 20000= 80000 for trailers with spread axles.
I guess that's why American guys have bonnetted trucks to keep the weight back, our trucks with the cab over are right on your limit when empty so they just wouldn't work there!
as far as trucks here being the same when you take into acount frame thickness ,lenghth, axel spacing , all the diff suspension types , cabs ,sleepers ,number of axels and we do have lift and steerable lifts, trannies , motors and the list goes on it all comes down to the app . when you get away frome the cookie cutter fleet trucks there are few that are alike
Here it's 22000lbs on a steer axle , 25300lbs on a drive and 39600lbs on a pair, 970000 lbs total on a semi 132000lbs on a b double and if you venture to Norway you can carry 220000lbs
Here a combination of a steer and drive is 47300lbs, we use steer axles instead of a second drive, a centre steer is ok gives a nice stable feel but a rear lift/steer is the best combo! Best on ice and snow unbelievablely better than double drive (once you dont go offroad ) and rear steer actually feels like the truck is on rails ! Rear steer also cuts out understeer in slippery conditions. We also have 97000 lbs on a semi
The only chance I get to see us trucks is the odd one here or in the media or on the Internet , I've never seen anything but double drives on us trucks, I would like to see some different configuration trucks from over there, I really like the look of aeoro trucks from the states , I can see us owners are following euro owners in technology but the unfortunate part is because it's on account of fuel prices going sky high for all of us! Pity!
by the way, why EU trucks are overpriced. It is really socialism issue - hight taxes and duties becouse of hight social obligations.