Shifting Trailer Weight?

outerspacehillbilly · Sep 23, 2010

Jfaulk99 said: ↑

I fixed it for you!

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otherhalftw · Sep 23, 2010

lilillill said: ↑

Make sure your drives and tandems are at the ends of the load and that the load is evenly distributed, like this, and you'll probably never have to see the weighmaster in person.

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Jfaulk99 said: ↑

I fixed it for you!

Click to expand...

I get it....now....one of those "find the changes" puzzles from the newspaper!

lilillill · Sep 23, 2010

Jfaulk99 said: ↑

I fixed it for you!

Click to expand...

LMAO! Good one.

Jack Smithton · Sep 25, 2010

Emulsified said: ↑

Generally, moving your tandems forward shifts weight from the 5th wheel to the tandems. Approximately 400# per hole.
Moving the 5th wheel forward will shift weight from the drive wheels to the steer axle. Approximately 250# per hole.
Each move may affect the other two points, so only move one at a time and reweigh, unless you're very confident with what you're doing.
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Sliding your fifth wheel has absolutely no effect on your trailer axle weight.

Jfaulk99 · Sep 25, 2010

otherhalftw said: ↑

I get it....now....one of those "find the changes" puzzles from the newspaper!
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Sort of. It's more of a "can you spot the trucker that doesn't waste time or money sliding axles or paying to check axle weights EVER" puzzle.

Working Class Patriot · Sep 25, 2010

otherhalftw said: ↑

I'm a little curious as to how, after 5 years a trucker, you are just now asking about weight distribution on axles!?

Here are the basics...everyone so far has stated the effects of sliding the tandems, however nobody answered the question.

Think of the trailer and the axle (tandems) as a teeter-totter on a playground. When you slide your tandems forward or back, you are moving the plank from center to either direction of the lever. How the trailer is set up (each manufacturer is a bit different) the spacing of the holes will establish the amount of weight being transferred. Wabash uses 5.5 inches between center of the hole, Great Dane uses 5 inches from center, Pines uses 4.75 inches to center. This difference of less than one inch to center, accounts for the variance of 300 to 450 pounds per hole.

When sliding your tandems, keep in mind how you are going to tell yourself which direction to move. I taught all my students to "move the trailer--not the tandems". Which is actually correct, as the wheels/tires are locked in place and the trailer is the part sliding on the tandem unit.

To move weight from rear to front....slide the trailer back.
To move weight from front to rear....slide the trailer forward.

The direction you want weight to move is the opposite direction you move the trailer.

As one poster stated...be careful when moving the tandems, you need to keep Bridge Law in mind. CA is 40', FL 41'...all states length limits are in the Atlas, a great tool every trucker should have. And the regulation information with Rand-McNally is updated every two years, on the odd year, the even year is identical to the previous years publication.

One last point...if you move 350 pounds per hole, you slide tandems 3 holes, you have effected 1050 pounds...from one end and at the same time you have added to the other end. Which is why another poster mentioned the fact you didn't state the weights on the drives and the steers...all these factors need to be noted and adjusted.

Good luck driver!
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Thank God I have Cali spreads.....40K on the back or on lighter loads...If the shipper starts from the center and works out...everything is cool....

Powder Joints · Sep 25, 2010

Bumpyi49 said: ↑

If my trailer axle is 35000lbs,I would move my tandems 4 holes back?
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Not that easy, depends on how the trailer is loaded, where the weigh in the trailer is.

If its between the front axle and the 5th wheel it may not adjust at all,you might have to rearrange the load in the trailer. Spread it out. If you load front heavy and your weigh is all in the front 3/4 of the trailer moving axles won't help.

You have to distribute the weight as you load, then you can slide to adjust.

canuck in da truck · Sep 25, 2010

have to do that hauling barrels of honey--gap it in the middle--a bit of measure twice and load once--cause you dont want to find out you cant get the doors closed on last row--at 400+ a barrel--dont really want to move it again

BigSexy53 · Sep 12, 2017

Allow Me. said: ↑

Hey, don't forget, sliding the tandems BACK 4 holes could put you over on the bridge law, especially in Ca. IF the tandems were already at max for the bridge law.
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HELP !!! I am heading to CA and I dont know which number if notches on my tandem is considered CA hole. No marking in this old trailer.

ladr · Sep 12, 2017

BigSexy53 said: ↑

HELP !!! I am heading to CA and I dont know which number if notches on my tandem is considered CA hole. No marking in this old trailer.
Click to expand...

Look in your atlas and get your measuring tape out.

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