simple formula for axel weight

Discussion in 'Experienced Truckers' Advice' started by kidsdad, Nov 27, 2011.

  1. BAD Attitude 77

    BAD Attitude 77 Bobtail Member

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    A lot depends on the type of 5th wheel and trailer you have.
    Slide your 5th wheel back 4 holes. This should shift 2K off the steers onto the drives. Your drives will be at 35k now, so slide your tandems 6 holes forward. This should shift about 1,500 lbs to the rear. Your weights should be around 12,400 on the steers (close enough in most states), 33,00 on the drives, and 33,500 on the tandems. You can slide the 5th wheel back 5 holes if you have the room and you'll be legal all around.
     
  2. Hammer166

    Hammer166 Crusty Information Officer

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    LOL! I wasn't playing fair, I'm a car hauler. No sliding tandem, stretching the 5th wheel took care of it (I'm legal @ 13,880,) but puts me overlength. This was the result of having to put a Grand Cherokee over the hood, it's heavy as a pickup and much shorter, pushing more weight to the steers.
     
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  3. BAD Attitude 77

    BAD Attitude 77 Bobtail Member

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    You mean you made me hurt those three brain cells I have left and all the time you pull a portable parking lot? LOL
     
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  4. Jfaulk99

    Jfaulk99 Road Train Member

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    I was thinking the same thing.:biggrin_2559:

    I wish I knew how guys were getting weight on they're steering. I've had 50k on the drives and still can't get over 13,460 on the steering. Pin is 12" ahead of center.

    Last time I actually checked weights.

    Steering-----12,560 (17k legal)
    Drives ------46,900 (43k legal)
    Trailer-------55,480 (60k legal)
    Gross-------114,940 (120k max)

    No matter what I can never get weight up front. The 13,460 is with the pin almost on top of the front drive axle which is too far for my flat because the truck frame hits the trailer frame. Must be the W900L/8 bag suspension combo because a pete with the same motor can have 12k empty, mine has under 10k:biggrin_25526:
     
  5. Injun

    Injun Road Train Member

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    Didn't give me a chance to play. My first thought was move the SUV from the front top position and put a Volkswagen there instead. But then you gave the game away. :biggrin_25510:
     
  6. Hammer166

    Hammer166 Crusty Information Officer

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    Yeah, Just an ugly load! I should have put one of the pickups up there, but I'm not fond of the wind catching ability of a backed on pickup. :biggrin_25513:

    And cars are always in short supply in my part of the world; I was thankful to get a legal 7 unit load. That's rare enough with all the diesels and suvs people buy out here.
     
  7. ironpony

    ironpony Road Train Member

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    Well, once you get that number figured out for your trailer, the formula works reasonably well. Use that and my RightWeigh gages... maybe only scale a load once or twice a month, usually because the scale on the trailer doesn't match my guestimate of what it ought to be indicating.
     
  8. Injun

    Injun Road Train Member

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    Not many Prime-8s calibrate those trailer load scales.

    The single axle weight ticket I have ever gotten was when I used "the formula" on a 38K load. The way "the formula" should have worked, I should have been 32,400 on my drives. I was 35,600. Since I had nowhere else to put the tandem, I had to use some ....uh.....firefighter engineering... to get my load legal.
     
  9. Rat

    Rat Road Train Member

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    LOL, I used to pull a mini parking lot or should I say a driveway. Pulled a wedge with tip outs up front and slide outs in the back so I could get 4 smaller cars on.
     
  10. dancnoone

    dancnoone "Village Idiot"

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    That's why we go to work for a company who has spring loaded retractors.

    Pull....rock...slide...lock.

    I use my hammers, to drive nails now.
     
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