"SINGLE AXLE TRACTOR" How different does it handle? ??

Couple of things. A triaxle (10 ft spread) will only allow 43,500, i.e. the third axle gains you 9,500 lbs. Losing the second drive axle drops your payload by 14,000. So, no, you CAN'T run 80,000 just by pulling a tri-axle.

Second, I doubt you'll see single drive trucks "all over the west" running over 100,000 lbs. Primarily because Oregon doesn't issue extended weight permits for single drive trucks. I'm not sure I'd be very comfortable pulling Fourth of July or Cabbage at 100,000 lbs with a single drive axle. I think that amount of sustained torque on the drive tires would be ill-advised.

 

We had some Centuries that we "singled" out way back when ( so EXACT same specs as it was the same truck) it was almost 1 mpg.

 

Yes,they're good for ideal roads,no (ruts,potholes or wind) light load etc). Otherwise they suck. Take one over a rutty mountain pass in a windstorm and you'll quickly agree.Sure they handle like a hostle rig,thats about all they have going for them.JMO

 

That's funny, we run 9 of them, and never had the issues you speak, at least no worse than a twin screw? Really just depends on how your rig is set up, now I will agree that if you have an ill handling combo with a twin screw it will still be a handful with a single, but we are running almost max on every axle on some loads.

 

Are you running 5000 lb loads in a van trailer,in 30 mph wind gusts, on rutty mountain passes. This is what I was referring to. Getting pushed around worse in your lane, skipping across the ruts,having to babysit the steering more . Generally less stable overall.

 

Too be honest no, but three hightop vans puts me at 13' and at only 6000 each and the "load" at 60+ feet long is quite a bit of "sidewall" AND, I am only running a single axle trailer.

As far as mountain passes, we run EVERYWHERE, although we did stop running to Alaska/Canada about 7 years ago, but lower 48, yep EVERYWHERE.

I can see your point, but as far as the ruts go, I guess I just don't notice it, one less set of axles to grab an edge?

Now, if you are talking about these 160" WB day cabs that I see running around, yeah, I can see them as being squirrelly, we are a sleeper cab at 219" WB.

We run just over a million a year on miles.

 

I should have been more specific,I was referring to 53ft van lightly loaded 2 axle and short Volvo single screw Daycab.

 

Accidental trucker is 100% right when calling this crap out. Just let me add: Most triple axle trailers are not 10' spread and 43.5k axle capacity. Most are 8' and 42k. Some states such as Wyoming, Montana?, Texas? cap the triple at 42k.

Most all single axle trucks have 12k front axle so forget about getting 20k on the front even if you could. No matter, if you could get 20k on the front and 20k on the drive you could not get a triple to scale out at over 100k.

When most people talk single axle truck they are actually referring to a two axle truck. A single screw truck could be a two or three axle truck, as single drive has became more popular once again.

It is amazingly hard to pull over 100k in any truck combination. Even with a four axle truck and four axle trailer you run into situations where one set of axles is over bridge weight. This is compounded by the fact most trucks have 12k fronts which limit where you can put the weight.

A doubles combination can help but states like WA and Idaho limit your combination to 68' with extended permit. Even with a 68' trailer combination, it would be one amazing trailer set that would scale out with a single axle over 100k. Never seen one. It would have to have over 7 axles and as Accidental said it would not work in Oregon. Oregon has a different bridge weight table anyway.

Most states will not grant a oversize permit for a divisible load so there is no work around for the bridge laws.

 

Look at all the bad advice in this thread.....