Tandem Setting Formula

You should probably re-read my post. Or don't, it's your ticket not mine. I just want to make sure others who read your original post don't take it for gospel because your formula doesn't always work. Your second example, as I said earlier has the right numbers but for the WRONG reason while your first would result in you still being overweight. But don't worry about it, OP. I'm sure DOT will laugh just as hard as I am currently. I guess explaining it to you again is pointless. Good luck to you sir.

 

Your method is correct. My first trainer taught me the same thing when I first started driving. The only problem with your formula is assuming 250 lbs per hole. That is not correct. It is, in my experience, more like 400 lbs per hole. And remember that this only works with the trailers that have the standard ~1 ft between holes. Some of the newer trailers have holes closer together (Hyundai trailers in particular have the closer holes). If this is the case, then the 250 lbs per hole is more accurate.

ive been using this formula since I've been driving (difference between drives and tandems divided by 2 divided by 400. Slide towards the problem). I weigh my load, use the formula, and never re weigh. I've yet to get an overweight ticket. But as others have said, it is possible to get in trouble this way if the trailer is loaded crazy. I'd recommend re weighing until you get a little more experience with different types of loads.

 

Ok, but the last sentence kind of proves our points, loads are different and your building your formula on a consistent load/product. virtually all beer loads are loaded with the same density product, the same way, front to back, time after time, so yes you can formulate a per-hole rate that works ... but come tell us about how this system for some strange reason did not work when you pick up some other heavy product at another shipper that is mixed and/or has multiple stops, and can't figure out why you can't get it right. We've only been doing this a combined 30+ years and don't know what we're talking about.

Any number you can come up with as a per-hole average weight shift is a "rule of thumb" at best and assumes product is singled the same way, and the same number of pallets, and all pallets weighing more or less the same ... hardly a real-world reality particularly when you dealing with preloaded/sealed trailers at unfamiliar shippers, with unfamiliar and/or mixed product.

Many shippers today will load a 53 footer with 43k+ lbs of mixed density product and pinwheel the pallets all the way nearly to the rear door ... and you will haul it.

 

Sorry kids--unless you are pulling the SAME trailer all the TIME--the whole premise is FATALLY FLAWED--trailers holes go as low as 150 a hole and as high as 550 a hole--and it is rarely trailer specific--it is suspension bogey specific--so yes you CAN have the same brand trailer that varies as much as 300+lbs a hole depending on set up....
So unless you are POSITIVE--the only thing you can do--is weigh--slide reweigh--and then compare...
Course direction to move weight DOES NOT change...tandems up--more on trl--tandems back--more on truck....
Be Careful

 

I probably will sound like a big ####### by saying this, but this is taking it WAY too far. It's not rocket science to figure this stuff out. Simple mental math and estimation. You dont have to spend time and a lot of effort on a sliding tandem. Although the OP is interesting I think it hugely complicates it. K.I.S.S. keep it simple stupid and when in doubt always scale as many times as you need to get legal. No app, no calculator, no pencil and paper, no straining your brain. Slide. Scale out. Roll out.