Tractor & Tanker reweigh steer axle question

Because the 5th wheel is not directly over the exact midpoint of your drive axles (nor should it be) it will be forward a foot or two, thereby adding/reducing weight to steer/drive as weight of 5th wheel changes..

 

Uhhh, because it's unloaded

Not sure yet how I want to punctuate the above statement. I'll leave it open ended.

 

Because the fifth wheel is behind the center of the rear axle or axles.

 

Physics be hard, yo!

Funny story, everyone has probably done this. Last week I was pulling a smooth bore 407 chemical tanker loaded to about 79.5K lbs gross. My drives were at 34,800 with the plate all the way back, air ride valve jacked as high as it will go. I need riser plates on my fifth wheel ( I have standard 3" plates, need 5") to get the liquid to settle back to the trailer tandems a little more, anyways...

Purposefully started my clock at 4am because I knew NC scale would be open, but DOT man usually doesn't get there till 5am. Come up one the scale at 0445 and he was already open on a Monday morning. Stomped on the brake pedal so hard at the scale stop sign I probably got a hard brake, got that liquid rocking and rolling back there. When I got on the scale he was probably watching my drives go from 26K to 39K lbs....

Gave me the green light after a minute or two of sitting there.

 

Florida sat me to settle,,,,sat me,,,,sat me,,,,then green light....lol...just knew gonna get to visit. Green go..4 or 5 years ago.

 

I have the opposite problem. Have to run with the tag down to keep my steer legal only when empty. #wreckerproblems

 

@KDHCryo messing with the ride weight on your tractor is NOT a good idea.. It screws with your driveline angles..

And it you were at 34000 something on the dri es with the fifth wheel all the way back weren't your steers a bit light? move it up and get some of that weight forward