Weigh Station

I know the PSI gauges are also handy when you're not near a cat scale or any scale at that. I know if I'm below 60psi then I'm good on my drive axle, and can sometimes guess what I might be on my trailer axle if I can have a look at the inside on how they loaded the trailer. If I am correct there are trailers now that have a gauge that show you're trailer tandem weight correct me if I'm wrong. I'm so used to hauling roll stock paper, I generally know too set my tandem at least 40-43 feet from the kingpin to be legal on both axle's

 

The same thing happened to me on I-81 in Virginia. I pulled on the scale about 2 in the morning and the guy told me I was 3000 pounds over on my drives. He let me pull around back and I moved the fifth wheel forward and the tandem as as far forward as I could. I pulled back onto the scale and parked it and waited for him to tell me it was good. He never said a word but the light Stay Green so I took off and thank my lucky stars and the gentleman running the scale house that night. I'm sure if he had chosen to that would have been a hefty ticket probably about $10 for every hundred pounds. Each state charges a different rate though. That was the last time I hauled any trailer that I had any doubt about it being legal.

 

Yes trailers can be ordered with load gauges or you can add a gauge for pretty cheap. All you need is a box, a 100 psi pressure gauge, air line, and time. Mount the box to the axle assembly and tee the airline into a line going to an air bag and boom an approximate load gauge just like you have on the tractor suspension.

 

Our trucks and trailers have both digital air scales and suspension pressure gauges. Hauling dry bulk, we need 'em, BUUUUUT every now and then I have the joy of pulling a spring ride, then it's use the tractor guage and guess the rest, and use the good ole cat scale!

 

Did u show him your badge?

 

I would have since I had a weapon but since I hated the company already I couldn't wait to turn it in. Dispatch apparently hates them also because they had a good laugh also!