weight on tandems

I've always slid my trailer tandems to where the end of the back tire (or mudflap if it slides with the tandem) is right under the back of the load. This will pretty well have you balanced out, but could still be over weight, scaling is the only way to know for sure.

 

With nowhere to scale the load. You're other option is to use onboard suspension psi gauges if you have them.

My tractor has one for the drives and one on the trailer. You have to get a feel for what psi shows for a given weight. My trailer was 65 psi at #34,000 (almost exactly), you have to scale to be able to figure it out though.

What type of trailer? Van, reefer, deck, tank. It would help to know as well as the setup for the tandems. More info is always best for anyone to give you more help.

 

Probably don't have to worry to much with a 25k load. Just go by how it was loaded. If its loaded in the front put your tandems toward the front. If its evenly distributed put them in the middle.

 

Unless it was a 25,000 lb coil or mold (all the weight in the first 15' of the trailer) in all probability you would not be over weight on your drives.

Weigh your truck and a trailer MT and you will see what I mean. I'll bet that you aren't 15,000 lbs on your drives with an MT and as you loaded freight moves back you transfer less forward and more towards the trailer axles.

As Flying Finn mention air pressure guages are the way to go although most fleets won't spend the $50 to have them installed from the factory.

 

In answer to his question,

on a 48 foot trailer-can he run with the tandems all the way back....................

does anybody know THAT answer ??

 

I run 48' trailers almost every day, I always run it with the tandems all the way back. The only time I move them forward is if I am running NYC, for ease of making tight turns. I never have received an over weight ticket doing it this way.

 

What is the king pin to centre of the tandems. That is one potential issue.

With only #25,000 on he can. We do it with decks all the time.

 

LOL duhhhh big red truck.

 

I know with a 53' the tandems around the 48' mark you can get away with 32K. So you should be able to get away with 25K on a 48', axles back.

Like puncher said, the end of the last pallet about a hole ot two past the last axle is pretty close to being balanced.