What exactly is the steer axle weight limit?

5 Years in trucking???

 

I've occasionally been over 12k with a heavy load and full tanks, but not by much...200-300 lbs maybe. Never been hassled. Like said already, every state has slightly different axle weight laws per the motor carrier atlas. I wondered how I got so lucky rolling over a scale in Idaho on I-84 with 37,000 on my trailers without getting ticketed (should have scaled it obviously). Well it turns out you're allowed to have up to 37,000 on a set of tandems in Idaho, given that you're still under 80,000 gross. Who knew?

 

The North Dakota weight limit is 20,000 lbs per single axle. 34,000 for tandems and 48,000 for triples off the interstate.

Tire weight goes by width and it's 550 pounds per inch width of tire. Metric sizes are divided by 25.4 to get inches.

A eleven inch wide steer tire gives you 12,100 lbs. on said axle.
Ten inch wide gives you 11,000 lbs.

 

Whoa people! Has anyone bothered to look at the trucks registration paperwork lately?

 

What would that tell me about steer axle weight?

 

My truck's steer axle is for 18k and 46k rears

 

The only state you really have to worry about being over 12K is Arkansas.And even at that Ive been over 12k running thrpough there and they never said a word.12200,12000,11900,ALL about the same.

 

I may be wrong but I think the OP's confusion here lies in steer axle weight limits as related to the variables of the gross vehicle weight limit. Yes, out west 12,500 is the standard for steers provided you have the axle AND tires rated for the weight. Most often if you check the manufacturer rating on the steer tires you will find the combined number will be 12,350. Meaning 12,350 is the true maximum allowed , not the full 12,500. No matter what the legal limit on the steer axles, we are still limited to 80,000 gross on 5 axles.

 

This is something that sliped by us in our maintenance department,most class 8 trucks now leave the factory with a 13200 steer axel requiring a load range H steer tire. we were installing load range G tires making us legal onlt to the weight of 12350

 

The consensus seems to be 12000 on the steers. Thats what I have always used as a rule of thumb. The confusion comes with individual states having their own weight limits. My feeling would be most of that has to do with localized industry that results in addendums to the federal weight laws. Like logging, farming or oil fields because they normally carry heavy loads intrastate. I will add that most states now have allowed an additional 500lbs to the gross weight because of APUs. So you can gross 80,500 and be ok. I imagine if you are over and do not have an APU and are unlucky enough to get inspected they might be able to ticket you but for the most part all but a few states have made the change to 80,500.