How do you know when to slide tandems?

By sliding the trailer tandems forward, you will put more weight on the trailer tandems and take weight off the tractor's drive axles. Conversely, by sliding the trailer tandems toward the rear of the trailer, you will take weight off the trailer tandems and put more weight onto the tractor's drive axles.

How far back can I slide my tandems?

When the distance between the first axle of your tandems is 35 feet from the rear axle on your tandems to the last axle of your trailer tandems, you will have to reduce the amount of weight that you load onto your truck.

How much weight should be on tandems?

In addition to Bridge Formula weight limits, Federal law states that single axles are limited to 20,000 pounds, and axles spaced more than 40 inches and not more than 96 inches apart (tandem axles) are limited to 34,000 pounds. Gross vehicle weight is limited to 80,000 pounds (23 U.S.C. 127).

How much weight does sliding tandems move?

You can estimate that you will move 250 pounds per hole for 4 inch spacing, and 400 pounds per hole for 6 inch spacing. This will help you estimate how many holes you'll have to slide the trailer tandems to move the proper amount of weight necessary in order to get the axle weights legal.

Why do truck drivers slide the tandems?

Sliding tandems is necessary and required for three main things: To adjust (move) some weight off of the tractor's axles rear to the trailer tandem axles. To adjust weight OFF of the trailer axles and move some of the weight forward to the tractor axles.

How To Know Which Hole To Slide Your Trailer Tandems | Scaling A Load For Legal Weight

Where should my tandems be?

Tractor tandems are generally just referred to as "drives" which is short for "drive axles". I was taught to estimate this way: If trailer is loaded to back doors with 36,000 plus, slide them about 2/3 of the way toward the tractor until you can scale it.

What happens when you slide the rear trailer axle to the rear?

You will have to slide the trailer axles back. Some of the weight transferred to the drive axles will shift to the steer axle. And sliding the trailer axle back too far could violate the kingpin-to-rear-axle restrictions.

How many holes do you need to slide tandems?

The two main hole spacings you'll find are 4 inches and 6 inches. You can estimate that you will move 250 pounds per hole for 4 inch spacing, and 400 pounds per hole for 6 inch spacing.

How do you distribute weight on a 53 foot trailer?

You can load anywhere from 26 to 30 standard 40×48-inch pallets on a 53-foot trailer — 26 if you load them straight in (48-inch measurements from front to back), or 30 of you turn half the pallets sideways.

How do I determine my axle weight?

Add the weight of the load and trailer per axle to the weight of your tractor or pickup per axle together. The sum will give you the total estimated axle weight.

Which axle carries the most weight on a tandem axle trailer?

Tandem Axle Trailers: Like the name implies, a tandem axle trailer has two sets of axles – one right behind the other. The extra tires allow the trailer to carry more weight and to be more stable at high speeds and highway conditions.

How much weight can I have on my steer axle?

What is the Weight Limit for Steer Axles? The steer axles — located at the front of a semi-truck — typically hoist 12,000 to 15,000 pounds (or 6,000 to 7,5000 pounds on each tire).

How can I lose weight from my steering axle?

If you slide the 5th wheel toward the nose of the tractor you will increase the weight on the steer axle and take weight off the drive axles. If you move the 5th wheel toward the rear of the tractor, you will increase the weight on the drive axles and decrease the weight on the steer axle.

What is the maximum length your tandems Cannot exceed?

In addition to Bridge Formula weight limits, Federal law states that single axles are limited to 20,000 pounds, and axles spaced more than 40 inches and not more than 96 inches apart (tandem axles) are limited to 34,000 pounds. Gross vehicle weight is limited to 80,000 pounds (23 U.S.C. 127).

How do you slide a tandem axle on a semi truck?

Locate the locking lever which is usually on the driver's side of the trailer and in front of the trailer's wheels. Lift and pull the lever's handle until it slips into the sideways slot on the lever guide. This will disengage the locking pins. Check to make sure all four pins are retracted properly.

How far apart are tandem trailer axles?

Under the federal B formula, the axles must be 10 feet apart (though in practice they are placed 10 feet, 1 inch apart just to be safe for the times when a zealous enforcement officer measures that distance with a tape).

How do I know if my trailer is overloaded?

The truck appears overloaded: If the cargo is bulging over the sides of the truck or stacked over the top, it is probably carrying more cargo than it should be. The truck struggles to slow down: If you see a tractor trailer braking but taking too long to slow down, it is likely overloaded.

How much weight can 2 7000 lb axle carry?

Expert Reply: A trailer that has two 7,000 lb axles has an axle capacity of 14,000 lbs, but trailers aren't always limited by the axles which means a trailer could be rated for 12,000 lbs but have to 7k axles which means it's overall capacity is still 12,000 lbs.

Where should the weight be on a trailer?

Heavier items should be loaded in the front, with lighter, smaller items placed near the rear. If you are towing a closed trailer, the lighter, smaller items should be placed near the top of the trailer in the rear. For an open trailer, smaller items shouldn't be loaded above the height of the sides of the trailer box.

How do you count tandem holes?

Since you are driving for Prime, as memory serves me correctly, it is from the front of the slide rail where the holes are. Even if they are plugged, you count the hole as a legal hole to use to get the count correct.

Which axle drives on a tandem axle truck?

A tandem axle truck is equipped with two drive axles, such as those found on the rear of the typical 18-wheeled semi-rig's tractor. Utilizing eight tires and wheels on the drive axles, this type of truck is able to support a tremendous amount of weight as well as provide improved traction despite poor road conditions.

What is the California bridge law?

The state of California requires all tractor-trailer combinations to meet the King Pin to Rear Axle (KPRA) law. What does that mean to professional drivers? The center of the rear axle on all trailers must be at the 40-foot mark or shorter and must not weigh over 34,000 pounds on the trailer axles.

Can you be overweight on steer axle?

Drivers commonly set up their fifth wheel so that on a heavy load the steer axle carries around 12,000 lbs to 12,500 lbs. In most states you can carry a max of 20,000 lbs on a single-axle. Your steer axle counts as a single-axle. It would be dangerous to max out your steer axle at 20,000 lbs so don't do that.