Where should I set my tandems?

Tractor tandems are generally just referred to as "drives" which is short for "drive axles". Basically the safest thing to do is set it for the California 40' mark. That will get you close as possible to legal till you can weight out.

How do you know where 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 you have your 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.

When should you slide your 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.

Why do shippers make you slide your 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.

Trick of the trade: Weight distribution

Can I slide my tandems all the way back?

Tandem Axles

Tractor tandems are generally just referred to as "drives" which is short for "drive axles". When sliding your tandems all the way to the rear, you eliminate almost all tail swing, which is why it is a preferred method used by some drivers when backing into tight spots.

How far back can you load 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.

Where do you put the axles on a tandem trailer?

Simply mount the axles where the center of the assembly matches the 40 percent mark on the trailer frame. On a three-axle placement, for example, this would mean the center of the middle axle was at a point 40 percent in from the rear of the trailer.

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 far back should an axle be on a trailer?

To know how far back the axle needs to be moved, we want to subtract the trailer's tongue weight from 10 percent of the total weight.

Where should tandems be for California?

Some states are picky and want your trailer tandems to be at a specific distance from your kingpin. CA requires 40' distance between the kingpin and the center of the rear trailer axle. If the distance from the center of the rear axle and the kingpin is 41' then you are illegal to drive in CA and will be ticketed.

How far apart should trailer axles be?

Expert Reply: When installing tandem axles on a trailer you want to have at least 4 inches between the tires. So if you went with the part # A225R6SMQ which has an overall diameter of 28.31 inches you would need to have the axles set at least 32.81 inches apart.

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.

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.

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.

How long should the tongue on a trailer be?

Trailer tongues need to be at least as long as half the tow vehicles width. Most cars and SUVs' range between 5' to 6 1/2' so the minimum length of tongue needs to be half of this plus a little bit more (say 8-12") to gain a margin of clearance when turning and to add stability to the trailer.

What happens if tongue weight is too heavy?

If your tongue weight exceeds the hitch weight or payload capacity of your tow vehicle, you can overload the rear axle of the tow vehicle. This can cause tire blowouts, broken studs, bottomed-out springs, bent axles, and a host of other problems.

Can you pull two 53 foot trailers?

Big-double trucks-a tractor pulling two trailers, each 40 to 53 feet long-are legal in Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota and Utah. They also are legal in Florida, Indiana, Massachusetts, New York, and Ohio but only on those state`s toll roads.

How many skids are in a 53 trailer?

How many pallets in a 53′ trailer? When understanding 53-foot trailer dimensions and weight. Calculations show a 53-foot trailer (636” long) can hold 13 pallets lengthwise, with an extra 1 foot. These wide trailers fit two rows of pallets.

How much weight does each hole on tandem slide change?

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.

What is the Tennessee bridge law?

The maximum weights are governed by the bridge formula, with 80,000 lbs maximum weights. Some things to keep in mind in the state is that twin trailers are only allowed on designated routes, and also there exist routes that only 96” wide vehicles are allowed to travel.

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).