Help Me Settle A Disagreement On Weight Ratings.......

[kentuckydiesel]

Okay, I am told that all tri-axle straight trucks can only gross 73,000lbs, no matter how they are built. Correct or not?

I am told that is because you need 4 axles to gross 73,000lbs (1 front, 3 rear), And to hit 80,000, you need 5 axles (4 rear, 1 front).

If this is true, it is federal regulations about weight per axle, not manufacturer's ratings, correct?

So the DM800 that I was recently told about with a triple frame and 65,000lb rears would have a higher manufacturer's weight rating that 73,000, but if it was a tri-axle, it could only gross 73,000?????

Sorry for all the dumb questions. -phillip

[bulldoggin']

Are you in the coal field country? Because you can diffirent weights than the others. I am runnin a quad axle mack an only can haul 66,120 little over 19 tons. If I was 50 or 60 miles up the road I could hit the coal field weight than up my tonage. It also depends on the length from the center of the front axle to the center of the very back tandom axle.

[HK Trucking]

It depends on what State you're hauling in.

In WI for example, a tandem axle truck (10 wheeler) can gross 54,000 lbs legally.

A triaxle can gross 65,000 lbs legally.

A quad axle can gross 73,000 lbs legally.

A semi trailer combination with a tandem axle tractor and a tri axle trailer can gross 80,000 lbs legally.

Almost every one of the 50 states has their own rules regarding axle weights and gross weights.

[rick harper]

It can get confusing. Here in Oklahoma a tri axle straight truck can legally carry a total of 62K, but we also have bridge law(distance from the center of your steer axle to the center of your rear most axle), and usually a straight is not long enough to carry that weight even if the axles,tires and wheels are certified to carry that weight and usually its ass end heavy so your screwed(overloaded). I could go on and on and on and on about this. Just start reading articles about this and it will come to light. Tractors carry 80K have to be 51ft in length or longer.

Every state is a little different. It's a revenue raiser for the states.

[greg]

Here in vermont a tri axel is 60,000 but with overweight permit is 69,000. A tandem is 55,000 , with overweight permit its 60,000. That is on state highway only, on interstate they go by axel weight. So a tandem or a tri axel can only gross 46,000. But if you have a pup trailer and are 51 feet from center of steer axel to center of rear most axel you can register for 80,000 if you have 5 axels.

greg

[AutomaticMack]

And if your a Ohio truck doing business in the great state of michigan, you will get pulled over on a daily basis.

Just like me.....They keep pulling me over day after day on I-94 just west of detroit, but they cant get anything on this old MACK! Big difference between Ohio and michigan axle limits. Is it me or is michigan a corrupt money grubbing state?

[Lmackattack]

And if your a Ohio truck doing business in the great state of michigan, you will get pulled over on a daily basis.

Just like me.....They keep pulling me over day after day on I-94 just west of detroit, but they cant get anything on this old MACK! Big difference between Ohio and michigan axle limits. Is it me or is michigan a corrupt money grubbing state?

MI is a sad state

I got a speeding ticket for 58 in a 55. and they wonder why they get a bad name

[maxidyne237]

in New Jersey you can get special constructor plates that alow you to carry 70,000lbs on a tandem, . tri axle you can haul 80,000lb. tandem tractor and tandem trailer 80,000lbs and they rarely inforce axle weights just gross.

[kevin mccune]

they are money grubbers here too in Va. they just love to write you over axle-protecting the public from these bad truck drivers trying to make a living The exceptions the state has are ludicrus personally I would like to see them do away with the 1-5% overload stickers-generally they dont honor those permits on interstate -Kevin

[GearheadGrrrl]

Here in Minnesota they prety much go by "Formula B", and you need a rally stretched out truck to haul anywhere near as much as some of the eastern states.

Here in Minnesota they prety much go by "Formula B", and you need a rally stretched out truck to haul anywhere near as much as some of the eastern states.

[GearheadGrrrl]

Ooops, bumped the mouse button too soon...

Here in Minnesota they pretty much go by "Formula B", and you need a really stretched out truck to haul anywhere near as much as some of the eastern states. For example, you need at least about 260 inches of wheelbase to gross the maximum 54K pounds on 3 axles. Adding a tag axle with at least about 280 inches of wheelbase will give you 62K on 4 axles. Adding both tag and pusher axles with the longest wheelbase available on a Granite, 300 inches, will allow you to run at a mere 68k pounds. The only way you'll be able to be legal with the full 80K pounds in our 45 foot length limit on a straight truck is with 7 axles stretched out over 33 1/2 feet! With all those tag and pusher axles located so far from the drive axles, even lifted they'll hang up the truck a lot off road and get it stuck if they don't tweak the frame. Thusly almost no one has tried to legally gross 80K on a straight truck here. It's no surprise that tractor trailer combinations predominate here for construction trucks hauling the maximum load, with a few truck and pup combinations thrown in for good measure.

Meanwhile 37 miles from me in Wisconsin you can carry just about as much weight on a lighter 5 axle straight truck grossing 73K, and they've got a better football team and more bars too. To the west is South Dakota though, with no maximum GCW and only bridge formula to limit your load. They'd laugh at the 5 axle straight truck from the land of beer and cheese there, until you hook at least a 5 axle trailer on behind. Heck, in South Dakota I've seen more than a few 15 axle combinations with over 90 feet between the outer axles. They're legal at over 150K, and at present Mack doesn't have a truck that'll pull such a combination in the dirt.