CDL Practice Tests: Weight & Balance

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Question #645 (1 of 10)

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What factor has the greatest affect on how much weight is moved per hole in the tandem slider rail?

  • The amount of fuel you have onboard
  • The center of gravity of the cargo
  • The distance between the locking pin holes
  • The distance from the drive axles to the trailer tandems
The distance between the locking pin holes on the trailer will be the main factor affecting how much weight is moved per hole. This distance varies between the different trailer manufacturers, and the larger the distance between the holes, the more weight will be shifted with each hole.
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Question #659 (2 of 10)

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What is the safe number to use in calculations for the weight of fuel?

  • 6 pounds per gallon
  • 7.25 pounds per gallon
  • 8 pounds per gallon
  • 10 pounds per gallon
The precise weight of diesel fuel will vary based on temperature and humidity, but is generally around 7.25-7.5 pounds per gallon. So the safest bet is to use 8 pounds per gallon as the number you'll plug into your calculations, and that's what we're going to use here.
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Question #672 (3 of 10)

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Using the following numbers for your calculations, how much weight will come off your steer axle?

Miles per gallon: 7
Miles travelled: 280
Percenatage of fuel weight on steer axle: 80%

  • 280 pounds
  • 300 pounds
  • 256 pounds
  • 310 pounds
To calculate the percentage of a value, you simply multiply the total value times the percentage you're looking for, and then divide by 100.
If you're getting 7 miles per gallon and you travel 280 miles:

280/7 = 40 gallons of fuel

40 gallons x 8 pounds per gallon = 320 pounds of total fuel burned off

Since 80% of the weight of fuel goes on our steer axle, we need to know what 80% of 320 is:

80 x 320 / 100 = 256 pounds coming off the steer axle
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Question #673 (4 of 10)

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Using the following numbers for your calculations, how much weight will come off your drive axles?

Miles per gallon: 6
Miles travelled: 360
Percentage of fuel weight on drive axles: 30%

  • 200 pounds
  • 210 pounds
  • 144 pounds
  • 300 pounds
To calculate the percentage of a value, you simply multiply the total value times the percentage you're looking for, and then divide by 100.
If you're getting 6 miles per gallon and you travel 360 miles:

360/6 = 60 gallons of fuel

60 gallons x 8 pounds per gallon = 480 pounds of total fuel burned off

Since 30% of the weight of fuel goes on our drive axles, we need to know what 30% of 480 is:

30 x 480 / 100 = 144 pounds coming off the drive axles
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Question #634 (5 of 10)

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What is low-speed offtracking?

  • When making a high speed turn, the momentum carried by the trailer will cause it to swing wide and possibly outside the lane of travel
  • When a trailer's tandem axles are slightly out of alignment, the rear of the trailer will track off to one side or another instead of directly behind the tractor
  • When taking off from a dead stop, the initial torque of the engine on the drivetrain will cause a slight offtracking of the tractor which could be a hazard to other traffic
  • When a combination vehicle makes a low-speed turn the wheels of the rearmost trailer axle follow a path several feet inside the path of the tractor steering axle.
When a combination vehicle makes a low-speed turn - for example a 90-degree turn at an intersection - the wheels of the rearmost trailer axle follow a path several feet inside the path of the tractor steering axle. This is called low-speed offtracking.
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Question #628 (6 of 10)

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Adding or burning off fuel will mainly change the amount of weight on which axles?

  • Trailer tandems only
  • Steer axle and somewhat on your drive axles
  • Drive axles only
  • Drive axles and somewhat on your trailer tandems
Adding or burning off fuel will mainly change the amount of weight on your steer axle and somewhat on your drive axles
Most of the weight of the fuel will go on your steer axle. The percentage of weight distributed between your steer and drive axles with regard to fuel will depend on the placement of your fuel tanks.
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Question #632 (7 of 10)

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Why did Congress enacted the Bridge Formula in 1975?

  • To limit the weight-to-length ratio of a vehicle crossing a bridge.
  • To prevent over-width trucks from becoming a hazard on narrow bridges
  • To prevent the maximum tire load rating from being exceeded by narrow axle spacing
  • To regulate the building of bridge structures so they can support the weight of heavy modern trucks
Congress enacted the Bridge Formula in 1975 to limit the weight-to-length ratio of a vehicle crossing a bridge.
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Question #674 (8 of 10)

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Sliding the 5th wheel will change the weight distribution almost exclusively between which sets of axles?

  • The drive axles and the trailer tandems
  • The steer axle is the only one affected by fuel
  • The steer axle and the trailer tandems
  • The steer axle and the drive axles
Sliding the 5th wheel will change the weight distribution almost exclusively between the steer axle and the drive axles.
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Question #637 (9 of 10)

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In Oregon, the maximum weight on the steer axle is listed as 600 pounds per inch of tire tread width up to 20,000 pounds. Your steer tires have a load rating of 6,150 pounds each and are 10 inches wide. What is the maximum legal weight your steer axle can carry in Oregon?

  • 12,000 pounds
  • 20,000 pounds
  • 12,300 pounds
  • 15,500 pounds
Kentucky has a limit of 700 pounds per inch of tread width. So if you have a 10 inch wide tire tread, you are allowed a maximum of 7,000 pounds per tire (700 pounds per inch x 10 inches wide) or 14,000 pounds total for the steer axle.

You must find the most restrictive law to determine your maximum legal weight.

The maximum Oregon allows is 20,000 pounds on the steer axle

The load rating on your tires is 6,150, which would put your maximum legal weight at 12,300 pounds regardless of the fact that there are less restrictive laws.

The maximum Oregon allows by weight is 600 pounds per inch. You have 10 inch tires so that would be a maximum of 6000 pounds per tire, or 12,000 pounds on the steer axle, which is the most restrictive of the various laws. Therefore, 12,000 pounds is your legal limit in this truck in Oregon.

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Question #653 (10 of 10)

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Ideally, where would you like the cargo's center of gravity located?

  • Just slightly behind the tractor's drive axles
  • Roughly centered between the steer axle and the trailer tandems
  • Centered between your drive axles and your trailer tandems.
  • About 10 feet to the rear the center point of the trailer
You'll want to have the cargo loaded into the trailer so that the center of gravity is centered between your drive axles and your trailer tandems.
If the center of gravity of the cargo is too far to the front or rear of the vehicle, it is entirely possible that you will not be able to get your axle weights legal without reloading the cargo itself.
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About The Weight And Balance Section

This section was created by Trucking Truth to help people understand how to load cargo, scale the truck, and understand the laws about truck weight limits. These materials will not be on your written CDL exams but it is critical that every truck driver knows these materials.

Types Of Weight Limits

There are four basic weight limits: single axle, tandem axle, bridge formula, and gross vehicle. The Federal Standards are as follows:

  • 20,000 pounds single axle weight
  • 34,000 pounds tandem axle weight
  • 80,000 pounds gross vehicle weight
  • Bridge Formula Calculations

Why Do These Different Weight Limits Exist?

There are a long list of critical safety issues which require putting limitations on the gross weight, axle weights, the weight distribution across the length of a vehicle, and the weight distribution across a minimum number of axles.

  • Putting too much weight on a small area of the road surface can cause ruts, cracks, and potholes
  • Putting too much weight on a small area of a bridge surface can cause structural damage to the bridge
  • Too much weight on your steer axle can lead to a "heavy steering" feel and may cause the truck to react improperly to steering inputs
  • Not enough weight on your steer axle can lead to a loss of traction for your steer tires
  • Improper weight balance between your tractor drive tires and trailer tandems can lead to poor traction and an increased risk of jackknifing
  • Too much weight toward the back of the trailer can lead to a "pendulum effect", causing the rear of the trailer to sway back and forth while driving down the highway or jackknife going around a curve
  • Overloading a tire beyond it's maximum tire load capacity can cause tire damage and blowouts
  • Overloading the suspension system of the truck can cause damage to the suspension system which could easily lead to loss of control of the vehicle

So as you can see, it's critical in so many ways to make sure that we follow the weight limits in strict accordance with the law. It is incredibly dangerous to overload a vehicle or to have the weight improperly distributed across the axles.

Methods Of Weight Transfer

There are several ways to distribute the overall weight of the vehicle across the different sets of axles. You will affect weight distribution by:

  • Changing the weight distribution of the cargo along the length of the trailer, or moving the cargo around after loading the truth. This will distribute the weight mainly between your drive axles and trailer tandems
  • Sliding your trailer tandems forward or backward will redistribute the weight mainly between your drive axles and trailer tandems
  • Sliding your 5th wheel will redistribute the weight mainly between your steer axle and your drive axles
  • Adding or burning off fuel will mainly change the amount of weight on your steer axle and somewhat on your drive axles also, depending upon the placement of your fuel tanks.

Limitations On Weight Transfer

There are several factors that will reduce the amount of weight we can transfer between the different sets of axles on the truck:

  • Federal laws limit the maximum weight on any set of axles and the gross vehicle weight - 20,000 pounds single axle, 34,000 pound tandem axles, 80,000 pounds GVW
  • The bridge law formula limits the maximum amount of weight you can carry across any set of axles based upon the number of axles and the spacing between them (we'll discuss this formula soon).
  • The maximum legal length allowed between your trailer kingpin and your trailer tandems will limit how far back you can slide your tandems
  • The load rating of the tires you have will determine the maximum amount of weight allowed on any particular tire
  • The load rating of the suspension system will limit the amount of weight you can have on any axle

The Bridge Formula

bridge law formula and regulations for trucks

Congress enacted the Bridge Formula in 1975 to limit the weight-to-length ratio of a vehicle crossing a bridge. They accomplished this either by spreading weight over additional axles or by increasing the distance between axles.

The idea here was to prevent putting too much weight on a relatively small area, causing damage to the road surface and bridge structure. By requiring trucks to spread the weight across a longer distance and distributing the weight across more axles, you help prevent damage to the bridges and roadways.

Compliance with Bridge Formula weight limits is determined by using the following formula:

W = the overall gross weight on any group of two or more consecutive axles to the nearest 500 pounds.

L = the distance in feet between the outer axles of any group of two or more consecutive axles.

N = the number of axles in the group under consideration.

Altering The Weight Distribution

The primary factors which will affect the weight distribution across a truck's axles are:

  • The position of the trailer's tandems
  • The position of the tractor's 5th wheel
  • The overall weight of the cargo in the trailer and the horizontal (front-to-back) position of its center of gravity
  • The amount of fuel onboard and the placement of the fuel tanks

In the coming pages, we'll go through these one at a time and learn to apply each one individually. Later we'll put them all together and show you how to get your truck's weight distribution legal out on the highways, coast to coast, under any circumstances.

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