Driving When The Truck Is Overweight
Topic 20924 | Page 2
CAT scales are accurate because they're calibrated regularly. It's the scales you'll find at customers that are normally inaccurate. Always trust a CAT scale above all else.
Yes everyone is confirming what I know, need trust my self more. rescaling does not appear to be in budget. So trainer agreed to drive to state line weight station because he thinks scale is off and they will confirm that. Hope so, they may confirm big ticket.
CAT Scale:
A network of over 1,500 certified truck scales across the U.S. and Canada found primarily at truck stops. CAT scales are by far the most trustworthy scales out there.
In fact, CAT Scale offers an unconditional Guarantee:
“If you get an overweight fine from the state after our scale showed your legal, we will immediately check our scale. If our scale is wrong, we will reimburse you for the fine. If our scale is correct, a representative of CAT Scale Company will appear in court with the driver as a witness”
Cat Scales:
A network of over 1,500 certified truck scales across the U.S. and Canada found primarily at truck stops. CAT scales are by far the most trustworthy scales out there.
In fact, CAT Scale offers an unconditional Guarantee:
“If you get an overweight fine from the state after our scale showed your legal, we will immediately check our scale. If our scale is wrong, we will reimburse you for the fine. If our scale is correct, a representative of CAT Scale Company will appear in court with the driver as a witness”
I know this is going to sound like an odd question, bear with me. Does your trailer have an air-ride suspension?
Yes it does have air ride. I think first weight he set brakes and realized it so after fueling weight again without set
I know this is going to sound like an odd question, bear with me. Does your trailer have an air-ride suspension?
Yes it does have air ride. I think first weight he set brakes and realized it so after fueling weight again without set
There is the problem. Setting the brakes throws off the balance on the air-ride suspension. It bleeds air from the bags.
Once you get the truck settled on the scale slowly release the service brakes. Set the parking brake once they get your weights. The weights he got are not accurate.
Out of curiosity what's the total?
Out of curiosity what's the total?
79740 total
Out of curiosity what's the total?
79740 total
The reason I asked you that, if the weight was less, (don't quote me, but under 70K), a "weigh-in-motion scale" (WIM) many times will "green-light" you. At that weight it will likely pull you in for a static weight because the WIM scales are not as accurate. I do however think the weights your trainer got were not entirely accurate. If the parking brakes were set, then released while on the scale, the air could not re-inflate the bags fast enough to balance the weight. That is the only thing that can explain the shifting of weight from the tandems to the tractor steers.
For future reference (especially for air-ride trailer suspensions), approach the scale slow and steady, once on the scale, get the truck settled and stopped using a light application of service brake, then slowly release it. Once the scale clerk gets the weight, then set the parking brakes. The weights will be far more accurate and likely not show a 600lb anomaly on the steers. .
Tandems:
Tandem Axles
A set of axles spaced close together, legally defined as more than 40 and less than 96 inches apart by the USDOT. Drivers tend to refer to the tandem axles on their trailer as just "tandems". You might hear a driver say, "I'm 400 pounds overweight on my tandems", referring to his trailer tandems, not his tractor tandems. Tractor tandems are generally just referred to as "drives" which is short for "drive axles".
Tandem:
Tandem Axles
A set of axles spaced close together, legally defined as more than 40 and less than 96 inches apart by the USDOT. Drivers tend to refer to the tandem axles on their trailer as just "tandems". You might hear a driver say, "I'm 400 pounds overweight on my tandems", referring to his trailer tandems, not his tractor tandems. Tractor tandems are generally just referred to as "drives" which is short for "drive axles".
G-town
Thanks. That's great information to know.
G-town
Thanks. That's great information to know.
You're welcome! I didn't see it, but Brett gave you that same advice on the previous page of this thread. I must have been typing/sending shortly after his reply was posted. At least we are consistent!
Kinda late to the party here but check your tandems too. I had a load one time where I had all the weight on the trailer tandems and the balance was actually pulling my drives up and making my steers overweight. With that gross tho its probably right and your gonna be over on your steers.
Tandems:
Tandem Axles
A set of axles spaced close together, legally defined as more than 40 and less than 96 inches apart by the USDOT. Drivers tend to refer to the tandem axles on their trailer as just "tandems". You might hear a driver say, "I'm 400 pounds overweight on my tandems", referring to his trailer tandems, not his tractor tandems. Tractor tandems are generally just referred to as "drives" which is short for "drive axles".
Tandem:
Tandem Axles
A set of axles spaced close together, legally defined as more than 40 and less than 96 inches apart by the USDOT. Drivers tend to refer to the tandem axles on their trailer as just "tandems". You might hear a driver say, "I'm 400 pounds overweight on my tandems", referring to his trailer tandems, not his tractor tandems. Tractor tandems are generally just referred to as "drives" which is short for "drive axles".
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Advice For New Truck Drivers DOT Driver Responsibilities
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I know this is going to sound like an odd question, bear with me. Does your trailer have an air-ride suspension?