Where To Set The Tandems ?
Topic 2294 | Page 3
When I was going through training, my trainer told me that a good place to set your tandums until you can get to a CAT scale , is to set the tandums under the rear of the load (or as close as you can). 9 times out of 10, that will be very close.
Ernie
Agree, this usually works okay for me. My current FL has a percentage gauge and at 60% on the drives, they weigh just under 34K which, on a legal weight under 80K gross, will keep your trailer tandems weight legal as well.
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".
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”
Also after a while you will know if you are out of balance with how the truck pulls
I dont know where people get this but it's not true. You can't feel it if you're 500 or 1000 pounds over one set of tandems on an 80,000 pound truck. No chance. The only reason I mention this is because I don't want people thinking, "It's probably fine. It feels fine." and then getting an overweight ticket because they didn't bother to scale it out.
I've heard people say this a million times before. It's a common myth. It's simply not true.
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".
From what I found out for trailers of the company I work for:
They are mostly 6" holes, so I count holes from the rear of trailer beginning from the tandem slide stopper(blind hole, usually the second "hole" if you count from the very far one).
43'(kingpin to center of rear tandem axle) will be at 10th hole; 42'(kingpin to center of rear tandem axle) will be at 12th hole; 41'(kingpin to center of rear tandem axle) will be at 14th hole; 40'(kingpin to center of rear tandem axle) will be at 12th hole;
AND, from center of tandem to center of rear tandem axle is TWO FEET.
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".
When I was going through training, my trainer told me that a good place to set your tandums until you can get to a CAT scale , is to set the tandums under the rear of the load (or as close as you can). 9 times out of 10, that will be very close.
Ernie
Agree, this usually works okay for me. My current FL has a percentage gauge and at 60% on the drives, they weigh just under 34K which, on a legal weight under 80K gross, will keep your trailer tandems weight legal as well.
Just to be clear, I guess I should have said this will work until you can get to a CAT scale to check it. I would never advocate not scaling out a load if you are not sure. Getting forgetful in my old age.
Ernie
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".
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”
Also after a while you will know if you are out of balance with how the truck pulls
I dont know where people get this but it's not true. You can't feel it if you're 500 or 1000 pounds over one set of tandems on an 80,000 pound truck. No chance. The only reason I mention this is because I don't want people thinking, "It's probably fine. It feels fine." and then getting an overweight ticket because they didn't bother to scale it out.
I've heard people say this a million times before. It's a common myth. It's simply not true.
i was able to tell that i was over gross when i was 81000 pounds. I can tell when the balance is off. If its 33250 on the drives and 34250 on the trailer i cannot tell, but if its 25000 on the drives and 33000 on the trailer i can tell.
I cannot pull it and say what the weights are but i can tell if its fairly balanced. I always move my tandems to balance the load as that gets me better mileage and it pulls better. IMO it pulls best if the drives are about 1000-1500 more then the trailer as long as you are legal.
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".
When all is said and done still scale it. No shipper will ever take your word for it if you are too heavy or cannot get the axles right. you got to have that ticket in hand, always cover your butt.
Shipper:
The customer who is shipping the freight. This is where the driver will pick up a load and then deliver it to the receiver or consignee.
IMO it pulls best if the drives are about 1000-1500 more then the trailer as long as you are legal.
I second this, tried once on a load with tandem stuck on rear, 34540 on DRV, 32280 on TNDM, but gives me 7.5MPG tho. It's Gross 78320 btw.
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".
Dm:
Dispatcher, Fleet Manager, Driver Manager
The primary person a driver communicates with at his/her company. A dispatcher can play many roles, depending on the company's structure. Dispatchers may assign freight, file requests for home time, relay messages between the driver and management, inform customer service of any delays, change appointment times, and report information to the load planners.
Thank you for this Info. I been out a couple weeks and have been lucky with my weights being spot on. The trick of putting the tandems under the end of the load works great In my opinion
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".
Rick, that's exactly what I do and I'm usually good. It's my employers policy to scale every load. I eyeball the load and how far back in the trailer it goes and put my tandems well underneath the last pallets on the load.
I know my truck and our trailers well enough that I can feel it if the tractor is too light or too heavy in the way my truck handles. I also have a psi guage but I'm better with just putting the tandems under the load. I count panels/ rivets to the end of the load inside the trailer as I'm closing my doors, then place the tandems a few feet ahead of that mark/line on the outside.
Hope that makes sense. Then I go to the nearest CAT scale.
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".
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”
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There are many different methods.. IMO as you do it you get a feel for it depending on what you are hauling as well as if you can see the load or not. Also after a while you will know if you are out of balance with how the truck pulls.
I have been shown about a dozen different methods none are better then others just different. Personally i hit the trailer yo find out how far the load goes back in the trailer and put the tandems under the end of the load if i cannot see it and that generally gives me balanced weights.
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".