Pucker Factor

Took US 191 to US 26 into Idaho Falls yesterday. Beautiful drive! That is until the wind hit! The last 30 miles where brutal. 25 to 30+ straight line wind with some nasty gusts. Thankfully I was stretched out and had a little weight (37k) in the box.

If you're headed into the Idaho I-15, I-84 or I-86 area today use extreme caution. Weather forecast is for 30 to 40 straight lines and up to 60 gusts.

Stay safe!

Please take a good look at this...

Please take a good look at this...

Thanks for reposting the wind chart G-Town. I was in the "sketchy" zone yesterday. Today I'm empty and the wind is kicking up already this morning. Guess I'll be setting. Grrr. But that's better than becoming a statistic.

Please take a good look at this...

Thanks for reposting the wind chart G-Town. I was in the "sketchy" zone yesterday. Today I'm empty and the wind is kicking up already this morning. Guess I'll be setting. Grrr. But that's better than becoming a statistic.

Welcome!

Yes Sir. I reposted it for everyone’s benefit, and your decisions are spot-on! An empty trailer becomes a 53’ sail in 60 mph wind gusts.

G-Town, from your experiences how often does Wal-Mart load tail heavy? Sam's Club load was very tail heavy. Had the tandems all the way back and was still light on my drives. 37k net load 29k drives and 30k tandems. Legal and all but still goofy.

That wind chart, saved that months ago and reference it often. Thank you!

Problem is the wind there can come out of nowhere and although beautiful, there are very few places to park up that route. If you go over the highest point on US 191 it is like 11k foot elevation (about the same as Vail), but just a few pull offs to stop without any services or facilities. There are a couple weigh stations to stop so keep an eye on them. I always get to that roundabout and forget which way to go then realize I am headed uphill and turn around lol

Glad you are safe Dave

G-Town, from your experiences how often does Wal-Mart load tail heavy? Sam's Club load was very tail heavy. Had the tandems all the way back and was still light on my drives. 37k net load 29k drives and 30k tandems. Legal and all but still goofy.

That wind chart, saved that months ago and reference it often. Thank you!

That’s not all that bad though.

Based on my experience, roughly 10% of the time you are tail heavy, almost always with Remix (dry). And usually full water pallets are the culprit . That’s why I scale every load and like you, balance it without going beyond the basic boundary of KingPin law.

I had one last Saturday. 2 water pallets in position 29 and 30. 5000 pounds behind the tandems. Front of the truck were lighter pallets. After scaling and reweighing my axle loads were; steers 11,600, drives 28,700, and tandems 33,500. Tandems were in the 12 hole (regular spacing 6” center-to-center).

What are "water pallets"? (Exposing my ignorance again, but maybe I'm not the only one wondering.)

What are "water pallets"? (Exposing my ignorance again, but maybe I'm not the only one wondering.)

Reading "water-pallets" from your point of view; that could be confusing. I think though that G-Town is simply referring to pallets loaded with bottles of water. Lol! That's my take anyway.

What are "water pallets"? (Exposing my ignorance again, but maybe I'm not the only one wondering.)

Reading "water-pallets" from your point of view; that could be confusing. I think though that G-Town is simply referring to pallets loaded with bottles of water. Lol! That's my take anyway.

I'm guessing that water pallets are a reefer thing, which would explain why this box hauling old man doesn't know the term. We'll see, I'm sure G-Town will explain.