[Darin Younce]

Thanks special K . I too believe a car on the head rack would throw most
weight on the front axle ( nodoubt) . I also believe I would be over weight on that front axle unless I had a car on the very back of the bed or a car on the wheellift. The rollback bed is 28 ft. Starting from the front of the bed it would measure like this , front of bed to tag axle 11ft 8 in, tag axle to rear axle 4 ft, rear axle to rear end of bed 12ft 4 in, then
ofcoarse I have the wheellift which extends back even further. There is no doubt that a car on the rear of the bed or on the wheel lift would offset
the weight on the front , I just need to figure out how much !

[jorlee]

What's the measurement from the front axle to the pusher axle?

Is the pusher axle air ride?
If so, do you have a adjustment valve to put more weight on the pusher?
How much weight is on the pusher when it's down, and how much weight does it take off the steers when down?


What i see for your legal weight is. 12350 (may be 12K depending on how picky scale master is) + 7280+20000=39630.

[Darin Younce]

It is 18 ft 8 in from front axle to the pusher axle ( so thats what its called ) . The pusher axle is air ride and yes there is an adjustment . I do not know how much weight it has on it nor do I know how much pressure it takes off the front if any. I will go to a scale and try to get some figures.

[Darin Younce]

One other thing , is it possible when I weighed it I did it wrong? . I had never been thru a scale before that day and have yet to weigh it since.
I remember pulling up thru the scale and having my front tires on the pad ( or whatever you call it) .

On my trip this week I never got weighed just inspected. When the lady at Frankfurt asked me (while I was getting my Ifta, Irp and UCR) my empty weight I told her and she said quote" that sounds high for a
kodiak the class 8 tractors dont weigh that much ". I explained that it had a rollback bed ,head rack ,tag axle and wheel lift , she still insisted it was not that heavy .

PS someone please educate me on what I am doing wrong with these post, seems I can't get the sentences from being out of whack.

Do not hit enter at all, just keep typing unless you want a blank space in between paragraphs.

[Darin Younce]

Hey no_ worries ( wish I could say that) Thanks for the advise. The thing I don't understand is how in the world is this truck capable of hauling 4 cars legally. I mean if the gross is 33,000 and it weighs 22,900, that only leaves 10,100 and I know 4 cars weigh more that that. I saw at least a dozen of them up at manhiem PA and other places on this trip and I know all of them can't be over weight. You see my confusion , tire weight, axle weight, gvwr -------- Crap !

[Darin Younce]

Thanks Steve, Heck I can't even post a message correct, how in the crap am I going to ever drive a truck for a living. Seems I have been doing stupid stuff all week . I guess going thru WV lowered my IQ , oops I should have not said that after all I live in Kentucky . Now for one question what is the gvwr on your tractor or any class 8 tractor for that matter?

Originally Posted by Darin Younce

Thanks Steve, Heck I can't even post a message correct, how in the crap am I going to ever drive a truck for a living.

You are no different. I went through all the same stuff. I just didn't post most of it....lol

The total gross vehicle weight of my truck and trailer is 80,000. With my truck and trailer fully stocked and full fuel it weighs 32,600 so that means I can carry 47,400 of cargo.

32,600 + 47,400 = 80,000

My steer axle can scale at 12,000 max

My 2 drive axles can scale at 34,000 max

Each of my trailer tandems can scale at 20,000 per axle.

This does not mean you can add all those up like this

12,000 + 34,000 + 20,000 + 20,000 = 86,000

I can only scale a total of 80,000

Some times I only have a small load like 30,000 but if I were to put it all the way up front on my trailer I could be over weight on my drives or steers so I have to watch it.

It won't take long for it all to make sense to you.

Have you weighed your truck empty with full tanks and what is it?

[merrick4]

Just relax Darin. You know my first job out of CDL school was a local job and the first night out on my own, I was so nervous while backing up I hit a yellow pole.

I was nervous as it was then the security guard at the hospital wanted to help me back up and he's waiving me back (I rather just be left alone and go slow and not have some watching me. I mean when I'm trying to learn something, obviously now that I'm comfortable backing up I appreciate a second set of eyes).

So there I was on my first job, local yet and that was the only place in town that would hire someone right out of school, and I'm standing there at 1AM with a banged up truck. That was a nasty feeling I tell you.

So you had a bad first week, but you learned and you didn't crash and it's only going to get better. Just take a deep breath and move on.