Question from a "Non CDL' driver
 

I may have posted this question in the incorrect forum.
Hopefully this is the forum for me to use:

First of I do not hold a CDL! I'm coming to you guys to maybe help settle an ongoing "discussion" :mad: that I've been having with fellow "Non CDL drivers" as to GVW weights of trucks. The ongoing discussion is:

Does the individual axle weights total out to the "Actual" weight of the truck?

My position is that the axle weights added together is the actual weight of the truck.
For talking purposes let say we are dealing with a truck with 2 rear axles and 1 front axle.

Thanks

Answer: Not always.

Barring heavy haul and centipede permitted loads and ONLY referring to standard OTR tractor trailers there are a few variables that come into play.

First and foremost without being permitted the Maximum gross weight is 80,000 lbs. But this is not written in stone because there is a 480lb allowance if the truck is equipped with an APU totaling 80,480lbs gross max.

But we will stick with 80,000lbs just for example.

Your allowable axle weights depend on the type of trailer you are pulling; Standard tandems or spread axles.

Steer axles on the tractor max out at 12,000lbs
Drive axles on the tractor max out at 17,000lbs each (34,000lbs total)
Standard Tandems on a trailer max out per axle at 17,000 per axle (34,000lbs total)
----> Add all this up and it equals 80,000lbs.<-----

Now, what about spread axles on trailers?

Steer axle on the tractor 12,000lbs
Drive axles on the tractor 17,000lbs (34K total)
Each axle as part of a spread axle 20,000lbs each (40K total)
----> Add this all up and you got 86,000lbs gross<-----

So yes, you can be perfectly legal on axle weights and still get an overweight ticket for being over GROSS.

Whoops, looks like I mis-read your post. The answer is yes, the individual axle weights do in fact total the actual weight on the vehicle. However I hope you also find the above information helpful.

logically the total weight of the vehicle is the sum of the weight of its axles. I think there may be a difference in definition leading to the discussion. GVW and GVWR are 2 different things- the first being the actual weight, the second the weight rating as in the maximum allowable by the manufacturer.