New steer axle??? Overweight on steers empty.

[Waterloo]

(05-21-2021 )DT_Duh_Trucker Wrote:  

(05-21-2021 )Rawze Wrote:  my prostar is the same way. I got all my chains hung on a chain rack on opposite side of apu and reduced as much weight in the cab as I could. - I have that heavy Hendrickson front end, and mine is 12,300 bobtail with full tanks.

BTW: In that photo ... your fifth wheel looks like it right where it is supposed to be so that it does not add weight to the front end.

I know that I cannot load more than about 45,300 or so with most box trailers or I will be over 80k with mine. Some shippers complain about that, but i tell them to go screw themselves if they do.

Your def tank, and the batteries are in front of fuel tanks... where mine are behind them at back of cab. My APU is further back, right in front of the axle mud-guard as well. Those things are is likely putting yours heavier than mine. you also have that headache rack adding some weight.

Would you say my best bet is to upgrade my steer axle just to be safe in case I come across the wrong officer having a bad day? If so, roughly how much am I looking at to have a shop do that?

I priced out upgrading the front end, it was pretty cheap to go to a 14,000 lb axle, around $1200, that was a few years ago... Me, not worried, this truck handles the worst roads Michigan has to offer... And the front end has yet to collapse on me. Just throw some 16 ply steers on there and you will be good. Not worth the worry in my book. And I have hauled some heavy stuff, way over gross, no issues.

[marek4792]

Most new trucks come with a 13200lb axle nowadays, 14k on some. I run 13k upfront routinely all over the USA and nobody has said anything, Even with a 12350lb axle and 16ply tires on my old truck at my own risk of course. I would check the axle beam rating on the axle itself. Most of the time the differing ratings could simply be a set of bushings and/or leaf springs. DOT is mainly concerned with tire rating and pressure.

[Ricky]

(05-21-2021 )DT_Duh_Trucker Wrote:  Yeah I've been on the scales at a weigh station when I used to have the 5th wheel centered in the middle of the drives with some decently heavy loads 45k or so. I've never had an issue but it just takes one officer to ruin your day. So I'm considering upgrading steer axle for just in case purposes or springs. Question though if I do upgrade how do I get that registered to my truck so it shows on my door sticker?

I have pulled on so many scales knocking on 80000 and have never had anyone question the steers. I would not change the steer axle, I have been running mine since 2014. Your not doing heavy haul just flatbed, I would do 16 ply tires and get to making money. Not sure how they measure stuff in the great white north but I was raised, center of drives.

[DT_Duh_Trucker]

Thanks everybody. I'll grab me some higher rated tires and keep rolling for now. I'll be posting again tomorrow most likely. Check engine light came on :(. Getting with a well known guy in GA for some software updates for my laptop so I can check it tomorrow morning. Think it's the speed sensor but we'll see. Preciate all the responses.

[DVT873]

Been away from doing specs for a while so this may have changed. It used to 650#s per inch width of tread. In Ohio at least. So 11R22.5' would be 22 x 650 = 14,300. In big straight dump trucks the struggle is to get enough weight to the steer to take advantage of the 315s and 425s. OH usually just looks at the tires. There are trucks around here that have been converted from tractors. Guys put 315s or usually 425s on, beef up the springs and are getting 15, 16k or more on a 12K rated axle.

That WON't fly in PA. They will go off the MFG axle ratings. But weirdly for a long time did not limit overall gross per the Fed bridge formula. Soon a SA if you could get your load distributed you could haul it. Front and rear. Used to see a lot of 35k GVW SA in PA. 12 frt 23 RR. That went away when 12% FET started being applied to any straight (non tractor con fig) truck over 33k GVW.

As far as changing axles I don't know of any way to get that change legally certified. Back when CDL's came in there was a lot of paper getting slapped and pasted around to get higher rated straight trucks down to or under 26k. I had a way overaged new truck a few years ago that was 33k. If there had been a legal way that would be recognized in court I would have done it. This is all fun and games until there is an accident.

FWIW 4 things go into an axle rating. The axle rating from the axle mfg. The suspension rating, the brake rating and the tire rating. The lowest of those becomes the axle rating that your see on the spec sheet for GVWR. The overall GVW AND the brake system, air or hydraulic are coded into the front part of the VIN per Federal guidelines. Brake system endorsement can be a CDL issue on straight trucks.

[earnies2]

I had the same problem especially with tanks foward and a headache rack
Hear is how I solved it
First I bought 2 new load range H 16 ply tires
Then I went to my local spring shop and asked them to add a extra leaf on each side to bring up the suspension to 14,600 then the spring shop added the modification sticker in the door jamb.
PROBLEM SOLVED....

[Waterloo]

I was up in Minnesota the other day, the scale house on West bound I-94 out of Hudson WI... They pulled me in around to the backside scale, I was 13,100 on the steers with an empty dry van, they saw the tractor/bumper and let me go. At least near as I can figure. The tractor looks like it would be a heavy haul double frame 14,000+ axle unit with the lift axle.

But, I will be doing the same with my front end, I know I will be doing the king pins here in the next year, and I am finally making some money, so the springs are now back on the to do list, as it looks like I can now afford to do that work.

[Yauchout]

(05-21-2021 )Waterloo Wrote:  

(05-21-2021 )DT_Duh_Trucker Wrote:  

(05-21-2021 )Rawze Wrote:  my prostar is the same way. I got all my chains hung on a chain rack on opposite side of apu and reduced as much weight in the cab as I could. - I have that heavy Hendrickson front end, and mine is 12,300 bobtail with full tanks.

BTW: In that photo ... your fifth wheel looks like it right where it is supposed to be so that it does not add weight to the front end.

I know that I cannot load more than about 45,300 or so with most box trailers or I will be over 80k with mine. Some shippers complain about that, but i tell them to go screw themselves if they do.

Your def tank, and the batteries are in front of fuel tanks... where mine are behind them at back of cab. My APU is further back, right in front of the axle mud-guard as well. Those things are is likely putting yours heavier than mine. you also have that headache rack adding some weight.

Would you say my best bet is to upgrade my steer axle just to be safe in case I come across the wrong officer having a bad day? If so, roughly how much am I looking at to have a shop do that?

I priced out upgrading the front end, it was pretty cheap to go to a 14,000 lb axle, around $1200, that was a few years ago... Me, not worried, this truck handles the worst roads Michigan has to offer... And the front end has yet to collapse on me. Just throw some 16 ply steers on there and you will be good. Not worth the worry in my book. And I have hauled some heavy stuff, way over gross, no issues.

my lonestar is the same I have a 12350 steer running 16 ply tires and tend to be 12800 on my steers with full tanks of fuel I have a magnum trailer moose guard and 140 gallon fuel tanks 650K miles so far without any problems i have had Tennessee check the tire rating one time they weren't worried about the axle its self