Not exactly an XJ

[Paddletrucker]

Getting ready to pull out of Denver with a set of triples. It makes Denver traffic sooooo much more interesting:D:p

http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15/04/04/2db73bc050735f93e934038825f10057.jpg

[4.3LXJ]

Don't you just love all that weaving behind you?

[Paddletrucker]

Nah, I don't look back there if it gets scary.😁😀

[Paddletrucker]

They really don't weave around too bad most of the time. If they do, you just slow down until you get them gathered back up and following you.

[4.3LXJ]

I figure that is what you would have to do. Scares me being behind them

[denverd1]

It's best if you just ignore it! Grand likes gets weavey towing. If you respond to it, it just gets worse!

[KH96XJ]

At least they aren't three 53' trailers :)

[bruggz351]

At least they aren't three 53' trailers :)

Like an Aussie road train?

http://www.ourterritory.com/katherine_region/images/roadtrain_cattle.jpg

:rolleye0012:;)

[abebehrmann]

I've been wondering for a little while now, why do some semis have two driven axles but some (like the one you have pictured) only have one? Is it just a maneuverability thing? I would think the two axle ones would be able to pull more but it looks like yours is doing just fine pulling 3 trailers!

[Paddletrucker]

Having two axles doesn't mean you can pull more, just that you can have more weight on the tractor. For instance, on the set up I have pictured, I can weigh 12,500 on the steer axles and 20,000 pounds on each axle after that. I cannot exceed a gross weight of 120,000lbs.

The truck I own is a twin screw (it has two drive axles) and I can have 34,500lbs on the 5th wheel and 12,500 on the steer axle. Normal tandem axle trailers can have 34,500 on the trailer axles also. If it is a trailer with the axles spread at least 10 feet apart, then they count as single axles. EACH axle can have 20,000lbs on it. That's why you see spread axle trailers, commonly called 10' 2" spread. It gives you the additional 5,500lbs since it is technically two single axles, rather than a tandem axle set.

As to your question as why? Well, there wouldn't be a need for the tractor I'm driving to be a twin screw. With the shorter 28' single axle trailers, it's easy to distribute the weight so that it doesn't exceed the 20,000 pound limit. With the double trailers, you can haul things you couldn't in a single longer trailer due to weight distribution.

Most tractor/trailers you see have 5 axles and can gross 80,000lbs. It can be 12,500 on the tractors' steer axle, 34,500lbs on the drive axles, and 34,500 on the trailer axles, unless it os a spread axle trailer, then you can go 40,000lbs. You cannot exceed 80,000lbs.

A set of doubles being pulled by a single axle tractor can still gross 80,000 but you can put 20,000 on each axle (still 12,500 up front on the steer axle). The weight distribution is much esier. We can load a set of doubles heavier with more freight than a single trailer. Two 28' trailers as opposed to one 53' trailer. You can (and we often do) load everything right to the maximum allowable limit and be legal. You COULD NEVER do that with a tandem axle tractor and a 53' trailer. I can also take a trailer that is maxed out and it will scale out legal on the single acle tractor. If the tractor was a tandem axle. It would be about 1,600 to 1,800 pounds over gross weight. Also, itd be unnecessary and just use up more $500 tires. We have scales that weigh each individual axle at almost all of our locations, so we can make sure it's all legit. The forklifts that load trailers have scales on the forks, so the operators know what they're putting on. They're pretty good. I don't have to take one back very often to tell them it's too heavy.

The outfit in the pic above has a special permit to gross 120,000. I still cannot exceed the 20K axle weight limits. We also pull double long trailers. Lots more rules and regulations there.

Confused yet? Let me start in on how many hours we can work a day and how it has to be divided up. Or fuel taxes paid to each state we drive in so that each state gets paid fuel tax even if we don't purchase fuel in said state. LOL

Government regulations. Ain't they sweet?

[Paddletrucker]

Oh, by the way, the truck pictured is a 2013 Freightliner Cascadia. It has a 15 liter 500hp ISX Cummins that is derated to 350hp and a mere 1200 ft/lbs of torque. Hardly a powerhouse in the mountains. It has a 3.70 axle ratio and an overdrive 10 speed transmission. Pretty basic stuff but we load them to the max and use them all over the US and Canada. They work just fine, but we do get passeda lot, especially on the hills.

For comparison, my tractor that now sits lonely in my front yard since I took this job, is a 1996 Freightliner FLD and has a 15 liter Caterpillar motor that is 'not exactly stock' and puts out almost 600hp to the ground. It has a 3.55 axle ratio and an 18 speed double overdrive transmission. The torque is set at about 2100, but I doubt I've ever used over 1800. I DO NOT get passed very often in it. [emoji1] [emoji41]

[bruggz351]

Having two axles doesn't mean you can pull more, just that you can have more weight on the tractor. For instance, on the set up I have pictured, I can weigh 12,500 on the steer axles and 20,000 pounds on each axle after that. I cannot exceed a gross weight of 120,000lbs.

The truck I own is a twin screw (it has two drive axles) and I can have 34,500lbs on the 5th wheel and 12,500 on the steer axle. Normal tandem axle trailers can have 34,500 on the trailer axles also. If it is a trailer with the axles spread at least 10 feet apart, then they count as single axles. EACH axle can have 20,000lbs on it. That's why you see spread axle trailers, commonly called 10' 2" spread. It gives you the additional 5,500lbs since it is technically two single axles, rather than a tandem axle set.

As to your question as why? Well, there wouldn't be a need for the tractor I'm driving to be a twin screw. With the shorter 28' single axle trailers, it's easy to distribute the weight so that it doesn't exceed the 20,000 pound limit. With the double trailers, you can haul things you couldn't in a single longer trailer due to weight distribution.

Most tractor/trailers you see have 5 axles and can gross 80,000lbs. It can be 12,500 on the tractors' steer axle, 34,500lbs on the drive axles, and 34,500 on the trailer axles, unless it os a spread axle trailer, then you can go 40,000lbs. You cannot exceed 80,000lbs.

A set of doubles being pulled by a single axle tractor can still gross 80,000 but you can put 20,000 on each axle (still 12,500 up front on the steer axle). The weight distribution is much esier. We can load a set of doubles heavier with more freight than a single trailer. Two 28' trailers as opposed to one 53' trailer. You can (and we often do) load everything right to the maximum allowable limit and be legal. You COULD NEVER do that with a tandem axle tractor and a 53' trailer. I can also take a trailer that is maxed out and it will scale out legal on the single acle tractor. If the tractor was a tandem axle. It would be about 1,600 to 1,800 pounds over gross weight. Also, itd be unnecessary and just use up more $500 tires. We have scales that weigh each individual axle at almost all of our locations, so we can make sure it's all legit. The forklifts that load trailers have scales on the forks, so the operators know what they're putting on. They're pretty good. I don't have to take one back very often to tell them it's too heavy.

The outfit in the pic above has a special permit to gross 120,000. I still cannot exceed the 20K axle weight limits. We also pull double long trailers. Lots more rules and regulations there.

Confused yet? Let me start in on how many hours we can work a day and how it has to be divided up. Or fuel taxes paid to each state we drive in so that each state gets paid fuel tax even if we don't purchase fuel in said state. LOL

Government regulations. Ain't they sweet?

I'm stuffed after readin that. :smiley-gen165:

Too many numbers. :D That's why I only drove pantecs.;):cool:

[autotech98]

Both my uncles drive..only local anymore. Ones got a pete 379 classic and the other drives a k whopper.

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