Tandem Sliding and 5th Wheel Sliding

Before attempting to move the fifth wheel or tandems on a trailer, lock interlock and go to lowest gear.

How do you balance a load?

 

 

 

 

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Carrying a weight on a stick, who has the most weight? It is the person closest to the load.

 

To balance the load, move it to the middle, equal distance from each person. In other words, move the load closer to person B or move person B closer to the load.

 

When balancing a truck, you have 3 points where weight is distributed: (1) steering axle, (2) drive tandems, (3) trailer tandems.

 

The principle is the same. When you want to decrease the weight on a point, move it away fromt the load or move the load farther away from it.

 

To do this, you decrease the weight on one point, it must increase on others.

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Sliding the fifth wheel back moves the load farther from the steering axle and closer to the drive tandems so it decreases the weight on the steering axle and increases it on the drive tandems.

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By sliding the trailer tandems forward, you move them towards the center of the load. Decrease the weight by moving them back (farther from the center of the load). This transfers more weight onto the tractor axles.

 

53’ TRAILER SLIDER SETTINGS

Size limits for Interstate and Designated Routes ONLY

Check Road Atlas for size limits on non-designated State Systems

• Avoid loading loads over 40,000 lbs. Past 48’.

• Legal weight and length is the responsibility of the driver.

• Be sure to scale all loads after setting tandems.

 

 

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5th Hole - CALIFORNIA

 

6th Hole – MICHIGAN, UTAH

 

7th Hole – ALABAMA, CONNECTICUT, FLORIDA, GEORGIA, MARYLAND, MINNESOTA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NORTH CAROLINA, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, SOUTH CAROLINA, VIRGINIA, WEST VIRGINIA

 

11th Hole – INDAIAN, WISCONSIN

 

 

Tandem Setting Formula

Each tandem hole = 250 lbs.
Maximum Gross Weight (Truck/Trailer/Cargo) = 80,000 lbs.
Maximum Front Steer Axles Weight = 12,000 lbs. (Front Tractor Axles)
Maximum Drive Axles Weight = 34,000 lbs. (Rear Tractor Axles)
Maximum Trailer Axles Weight = 34,000 lbs. (Rear Trailer Tandem Axles)

Example 1
Gross Weight = 80,000 lbs.
Front Steers = 11,200 lbs.
Drive Axles = 36,000 lbs.
Tandems = 32,800 lbs.

Your load is not legal. You are 2,000 lbs. overweight on your Drive Axles.

To figure out where your tandems need to be, use the following formula

Drive Axles 36,000 lbs.
Minus Tandems – 32,800 lbs.
-----------------
3,200 lbs. (Difference)


Divide the difference by 2 (2 axles, Drives and Steers)

3,200 lbs. / 2 = 1,600 lbs. proportioning weight

Now take the proportioning weight and divide by 250 ( this is the # of lbs. per hole)

1,600 lbs. / 250 = 6.4 holes

In this case, your drive axles have too much weight, therefore they are the problem. So to properly proportion your load, you will always SLIDE TOWARDS the problem.

So you will slide your tandems FORWARD 7 holes (since we can’t technically slide 6.4 holes).


Example 2
Gross Weight = 79,400 lbs.
Front Steers = 11,600 lbs.
Drive Axles = 30,600 lbs.
Tandems = 37,200 lbs.

Your load is not legal. You are 3,200 lbs. overweight on your Trailer Tandem Axles.
To figure out where your tandems need to be, use the following formula

Drive Axles 37,200 lbs.
Minus Tandems – 30,600 lbs.
-----------------
6,600 lbs. (Difference)


Divide the difference by 2 (2 axles, Drives and Steers)

6,600 lbs. / 2 = 3,300 lbs. proportioning weight

Now take the proportioning weight and divide by 250 ( this is the # of lbs per hole)

3,300 lbs. / 250 = 13.2 holes

In this case, your trailer tandem axles have too much weight, therefore they are the problem. So to properly proportion your load, you will always SLIDE TOWARDS the problem.

So you will slide your tandems BACKWARDS 14 holes (since we can’t technically slide 13.2 holes).

Use chalk to mark your tandem holes so you know where to slide and how far.


Now, if you don’t have enough holes to slide forward or backwards, your load must be re-worked (unloaded and re-loaded and redistributed) by the shipper because you will not be able to get it DOT legal.

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