Dumb question time. When I read posts in here it seems that most people say that the straight trucks are front axle heavy. Mine is. Most trucks come with a 12,000lb front axle. Why not a 14,00lb? Am I missing something? Layoutshooter
front axle capacity
- Thread starter layoutshooter
- Start date
I can't say why they don't have a 14k front axle although perhaps it has something to do with fed regs for on highway. What I can say is I wish my truck had a 6-9" shorter wheelbase. That would help the front axle weight and also help the turning radius a little.
Leo Bricker, 73's K5LDB
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Owner, Panther trucks 5508, 5509, 5641
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Leo Bricker, 73's K5LDB
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Owner, Panther trucks 5508, 5509, 5641
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To make a 14,000 lb front axle legal you have to go with bigger tires.
Usually you need to go to a 12R22.5 or a 315/80R22.5 (I may be off on that one).
Big problem is if you have a flat or blow out and need a tire, most places don't stock them. If you re-tread your steers for use in other places on your truck you have to have your whole truck on these goofy sizes.
Some folks I know will run a 14 axle and run regular 22.5 tires but you run the risk of a DOT officer figuring it out.$$$$$$$$$$
Usually you need to go to a 12R22.5 or a 315/80R22.5 (I may be off on that one).
Big problem is if you have a flat or blow out and need a tire, most places don't stock them. If you re-tread your steers for use in other places on your truck you have to have your whole truck on these goofy sizes.
Some folks I know will run a 14 axle and run regular 22.5 tires but you run the risk of a DOT officer figuring it out.$$$$$$$$$$
I see, maybe that is why. Layoutshooter
riverrat2000
Seasoned Expediter
several years ago a dot officer told me it was 1000 lbs per inch of tread width, also check the weight rating on the sidewall
Broompilot
Veteran Expediter
Riverrat is correct: CHECK THOSE SIDEWALLS, even if it is 13 inches wide if it states 6K than X2 is only gona be 12K no matter what the width is.
My front axle weight is 13,200lbs go figure.
Do not forget to scale when one even thinks one is over lbs.
My front axle weight is 13,200lbs go figure.
Do not forget to scale when one even thinks one is over lbs.
Our straight truck front axle is spec'ed at 14,600 lbs. from the factory. Tires are purchased to match that capacity.
State laws vary in how they view steer tire weights. Weight per inch of tire surface on the road is sometimes used. So is weight per inch of wheel width. Memory has faded on the state details since we spec'ed our truck. Given the chance that our new (and yet to be built and scaled) truck might weigh in at over 12,000 lbs. on the front axle, we spec'ed it and the tires to be legal (on the national network at least) at 14,600 lbs.
State laws vary in how they view steer tire weights. Weight per inch of tire surface on the road is sometimes used. So is weight per inch of wheel width. Memory has faded on the state details since we spec'ed our truck. Given the chance that our new (and yet to be built and scaled) truck might weigh in at over 12,000 lbs. on the front axle, we spec'ed it and the tires to be legal (on the national network at least) at 14,600 lbs.
>Riverrat is correct: CHECK THOSE SIDEWALLS, even if it is
>13 inches wide if it states 6K than X2 is only gona be 12K
>no matter what the width is.
>
>My front axle weight is 13,200lbs go figure.
>
>Do not forget to scale when one even thinks one is over lbs.
Broom,
You likely have H rated 22.5 tires. They are rated at 6610 lbs each (usually at 120 psi). Harder but not impossible to find on the road (read in Nowhere PA at 4 am!).
>13 inches wide if it states 6K than X2 is only gona be 12K
>no matter what the width is.
>
>My front axle weight is 13,200lbs go figure.
>
>Do not forget to scale when one even thinks one is over lbs.
Broom,
You likely have H rated 22.5 tires. They are rated at 6610 lbs each (usually at 120 psi). Harder but not impossible to find on the road (read in Nowhere PA at 4 am!).
Thornapple
Seasoned Expediter
According to MI's. Bridge book we're only supposed to have 700lbs. per inch of width of tire.
Is it different in each state?
Is it different in each state?
I am getting lost on this one. If my truck is legal in the state I register it in is not legal somewhere else? How is one going to know all of the states regs? Again, lost on this one. Layoutshooter
riverrat2000
Seasoned Expediter
ain't truckin great, everything in black and white
Federal bridge says 20,000 on steers.Here in Ohio,it's 650 lbs per inch of tire width.The caveat is how the width is defined.Some scales will give you the tire size,so if you have 1100Rs,you can scale 14,300.Others will give you the tire measurement,and that equals 13,200.If you have floats on the front,it's 20,000.And on the turnpike,it's 21,000 regardless of tire size.
I read the atlas things, I am just confussed by this part of it. I will keep on reading and some day soon I too will be a real trucker. That is, if I can ever grasp this part. Layoutshooter
The one thing to understand about front axle and steer tire weight standards is that there is no one thing to understand.
The rules vary from state to state, road to road, and even bridge to bridge, depending on a host of factors, including how tires are measured and vehicle weights are determined. Reading the road atlas is a good start, but it is not the final answer. Because of the complex web of inconsistent rules and overlapping jurisdictions, there is no final answer. Even the season changes things. In some places, legal axle weights change every Spring while the ground thaws.
The rules vary from state to state, road to road, and even bridge to bridge, depending on a host of factors, including how tires are measured and vehicle weights are determined. Reading the road atlas is a good start, but it is not the final answer. Because of the complex web of inconsistent rules and overlapping jurisdictions, there is no final answer. Even the season changes things. In some places, legal axle weights change every Spring while the ground thaws.
Good thing I like to learn new things eh? Some of these things are confussing to us new guys. I will learn, or will at least try. I learned how to be nearly perfect at being an old fat ugly guy so I can learn this too. Layoutshooter
>Good thing I like to learn new things eh? Some of these
>things are confussing to us new guys. I will learn, or will
>at least try. I learned how to be nearly perfect at being an
>old fat ugly guy so I can learn this too. Layoutshooter
Too bad the market is saturated and demand is low, otherwise you and I would be rich!
>things are confussing to us new guys. I will learn, or will
>at least try. I learned how to be nearly perfect at being an
>old fat ugly guy so I can learn this too. Layoutshooter
Too bad the market is saturated and demand is low, otherwise you and I would be rich!