Tandem axle straight truck load limits in Ohio, KY, Indiana

[jm91rs]

Searching for a new Tandem Axle straight truck. The Peterbilt rep swears the truck he wants to build for me is legal in OH, KY, and IN, but I've heard and read conflicting info. His truck has a 14,000 steer axle rating and 20k each rear axle. Total weight 54k. He's saying this is ok to run the truck at 54k (loaded perfectly of course) but I've heard conflicting reports.
Researching Bridge formulas I see that the max allowed on the tandems would be 34k total. What's the max allowed on the front Axle in OH, KY, and IN? I've heard one of those states (IN I believe) is 11,000 max front axle on a truck like this. Any help would be appreciated. I'd assume the salesman knew what he was talking about, but it already looks like he's wrong and I'm not paying 100k for a truck that won't do what I need.

 

[zorry]

The 34000 on tandem I would agree with. You are allowed 20,000 on each axle, but only 34,000 on a tandem. Il used to weigh each individually.
The steer is limited to the axle capacity, the tire capacity, and the width of the tire. A truckers Atlas will have this all spelled out in the charts in the front. I have a 20,000 lb steer axle, tires rated at 18,880 lbs, and 16,000 lb front springs. Thus my frt axle is good for only the 16,000 lbs. plenty for what I do.

 

[ATeam]

I'd assume the salesman knew what he was talking about,

Never, never, never assume such a thing. You are right to verify everything.

Our truck has a MANUFACTURER'S GVWR of 54,400. That's 14,400 on the front axle and 20,000 on each of the two rear axles. While the manufacturer says we can haul that much weight, and I have no doubt that we can, the bridge formula is determinative. No more than 34,000 can be placed on the rear axles, reducing our legal GVWR to 44,400.

If your front axle is built to 20,000 and the proper tires were used, it would be legal. Most expediter trucks come in around 12,000 on the front. We built ours to 14,400 because at design time, without the truck actually being built, it was unknown if we would be able to keep the front weight below 12,000. To be safe, we went with 14,400 which was the next step up available from the manufacturer. We could have gone as high as 20,000 but that would (1) have been excessive and (2) triggered the requirement to pay highway use tax that we could avoid by keeping the truck GVWR lower.

 

[xmudman]

Never, never, never assume such a thing. You are right to verify everything.

Our truck has a MANUFACTURER'S GVWR of 54,400. That's 14,400 on the front axle and 20,000 on each of the two rear axles. While the manufacturer says we can haul that much weight, and I have no doubt that we can, the bridge formula is determinative. No more than 34,000 can be placed on the rear axles, reducing our legal GVWR to 44,400.

Should be 48,400, shouldn't it?

You are 110% correct about never assuming, though

 

[beachbum]

This is how you do the formula to see the weights you can load per axle. Red the site and you'll understand how its done.

Federal Bridge Gross Weight Formula - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Bridge formula table[edit source | editbeta]

Distance in feet between any
group of two or more axles 1 Gross weight in pounds 2
2 axles 3 axles 4 axles 5 axles 6 axles 7 axles
Less than 8 3 34,000 34,000
More than 8 4 38,000 42,000
9 39,000 42,500
10 40,0005 43,500
11 40,000 44,000
12 40,000 45,000 50,000
13 40,000 45,000 50,500
14 40,000 46,500 51,500
15 40,000 47,000 52,000
16 40,000 48,000 52,500 58,000
17 40,000 48,500 53,500 58,500
18 40,000 49,500 54,000 59,000
19 40,000 50,500 54,500 60,000
20 40,000 51,000 55,500 60,500 66,000
21 40,000 51,500 56,000 61,000 66,500
22 40,000 52,500 56,500 61,500 67,000
23 40,000 53,000 57,500 62,500 68,000
24 40,000 54,000 58,000 63,000 68,500 74,000
25 40,000 54,500 58,500 63,500 69,000 74,500
26 40,000 55,500 59,500 64,000 69,500 75,000
27 40,000 56,000 60,000 65,000 70,000 75,500
28 40,000 57,000 60,500 65,500 71,000 76,500
29 40,000 57,500 61,500 66,000 71,500 77,000
30 40,000 58,500 62,000 66,500 72,000 77,500
31 40,000 59,000 62,500 67,500 72,500 78,000
32 40,000 60,0005 63,500 68,000 73,000 78,500
33 40,000 60,000 64,000 68,500 74,000 79,000
34 40,000 60,000 64,500 69,000 74,500 80,0005
35 40,000 60,000 65,500 70,000 75,000 80,000
36 40,000 60,000 66,0006 70,500 75,500 80,000
37 40,000 60,000 66,5006 71,000 76,000 80,000
38 40,000 60,000 67,5006 71,500 77,000 80,000
39 40,000 60,000 68,000 72,500 77,500 80,000
40 40,000 60,000 68,500 73,000 78,000 80,000
41 40,000 60,000 69,500 73,500 78,500 80,000
42 40,000 60,000 70,000 74,000 79,000 80,000
43 40,000 60,000 70,500 75,000 80,0005 80,000
44 40,000 60,000 71,500 75,500 80,000 80,000
45 40,000 60,000 72,000 76,000 80,000 80,000
46 40,000 60,000 72,500 76,500 80,000 80,000
47 40,000 60,000 73,500 77,500 80,000 80,000
48 40,000 60,000 74,000 78,000 80,000 80,000
49 40,000 60,000 74,500 78,500 80,000 80,000
50 40,000 60,000 75,500 79,000 80,000 80,000
51 40,000 60,000 76,000 80,0005 80,000 80,000
52 40,000 60,000 76,500 80,000 80,000 80,000
53 40,000 60,000 77,500 80,000 80,000 80,000
54 40,000 60,000 78,000 80,000 80,000 80,000
55 40,000 60,000 78,500 80,000 80,000 80,000
56 40,000 60,000 79,500 80,000 80,000 80,000
57 40,000 60,000 80,0005 80,000 80,000 80,000

 

[SHARP327]

If you're registering your new truck in Ky. and it's considered heavy haul you may not have to pay sales tax on the truck...It happened to me because the plates I was getting were for either a 54-55000 GVWR truck.

I guess they do that because of all the dump trucks Kentucky has....something to check into..I'm thinking!

 

[tknight]

I'm pretty sure somewhere down the line you'll be paying it ! Nothing is free in trucking

 

[zorry]

The HUT Tax is paid when you register an on road vehicle 55,000 lbs or heavier. Also there is a minimum mileage per year to help farmers.
There is a 12% FET that you pay on a vehicle that is purchased new over 33,000 lbs gvw. Or close to that number. That's why so many expeditors buy single axles, to stay at or below the FET threshold.

 

[zorry]

Re Sharp327's comment. Most states will exempt you from paying sales tax on a vehicle used in interstate transportation.
This was done so interstate operations would purchase trucks,and parts, locally. Otherwise they would buy items in low or no-tax states.
You have to fill out a sales tax exemption form proving you are, or are leased to, an interstate operation.

 

[ATeam]

Should be 48,400, shouldn't it?

You are 110% correct about never assuming, though

You are correct. My mistake. Ability to correct it in the original post has timed out.