Jack Mayer Posted April 14, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 14, 2015 Rick, I'll look t the axle specs next time I'm at the truck....I've been tied up with work at NH. And it is not practical to move the axles back. Plus I am not over enough to be concerned about it other than from a bridge weight limit. And as I said, it is a relatively easy adjustment to make. I'm well aware of the front axle unloading. It is not really an issue. The truck brakes and handles just fine. All of these trucks unload the front axle. It is not practical to carry a car and not position the hitch behind the axles. If I was going to build a truck for this heavy a trailer or heavier I'd stay tandem as I noted above. I doubt my next trailer will be this heavy. Jack & Danielle Mayer #60376 Lifetime Member Living on the road since 2000PLEASE no PM's. Email me. jackdanmayer AT gmail 2016 DRV Houston 44' 5er (we still have it) 2022 New Horizons 43' 5er 2016 Itasca 27N 28' motorhome 2019 Volvo 860, D13 455/1850, 236" wb, I-Shift, battery-based APU No truck at the moment - we use one of our demo units 2016 smart Passion, piggyback on the truck -------------------------------------------------------------------------See our website for info on New Horizons 5th wheels, HDTs as tow vehicles, communications on the road, and use of solar powerwww.jackdanmayer.com Principal in RVH Lifestyles. RVH-Lifestyles.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickS Posted April 14, 2015 Report Share Posted April 14, 2015 Also, another option is to build a truck bed out of aluminum to reduce the weight on the rear axle. Rick & Carey,Excel W41GKE Wild Cargo Toyhauler Volvo 730, D13, I-shift, 500/1850Brabus Smart Car Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darryl&Rita Posted April 14, 2015 Report Share Posted April 14, 2015 Also, another option is to build a truck bed out of aluminum to reduce the weight on the rear axle. Walking a fine line there. We had a small aluminum clad, steel framed deck on the truck originally. The bobtail ride was tiring, with every frost heave and expansion joint giving both of us a slap in the back. 2500 lbs of steel makes the suspension sit up and pay attention. The rattle of the microwave turntable is even gone. I have been wrong before, I'll probably be wrong again. 2000 Kenworth T 2000 w/N-14 and 10 speed Gen1 Autoshift, deck built by Star Fabrication 2006 smart fourtwo cdi cabriolet 2007 32.5' Fleetwood QuantumPlease e-mail us here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlennWest Posted April 14, 2015 Report Share Posted April 14, 2015 Equipment to weld aluminum is not easily found either. 2003 Teton Grand Freedom towed with 2006 Freightliner Century 120 across the beautiful USA welding pipe.https://photos.app.goo.gl/O32ZjgzSzgK7LAyt1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big5er Posted April 14, 2015 Report Share Posted April 14, 2015 Big 5er, I did a demo with WA DOT (well, they did it & I just supplied the truck) a few years ago on an overhead laser scanner that was supposed to profile trucks as they came down the ramp. The idea of it was that it could ID your loggers, truck-trailers, and things that have their own length rules and combine it with the WIM axle distance report and help the guy running the sorting lane pick through all the specialty trucks real fast. Basically it worked like a regular laser scanner all the CAD guys use and made a big ghost of a truck on the screen. It could do width but it couldn't tell your mirrors from your steps from your things that shouldn't be hanging over. But what it did do was make a red hot spot on the image where it was wider than the setting and the guy running the screen could decide what to do about it. The rep for it said the biggest wanters for the width part was the 96" states. I think they had a few in Kentucky. ISSIS or something like that was the name of the system or company or project if that helps. Thanks Scrap I'll have to check that out. MY PEOPLE SKILLS ARE JUST FINE.~It's my tolerance to idiots that needs work.~ 2005 Volvo 780 VED12 465hp / Freedomline transmission singled mid position / Bed by Larry Herrin2018 customed Mobile Suites 40KSSB3 2014 smart Fortwo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big5er Posted April 14, 2015 Report Share Posted April 14, 2015 Also, another option is to build a truck bed out of aluminum to reduce the weight on the rear axle. What about helium? While traveling, just fill the trailer with helium. That would remove some of the pin weight, right (Sorry Rick, I couldn't resist ) MY PEOPLE SKILLS ARE JUST FINE.~It's my tolerance to idiots that needs work.~ 2005 Volvo 780 VED12 465hp / Freedomline transmission singled mid position / Bed by Larry Herrin2018 customed Mobile Suites 40KSSB3 2014 smart Fortwo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
budeneighe Posted April 15, 2015 Report Share Posted April 15, 2015 Could the fuel tanks be moved forward some? RVBuddys Journal Our progress into full-timing.Budd & Merrily ===-> SKP# 088936 Other Websites:---> Hub of all my blogsClifford - 2000 VNL64T770 :: DakotR - 1999 C40KS King of the Road :: $PRITE - 2013 Smart Passion w/cruise Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil D Posted April 15, 2015 Report Share Posted April 15, 2015 Could the fuel tanks be moved forward some? That would address the rear axle weight issue while towing, but leave the front axle substantially overweight (from a legal standpoint, not in excess of the axle's rating) when bobtail. Bobtail front axle weights are a touchy subject for 780s in general, and for one with D16 power, even more so. Jack's better off doing as he's planning to do, looking for some weight to "rearrange" to address the relatively minor rear axle problem. Phil 2002 Teton Royal Aspen 2003 Kenworth T2000 - Cat C12 380/430 1450/1650, FreedomLine, 3.36 - TOTO . . . he's not in Kansas anymore. ET Air Hitch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Broncohauler Posted April 15, 2015 Report Share Posted April 15, 2015 I think like jack has said. His truck and trailer are built and done. The little he is over just isn't worth it when you never go through the scales. And if he was ever pulled over I doubt they would Evan mess with weighing him. Knowing jack he is mostlikly already designing his next trailer. And I bet the new one a couple things maybe relocated within the trailer or you could just move the axles a little farther forward on the trailer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dollytrolley Posted April 15, 2015 Report Share Posted April 15, 2015 It seems natural to concentrate on the truck weight when limits are slightly exceed with weight...... In reality with a combo-load truck / trailer it is easy to overlook the trailer load adjustments that may very well be the easy way to "adjust the balance" in cases like this. By configuring a Active spreadsheet that allows you to "adjust" weight AND weight LOCATION ("station") it is a simple matter to input weights in the various truck AND trailer stations and the spreadsheet will instantly give precise weights for all wheel AND hitch stations. Far more complex Wt & Bal calcs are made every day in aircraft operations......this is simple physics and it works. Just look online for Wt & Bal spreadsheets then configure one spreadsheet for the truck then the trailer then the third spread to calc the final Wt & Bal of combo. Several folks have commented regarding many "fixes" for this "condition" and indeed the choices are infinite.......just by playing the spreadsheet numbers and seeing the INSTANT results you now have the best choices clearly displayed. Before cutting, welding, moving axles.......just run the combo numbers......you will likely be amazed at options that present themselves... Cheers..... 97 Freightshaker Century Cummins M11-370 / 1350 /10 spd / 3:08 /tandem/ 20ft Garage/ 30 ft Curtis Dune toybox with a removable horse-haul-module to transport Dolly-The-Painthorse to horse camps and trail heads all over the Western U S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Broncohauler Posted April 15, 2015 Report Share Posted April 15, 2015 Got to think outside the box. Jack as I recall put a receiver hitch on the back of the trailer and upgraded the back of the frame Stop at your local Harley dealer and pick out your favorite full dress Harley that you always wanted. Mounted to the back of the trailer. That will reduce the pin weight bada bing bada boom problem solved. P.m. me I'll give you my address so you can send my favorite sixpack of beer. And now we can move onto the next thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dollytrolley Posted April 15, 2015 Report Share Posted April 15, 2015 Bronco...... Wow..... By sending you that six-pack of beer the Wt & Bal problem is well on the way to be Solved....... Come'on folks send in your address's and a couple of hundred six-packs sent out will totally solve the problem and everyone will be sooooo mellow........ 97 Freightshaker Century Cummins M11-370 / 1350 /10 spd / 3:08 /tandem/ 20ft Garage/ 30 ft Curtis Dune toybox with a removable horse-haul-module to transport Dolly-The-Painthorse to horse camps and trail heads all over the Western U S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Mayer Posted April 15, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 15, 2015 Bronco has addressed the issue correctly. Some minor rearrangement should mitigate the situation. If building again with this exact trailer configuration it would be easy to move my battery bank,inverter and solar controller back behind the trailer axles like I did with the genset. I considered this at the time but did not think it was necessary. I was "almost" right. Remember, I have 1200 Ah of L16 batteries - a non-trivial amount of weight up front. There is no opportunity to move axles forward on the trailer. The entry door prevents that. And as soon as someone buys this trailer another will be built... so I have an opportunity to screw it up again ON that topic, I just (yesterday) put in a Truma continuous hot water system....a new owner would have all the hot water they would want. In addition to all the other world-class components... email if interested Jack & Danielle Mayer #60376 Lifetime Member Living on the road since 2000PLEASE no PM's. Email me. jackdanmayer AT gmail 2016 DRV Houston 44' 5er (we still have it) 2022 New Horizons 43' 5er 2016 Itasca 27N 28' motorhome 2019 Volvo 860, D13 455/1850, 236" wb, I-Shift, battery-based APU No truck at the moment - we use one of our demo units 2016 smart Passion, piggyback on the truck -------------------------------------------------------------------------See our website for info on New Horizons 5th wheels, HDTs as tow vehicles, communications on the road, and use of solar powerwww.jackdanmayer.com Principal in RVH Lifestyles. RVH-Lifestyles.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlennWest Posted April 15, 2015 Report Share Posted April 15, 2015 Been goggling trying to find a dealer for Aquogo but had not luck. ok Jack, you are in Texas and so am I. Where did you get it? 2003 Teton Grand Freedom towed with 2006 Freightliner Century 120 across the beautiful USA welding pipe.https://photos.app.goo.gl/O32ZjgzSzgK7LAyt1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peety3 Posted April 16, 2015 Report Share Posted April 16, 2015 How many folks are looking past their actual front axle weights/ratings and looking at state regs about weight per inch of front tire width? What size tires are on the 13,200 front axle? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickS Posted April 16, 2015 Report Share Posted April 16, 2015 Here is the tires I ordered with the 13.2 front axle 275/80R22.5H MICHELIN XZA3+ (14320LBS. GAWR) Rick & Carey,Excel W41GKE Wild Cargo Toyhauler Volvo 730, D13, I-shift, 500/1850Brabus Smart Car Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peety3 Posted April 16, 2015 Report Share Posted April 16, 2015 Here is the tires I ordered with the 13.2 front axle 275/80R22.5H MICHELIN XZA3+ (14320LBS. GAWR) By my math, 275mm / 25.4mm/in * 600lb/in comes out to 12,992 pounds (for the states where 600#/in is the limit). The tires might be rated for more, but at least some states won't allow that much weight on them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickeieio Posted April 16, 2015 Report Share Posted April 16, 2015 Trying to calculate your legal weight by tire size is an exercise in futility, or, as Sammy Hagar sang, "it's just mental master........" Actual tire tread widths vary slightly by manufacturer, thus the reason many jurisdictions refer to rim width, not tire. KW T-680, POPEMOBILE Newmar X-Aire, VATICAN Lots of old motorcycles, Moto Guzzi Griso and Spyder F3 currently in the front row Young enough to play in the dirt as a retired farmer. contact me at rickeieio1@comcast.net Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve from SoCal Posted April 16, 2015 Report Share Posted April 16, 2015 By my math, 275mm / 25.4mm/in * 600lb/in comes out to 12,992 pounds (for the states where 600#/in is the limit). The tires might be rated for more, but at least some states won't allow that much weight on them. I duno you are saying a 13200 axle with 275 tires can only weigh 12992, You do realize that is less than 2 percent, also the actual weight on a 13200 axle is more likely to be in the mid 12K range. Steve 2005 Peterbilt 387-112 Baby Cat 9 speed U-shift 1996/2016 remod Teton Royal Atlanta 1996 Kentucky 48 single drop stacker garage project Pulls like a train, sounds like a plane....faster than a Cheetah sniffin cocaine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big5er Posted April 16, 2015 Report Share Posted April 16, 2015 By my math, 275mm / 25.4mm/in * 600lb/in comes out to 12,992 pounds (for the states where 600#/in is the limit). The tires might be rated for more, but at least some states won't allow that much weight on them. I have yet to meet any one in my world that actually uses a calculator to figure tire rating. Everyone that I know, from Nebraska on down to the south coast, uses what is printed on the side of the tire. Are you saying that the enforcement folks in your area actually do it with a calculator? MY PEOPLE SKILLS ARE JUST FINE.~It's my tolerance to idiots that needs work.~ 2005 Volvo 780 VED12 465hp / Freedomline transmission singled mid position / Bed by Larry Herrin2018 customed Mobile Suites 40KSSB3 2014 smart Fortwo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noteven Posted April 17, 2015 Report Share Posted April 17, 2015 Hi RickS - Alberta tire loading without special permit for such things as non divisible mounted equipment (winch tractor, vac truck, etc) is 10kg per mm of tread width per tire up to the maximum allowed for the configuration or to the maximum loading stamped on the tire sidewall whichever is less - so your 275 tires are 10 x 275 x 2 = 5500kg. 5500kg is the max on a steer axle of a tractor unit, except for certain permitted condtions. Inch width tires such as 11R and 12R are considered to be 11 x 25.4 x10 or 12 x 25,4 x10 and so on. "Are we there yet?" asked no motorcycle rider, ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peety3 Posted April 18, 2015 Report Share Posted April 18, 2015 I have yet to meet any one in my world that actually uses a calculator to figure tire rating. Everyone that I know, from Nebraska on down to the south coast, uses what is printed on the side of the tire. Are you saying that the enforcement folks in your area actually do it with a calculator? I have no experience with enforcement, I just read the rules so I'm ready when the time comes (to buy, to get inspected, etc.). If I'm not mistaken, some states allow 800 pounds per inch of tread width, so a tire marked for 14320 on the pair would be fine at 13100 on a 13200 axle in those states, but overloaded in a 600lb/in state. Essentially my question is/was simply has anyone thought about this aspect for the states they drive in, tires they chose, how they positioned their hitch, etc. Ignorance of the law isn't a valid defense, right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scrap Posted April 29, 2015 Report Share Posted April 29, 2015 I had some time today and got to thinking about the old truck scanning demo and Googled around some to see if anything has come out of it. Found one at 6:58 here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkG4H2ZS_TE&t=6m58s I guess they got the mirrors and steps figured out. Looks like they got it pretty easy to use too. The whole vid is pretty interesting actually. I know it is a big deal not to order a wide track front axle with aluminum rims in a 96" state as the lugnuts end up over 96" but I always kind of wondered how they figured that one out? I guess it is right there on the screen.... I know getting your 315's vs your 385's vs your 425 steer tires right is pretty important when off the freeways in WA. I don't know how they catch them though. I guess after you've watched 1000 trucks out your window every day you get pretty good at knowing what's what. BTW, Big5er, there is a big ol "help wanted" sign on the front window of my usual scalehouse on I-5 here in WA. I was gonna whip out the cell phone and take a pic of it for ya when rolling by but then thought better of it.......... It is still a weird thing to have in a weird place. It is right where nobody can walk and it isn't like you can write down the number or scan the code on the bottom or anything. It's a trap! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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