Once you’re loaded it’s on you to ensure weights are legal or ask the shipper to remove some of the cargo – if you can. If you knew your tare weight, you would know in advance if you can put the load on the truck. Does the weight on the bill of lading or cargo manifest include the weight of the pallets and any associated dunnage? Is the shipper known to be reliable when it comes to reporting cargo weight? Can your truck accommodate the amount of weight you’re asked to pick up? There are a few things to consider before going any further. In this case, your maximum payload could be 1,000 lb. The numbers will be different (5,500 kg, 17,000 kg and 17,000 kg), but the same thinking applies to Canadian weights. If the empty weight of a five-axle dry van tractor-trailer is 35,000 lb., the weight might be distributed something like this:Īgain, for clarity, we’ll use American axle load limits of 12,000 lb. Ideally the fuel tanks should be full because this will be your worst-case scenario. Slide your fifth wheel and trailer axles into a “normal” configuration, with the kingpin slightly ahead of center of the drive axle, and the trailer axles centered at the 41-foot mark to ensure compliance with the kingpin-to-trailer-axle measurement rules. (Illustration: Transportation Warehouse Optimization) Begin with your truck weight Drivers should become familiar with state and/or provincial vehicle weight regulations as well as their truck’s unladed axle weight.

Tridems and multi-axle trailers will be heavier, of course, as will refrigerated trailers. Most highway tractors vary from 18,000 to 21,000 lb., and most tandem van trailers weigh around 15,000 lb. If you’re not already familiar with your truck’s empty axle weight, the calculations start by weighing the truck.

With loads of dissimilar cargo, sometimes you have to get creative. It’s easy to work out where to place a load that consists of a number of pallets that have similar weights. (Photo: istock)įiguring out how to place your cargo in or on the trailer is part science, part art. Improper loading could also overload the suspension and would likely result in an overweight ticket if you were caught. Tires on lightly loaded axles have less traction than heavily loaded tires. But running with too much weight at one end or the other could affect the vehicle’s dynamic stability and braking performance. Putting a heavy load on a trailer may require a bit of math and imagination to get the axle weight right.

Axle weight distribution calculator