How do you adjust a tandem axle?

To shift weight off the drive axles and onto the trailer tandems, you slide the trailer tandems forward toward the front of the truck. With 6 inch spacing you’re moving 400 pounds per hole so you need to move 4 holes to shift a minimum of 1,400 pounds (400 x 4 = 1,600).

Why do truck drivers slide tandems?

Sliding tandems is necessary and required for three main things: To adjust (move) some weight off of the tractor’s axles rear to the trailer tandem axles. To adjust weight OFF of the trailer axles and move some of the weight forward to the tractor axles.

What hole should my tandems be in?

Tandem Axles Tractor tandems are generally just referred to as “drives” which is short for “drive axles”. Basically the safest thing to do is set it for the California 40′ mark. That will get you close as possible to legal till you can weight out.

What happens when you slide the rear tandem axle on your trailer forward?

What happens when you move axles? Moving the trailer axles forward changes the way the weight is distributed over the center point of the axle. It acts as a fulcrum, like the center bar on a playground’s teeter-totter.

What are the tandems on a truck?

Tandem Trucks Any truck with a double axle in the back is considered a tandem truck. Both axles are usually drive axles — they propel the vehicle. Many have two wheels on each end of each axle.

How far back can you slide tandems?

When the distance between the first axle of your tandems is 35 feet from the rear axle on your tandems to the last axle of your trailer tandems, you will have to reduce the amount of weight that you load onto your truck.

How far back can my tandems be?

Where is the 40 foot mark on a trailer?

The center of the rear axle on all trailers must be at the 40-foot mark or shorter and must not weigh over 34,000 pounds on the trailer axles. In a few cases, customer trailers or lease trailers may not have a 40-foot mark on the trailer.

What happens when you slide the fifth wheel of your vehicle to the rear?

Sliding the 5th wheel will change the weight distribution almost exclusively between the steer axle and the drive axles. If you move the 5th wheel toward the rear of the tractor, you will increase the weight on the drive axles and decrease the weight on the steer axle.