single axle tractor, tandem axle trailer... weights & loadboards

I think you will have a hard time balancing a 40k load on the trailer without overloading your 20k drive axle.

My 53' flatbed puts around 6k of weight on the kingpin when empty.

Let's guess your drive axle weighs around 5k empty and an empty trailer will add 6k to it. That only leaves 9k before you overload the drive axle.

 

You have missed your steeraxle rating.
You assume 12 000.
What is the rating on the steers?
What is the rating on the steeraxle itself?
Same question for the drive.

Trailer....spreadaxle .

Did you check the rules for the states you are planning to run?

Get back to us when you have all that info.

 

Your 40 K is assuming it is loaded just right.

 

The "heavy, full truck load" loads you'll have to pass on, but there are plenty of lighter loads under 30-35k. But you'll need to license (apportion) the truck for the full gross weight you choose to run at with your potential heavier backhauls

 

Good Luck, perhaps you can connect with those loads, but after doing moving, you will be disappointed with the rates. A spread axle trailer would help, but pulling a spread with a single axle may cause handling problems as the trailer will want to steer the tractor and slippery roads could be a problem. Another solution might be to add a 3rd axle(liftable) on the trailer. It would cause the same handling effects as a spread. Another solution would be to stretch out you tractor frame and add the liftable pusher axle to the tractor. Choose wisely.

 

I run this combo almost daily (ltl) and you have to be very careful while loading not to overload the drive axle.

 

Not sure about the van deal, but I know a couple guys that run a spread axle flat with a single axle sleeper truck. They mostly stay less than 30k. On their load weights. Just as an example.

 

Even if you can make it work you have to deal with shippers who think they know how to load up a trailer because they are used to loading for a tandem set of drives. A 25k load might be shoved to the nose because the forklift guy has done this thousands of times and he knows how to load a trailer legally.