Trailer tandem length

Unrealistic.. Set it legal for shortest state and leave it alone.
Especially if it's heavy.

I only move them if it's light and under special circumstances. Like really light going through Wyoming or something.

 

If you can't set it to a length that is legal in every state you needed to travel through get it reworked

 

California has the shortest length low. So if you loading in Maine you set trailer to California law and make sure they load you legal before leaving. If not they have to reload the trailer.

The trick for California is tell shipper to load trailer just like a 48 feet trailer. You should have 5 feet of empty space in back of trailer.

 

Most states have a maximum distance usually measured kingpin to center or rear axle group or kingpin to center of rear axle. Also keep in mind Maryland and maybe others I am not sure, have a no more than 35% rear overhang rule. So if you slide them all the way forward you may be in violation for that.

If you are live loading you should have an idea of how to tell them you want it loaded. You should be in the habit of asking how heavy roughly each pallet is and how many pallets you are getting and the total weight. From that you can draw up a plan in your head as how to load it. This way you should always be able to get it legal by sliding axles rather than having them have to rework the entire load.