Trailer tandem slider holes

If you have an atlas and a tape measure.. you have enough

 

I wouldn’t be so quick with all that. My previous employer had two generations of Utility trailers and the tandem rails were different lengths and the number of holes to length were different. They had very handy decals on the side of the trailers with hole settings for each state. In addition, they gave everyone very nice, laminated charts with hole settings. One side was for early trailers and the other side for later trailers.

 

They also have holes that are spaced differently

 

not al kingpin requirements are last axle.
some are middle of tandem tires.

 

This true? I thought it was always the middle of the tandems.

Well, just spot checked the above: Size and Weight Limitations

For a combination consisting of a single trailer and a tractor, the length of a single trailer may not exceed 53 feet, provided the distance between the kingpin of the trailer and the centerline of the rear axle or axle group does not exceed 41 feet.

So he is wrong on the above, at least for PA.

 

IL and IN, respectively.



I keep them on my phone to prove to my 2nd pickup as to why we can’t load 35K pounds in the back-half of a trailer.

 

Totally true.. different states have different measurement points

 

Yes, I know the lengths are different, but I didnt realize that some required the center of the rear axle.

 

I would not bet my license on just counting the holes on the trailer rail to avoid a ticket. Even if some guy on the internet is 100% certain. I've pulled trailers from different manufacturers where the hole number tor CA or 41 foot mark would be different. Also, states measure the kingpin to the X distance differently than other states. For example, one state may measure from the kingpin to the middle of the tandem axle set. Some states measure to the last axle hub, etc.

One company had a notebook and for trailer numbers XXXX to XXXZ the CA hole was A. For trailers numbers ZZZZ through YYYY the CA limit was another hole. Each state publishes their kingpin to axle requirements, many drivers call this measurement various things including "bridge law" in error. Also, drivers may start counting from a different location than another driver. If you have a CDL it's your job to find out those answers, not just ask around until some random stranger tells you "you're OK" and another tells you his life philosophy and why every rule is stupid and he ignores all of them. Look in the regulations for the answers to regulation questions. Even if the trainer at your first company told you something, it doesn't override the regulations or keep you from getting a ticket.