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[quote]QUOTE: <i>Originally posted by futuremodal</i> <br /><br />[quote]QUOTE: <i>Originally posted by daveklepper</i> <br /><br />Mny highway departments are concerned about what the current weight of trucks does to their maintenance costs now! <br />[/quote] <br /> <br />It shouldn't suprise you to know that it is possible to raise or eliminate GVW and at the same time <i>reduce </i>wear and tear on roads. The current weight limits of 20,000 lbs for a single axle, 34,000 lbs for a tandem, and 42,000 lbs for a tridem are all based on the federal bridge formula from the 1950's. Subsequently, you now have trailes with two single axles spaced nine feet apart that are allowed to carry 20,000 per axle (40,000 lbs combined) which is only slightly less than allowed by a tridem. Obviously, a tridem axle set spreads the weight over three axles at 14,000 lbs per, and this causes less road damage than the two 20,000 lb axles, yet because of the regulation it is cheaper for the truckers to go with the two spread singe axles than a tridem axle set. <br /> <br />What is needed is a modernization of axle weights, perhaps allowing a max per axle of only 15,000, but make it consistent per axle, so that tandems carry 30,000 lbs and tridems carry 45,000 lbs, even add quads at 60,000 lbs, and this would encourage truckers to go with more axles to spread the weight over more area, which in turn would decrease road wear. Then, the truckers can carry more cargo per load, which would reduce the number of trucks on the highways e.g. 5 trucks at 145,000 GVW will carry more cargo than 9 trucks at 80,000 GVW. <br /> <br />Spread the weight over more axles, and you can increase GVW without increasing road damage. <br />[/quote] <br /> <br />"rolls up sleeves and cracks knuckles..." <br /> <br />The laws governing driving time dates from the 30's Regardless of when the laws are written, you are absolutely correct on the weight limits in the Interstate Highway System. <br /> <br />Trailers with two axles spread apart are usually flatbeds with a very special purpose. I spent some time driving one of these for a now bankrupt company hauling steel coil and aluminum coil as well as other heavy loads. <br /> <br />The Trailer design for the two axles across ten feet (some states only allow 8 feet) in the rear allows the single axle law to be enforced at 40,000 pounds total weight. <br /> <br />A tridem or triple axle spreads 42,000 pounds across at least 10 feet. <br /> <br />Now. Steel coil. Worst case scenario (whew) I think it was 22 feet long at 100 inches wide and set at the EXACT middle of the trailer where the middle indicator marker lights are which is roughly at the 24th of the total 48 feet availible on that deck. <br /> <br />This coil should weigh about 54,000 pounds (again I forget the totals for exact tares so bear with me) and when placed on a Volvo M11 Tractor with the 320 horse power engine and a Aluminum Trailer equipped with two spread axles at 10 feet should result in JUST UNDER 79,400 pounds provided that the tractor is carrying about half fuel and allowing for 220 pounds of driver and clothes, TV, jackets, food supplies etc etc... (you laugh but me and wife imposed a 1100 pound penalty on the empty weight when we drove with full provisions for 4 weeks) <br /> <br />Where are you going to find the room on the scale for that third axle?? That extra axle will probably cost you on the order of 1 ton. The tires x4 probably run you about 500 pounds with the wheels, the axle and brake/signaling hardware probably another 1000 pounds so for sake of smplicity you are already at 82,000 on that third axle. <br /> <br />They are paying you by the weight of the cargo you can haul. <br /> <br />That means my ten foot spread trailer will be called up to get loaded for pay first. <br /> <br />Your tridem while beautiful probably will not get called. UNLESS you have a TRIDEM tractor to go with the trailer. Then they will REALLY put you up for the good paying heavy stuff. <br /> <br />With the interesting twist that coils big enough to require triples on each end of the load deck probably puts you into the over sized vehicle rules and permits are now required as well as a new pay rates for these "special loads" The steel mills try not to "Cough" up such large coils but they will if need be. <br /> <br />Manuverability on the ten foot spread is pretty darn good. We "cheat" by depressing the bags on the suspension to raise one axle off the roadway to save wear and tear. I cannot imagine the tire bill for three complete sets of axles over 12 tires. They probably will all need to be replaced twice a year. <br /> <br />One tire 300 dollars. x 12 = $3600 every 6 months not including down time, man hours and insurance against road damage and or driver neglect on the turns. This is for a TRIDEM.... <br /> <br />Now tire figures for a ten foot spread <br /> <br />8 tires at 300 dollars each... 2400 every 6 months. <br /> <br />Or <br /> <br />4 super singles at 500 dollars apeice... 2000 every 6 months <br /> <br />Those super singles demand the best driver you can find you dont want a pretty boy straight from high school driving a super single thinking he or she will drive over everything. <br /> <br />The weights of the tires fall dramatically from Tridems down to duals and to singles. <br /> <br />Go light as possible to haul as MUCH as possible up to 80,000 pounds. <br /> <br />That my friend, is the secret to the axle problem. <br /> <br />Now regarding road damage. Take Germany in the 2nd world war. Hitler demanded highways so big and thick that TANKS can travel if need be on it. Some sections still survive today basically untouched. <br /> <br />Now think about the airports. The runways. When a 747-300 touches down at 140 mph weighing as much as a Steam Big Boy (whew) there is a hell of alot of stress on that pavement. Pounded several times a minute for hours at a time. I dont see much in the way of Schnieder Babies painted orange and declaring "under construction" on those airport runways do you? <br /> <br />Now an American Interstate Highway. The money has to come from somewhere. After the epic arm twisting and dealing going on is finished and it's time to build a highway they pour just enough concrete to meet standards as required by the government. Cures it, paints the thing and signage/gaurdrails and throw a opening day party and everyone is happy with the shiny new road. <br /> <br />Until the first cracks form. Then potholes are born. We stubborn drivers grimly bull our way thru em until they get too big for even our Govt officials who start to feel the bounce and sway and demand the road to be fixed. <br /> <br />It may take 20 years but that road will be fixed. <br /> <br />Having seen entire states worth of interstates stripped down to bare dirt and completely replaced in states such as PA, Arkansas and other really bad areas we are basically rebuilding something that should have lasted another 10 years. <br /> <br />Eventually everything will be replaced and the cycle starts all over again.
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