Looking at a dump truck that weighs 31,500 lbs

Jim Dandy said:

Looking at a 06 Mack granite that has an 18' steel body with a pony. It weighs 31500 empty. Am I legal pulling a 160 (around 40,000) on a triple axle tag that weighs 12000. Thanks for your time.

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Shimmy1 said:

Depends on your state laws. If Virginia allows you to follow Federal Bridge law, you'll probably be fine. 31.5+12+40=83,500. IF they allow you to exceed 80,000 gross, you are going to have 2 issues. First, do you have enough interior bridge to carry 71,500 on 5 axles (or, maybe even 73,500 if you only end up with 10,000 on the steer). Interior bridge is the distance from the center of the front driver to the center of the rear trailer axle. If you have a 30' trailer w/ 6' tongue, you might be ok. My OTR trucks with a 48' tridem hopper with the axles all the way to the back only gives me 76,000 over 5. Second, can you get the trailer axles under 42,000. That might be a challenge, too. You will need to face the hoe backwards, and put it almost to the very front of the trailer. Side note: You also need to see what the trailer spec says for concentrated loads. Some of these pintle hook trailers can only hold 20,000 in 10'. If it's a Trail King, Felling, or Eager Beaver, you should be fine. We bought a new Towmaster once. Loaded the 9030B on it and it bowed out like 6 inches. No good. Got another Felling after that.

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movindirt said:

I had been wondering about hauling a 15 ton machine on a tag, this answered a lot of unknowns, thanks :thumbsup

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