Tandem Axle Adjustment Uses for the Commercial or Owner Operator Truck Driver

Many trailers have sliding tandem axles that can move forward or backward. When the tandem axle is moved forward, it is closer to the trailer’s center of gravity. Therefore, more of the trailer’s weight is sitting on top of the tandem axle. This means that less of the load is on the tractor’s drive axle. When the tandem axle is moved closer to the rear of the trailer, more of the trailer’s weight gets shifted to the drive axle of the tractor.

Use Tandem Axle Adjustment to Balance Your Axle Weights

In order for the commercial or owner operator truck driver to comply with the law regarding maximum weight limits per axle on their rig, tandem axle adjustment is sometimes necessary. When carrying a large load that brings your rig’s gross weight close to the legal limit, you need to pay very close attention to the weight carried by each of your axles to ensure that none of them exceed their individual weight limits.

The chances are good that one set of axles will be overweight while the other set is under the max limit. Therefore, if your rear axle (the tandem axle) is overweight, shift more of the weight to the drive axle by moving the tandem axle toward the rear of the trailer. If the drive axle is overweight, move the tandem axle forward.

Use Tandem Axle Adjustment to Improve Drive Wheel Traction

Tandem axle adjustment is useful for the commercial or owner operator truck driver in other ways besides balancing axle weight. When pulling an empty or lightly loaded trailer, putting more of the trailer’s weight on your drive axle increases the traction on your drive wheels. This makes them less likely to lock up and skid. When doing this adjustment, make sure that you don’t exceed the tandem length restriction for the state that you are in.

Use Tandem Axle Adjustment to Tighten Your Turning

When the commercial or owner operator truck driver’s trailer load is fairly light, then balancing the axle weights isn’t an issue. This allows you to bring the tandem axle forward which reduces its distance from the tractor’s axles. This reduced axle distance allows you to make tighter turns which is convenient when driving on narrow roads and in parking lots.

Get the proper coverage with the right insurance carrier. If you are looking for commercial or owner operator truck insurance in Georgia with affordable rates, contact us at J.E.B. Insurance Services, LLC.