3 ms·

I’m curious how often fully loaded semis hit 80000 lbs. a quick google seems to show me maximum capacity instead of average/median weights…

dsfyu404ed 4y ago
Any time you see a trailer that carries some sort of bulk good it is safe to assume that that trailer is right at the max weight.
cannaceo 4y ago
Agricultural products, heavy equipment hauls, bulk materials, etc. regularly hit 80k pounds and above. Truckers picking routes to bypass scales is a meme for a reason.
Arrath 4y ago
Not at all uncommon, though my experience is with equipment rather than general containerized or palletized cargo. e.g. a CAT D8T bulldozer weighs in at over 80,000lbs all on its own and they are often trucked around as a complete unit, so you're looking at 20-35,000 more for the trailer and tractor to haul it. Heavier pieces of equipment like D9's (108,000#) or D10's (145,000#) are generally 2-3 loads of chassis/tracks/blade&attachments.
- burritas 4y ago
  Just an aside, a D9 is a real hellbeast. I got to drive one on some forestry work and there's not much out there that makes it stop moving. Gives me a stiff willy just thinking about it.
  - saalweachter 4y ago
    Both the CAT D9 and the Tesla Model 3 Performance advertise 450 HP.
pengaru 4y ago
Drivers being ticketed for overloaded trucks was a constant complaint in my childhood home back in IL, where the head of the household owned a concrete construction company. Apparently the highway patrol would camp out in the industrial/shipping areas and watch for compressed suspensions/bulging tire sidewalls on big trucks as a monthly fundraising exercise. Obviously there's a business incentive to move as much as you possibly can at once...
- mrguyorama 4y ago
  >watch for compressed suspensions/bulging tire sidewalls on big trucks as a monthly fundraising exercise. I am unhappy with this description. An overloaded truck is a safety issue, and also a long term road-wear issue.
  - dsfyu404ed 4y ago
    It's not about safety. The 80k limit comes from limiting wear and tear on roads. Pretty much every semi truck is built to tolerate 120-150k without caring though wear and tear on the trucks really starts to increase a lot beyond that. Some states have higher weight limits when the ground is frozen.
  - pengaru 4y ago
    > I am unhappy with this description. An overloaded truck is a safety issue, and also a long term road-wear issue. Sure, except this fundraising didn't stop the activity. It just took a cut from the profits, and the vehicles drove off AIUI. This was Illinois in the late 80s-early 90s I'm talking about...

dsfyu404ed 4y ago

Any time you see a trailer that carries some sort of bulk good it is safe to assume that that trailer is right at the max weight.

cannaceo 4y ago

Agricultural products, heavy equipment hauls, bulk materials, etc. regularly hit 80k pounds and above. Truckers picking routes to bypass scales is a meme for a reason.

Arrath 4y ago

Not at all uncommon, though my experience is with equipment rather than general containerized or palletized cargo. e.g. a CAT D8T bulldozer weighs in at over 80,000lbs all on its own and they are often trucked around as a complete unit, so you're looking at 20-35,000 more for the trailer and tractor to haul it. Heavier pieces of equipment like D9's (108,000#) or D10's (145,000#) are generally 2-3 loads of chassis/tracks/blade&attachments.

burritas 4y ago
Just an aside, a D9 is a real hellbeast. I got to drive one on some forestry work and there's not much out there that makes it stop moving. Gives me a stiff willy just thinking about it.
- saalweachter 4y ago
  Both the CAT D9 and the Tesla Model 3 Performance advertise 450 HP.

pengaru 4y ago

Drivers being ticketed for overloaded trucks was a constant complaint in my childhood home back in IL, where the head of the household owned a concrete construction company. Apparently the highway patrol would camp out in the industrial/shipping areas and watch for compressed suspensions/bulging tire sidewalls on big trucks as a monthly fundraising exercise. Obviously there's a business incentive to move as much as you possibly can at once...

mrguyorama 4y ago
>watch for compressed suspensions/bulging tire sidewalls on big trucks as a monthly fundraising exercise. I am unhappy with this description. An overloaded truck is a safety issue, and also a long term road-wear issue.
- dsfyu404ed 4y ago
  It's not about safety. The 80k limit comes from limiting wear and tear on roads. Pretty much every semi truck is built to tolerate 120-150k without caring though wear and tear on the trucks really starts to increase a lot beyond that. Some states have higher weight limits when the ground is frozen.
- pengaru 4y ago
  > I am unhappy with this description. An overloaded truck is a safety issue, and also a long term road-wear issue. Sure, except this fundraising didn't stop the activity. It just took a cut from the profits, and the vehicles drove off AIUI. This was Illinois in the late 80s-early 90s I'm talking about...