Hello
Recent class 2 pass. I’ve yet to start working. I have a few questions that were out of the scope of my training. One of those is axle weights.
Do drivers calculate their axle weights each time they recieve a load?
Is there a rough calculation or do you just look at the load and the loading docket/how the vehicle is sat and estimate?
With arctics, do you inspect the load for weight/strapping if you haven’t loaded it or just go off what the loading docket says?
Many thanks
Peg
The typical weighbridge is one long metal or concrete slab so, no, no-one calculates their individual axles weights. The only place I’ve seen where you do them individually was an Argos depot, but you’re only weighing two axles so no big deal.
Load security: are you serious? Who trained you?
Yes, you the driver secures the load, or expect a £300 fine when you’re stopped; assuming you haven’t lost your load and killed someone, in which case you’d better like prison food.
Four videos for you to watch, especially the “consequences” video
youtube.com/c/dvsagovuk/videos
Most truck bodies are designed that when loaded with an equal load along the entire length the axle weights should be about right.
Basically use your common sense, judge where the axles are placed, if you are on a multi drop delivering from the ear usually, will it possibly overload the steer axle, is the steer axle fitted with an oversize tyre with an uprated maximum axle weight to cope with such delivery schedules.
How the vehicle handles will tell you much, are any tyres bulging excessively.
If you have a regular vehicle try and make any use of any weighbridge you can take advantage of, deliver to a place with a weighbridge ask the operator as well as the gross weight entering and leaving would he mind if you just pulled one axle off so you can calculate axle weights via back of ■■■ packet calculation, obviously if you get the chance an axle weigher is the best bet but they are rare indeed.
Some well specified trucks have their own on board weighers, these will usually be at operations running close to maximum weights involving multi drops, where there is possibility of overloading the steer axle as the load behind the rear axle(s) dimishes, but such places usually have super singles on the steer axle anyway to keep things legal and safe.
Load security, only one person is responsible, the driver, same with the tyres lights etc.
Zac_A:
The typical weighbridge is one long metal or concrete slab so, no, no-one calculates their individual axles weights.
We had such a weighbridge when I drove a 6 wheeler for a steel company and yes we could weigh each axle but it is a bit of a bind …
… put front axle on the bridge leaving the back twins just off it = note weight
then put 1st rear onto it leaving 2nd just off it - note weight (deduct front from this weight to get 1st rear axle weight)
now put all 3 axles onto it - note weight
now go forward leaving 2nd rear axle on it - note weight
By adding all the individual axle weights will give you the same as when all 3 axles were on it
Done this many times and it always worked out
Easier with 2 axle rigid than the three axle I had
Most of the weighbridges I’ve known you could end up getting lynched for taking the time to do that little lot 
Juddian:
Most truck bodies are designed that when loaded with an equal load along the entire length the axle weights should be about right.
Basically use your common sense, judge where the axles are placed, if you are on a multi drop delivering from the ear usually, will it possibly overload the steer axle, is the steer axle fitted with an oversize tyre with an uprated maximum axle weight to cope with such delivery schedules.
If you have a regular vehicle try and make any use of any weighbridge you can take advantage of, deliver to a place with a weighbridge ask the operator as well as the gross weight entering and leaving would he mind if you just pulled one axle off so you can calculate axle weights
Load security, only one person is responsible, the driver, same with the tyres lights etc.
Thanks for answering my questions. I take it a super single is some uprated extra wide tyre.
Load security: are you serious? Who trained you?
Yes, you the driver secures the load, or expect a £300 fine when you’re stopped; assuming you haven’t lost your load and killed someone, in which case you’d better like prison food.Four videos for you to watch, especially the “consequences” video
youtube.com/c/dvsagovuk/videos
Yes i’ve seen those videos thanks. I watched them before theory. Infact they metion the situation i’m talking about with the driver picking up a trailer that has been loaded for him.
Say you’ve picked up a curtain sider from an RDC, do you pull off the bay then open the side up to check everything is to your satisfaction? What about a box trailer, you can’t exactly check all the way to the front on that one? I know it’s a box but are the loads limited to what the walls will withstand?