What Every Truck Driver Needs to Know About the Weight of Diesel Fuel
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- Опубликовано: 5 апр 2018
- Every professional truck driver needs to know the weight of diesel fuel, to successfully scale his tractor trailer.
Dave outlines the formula drivers need to calculate how much diesel fuel they can take on when loaded with freight.
See a tutorial on how to balance the axle weight configuration to remain within the legal axle weights.
It's a simple calculation although many drivers are not familiar with these important necessary facts.
MORE RELATED INFORMATION ON OUR WEBSITE:
---- THE WEIGHT OF DIESEL FUEL bit.ly/2H117NC
---- SIMPLE STEPS TO SCALING A TRACTOR TRAILER bit.ly/2EpX3B0
---- HOW TO SLIDE THE FIFTH WHEEL ON A TRUCK bit.ly/2GBWbiI
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Don't forget to add DEF fluid as well. Its about 10.5 pounds per gallon.
Also not to forget, the snow stuck on trailer will add to the weight significantly. Always knock it off before scales.
How...
I climbed up there once to get legal but I'm never doing that again
That's exactly right! Scales do not give you leeway for snow load! Dave
+Slap Box Ya Mom
On a box van, I’d take the ticket and ask the DOT officer to climb up and knock the snow off!!!
LOL
I saw a truck get pulled in on a scale for snow build up between his axles, not much he could do about that while driving, but that’s the only thing I would worry about when it comes to snow weight on my truck.
Sorry, climbing on top of a box trailer to knock snow off is not safe nor in my job description!
I realize that we're talking about weights, but speaking of snow, and ice....
if an overhead clearance is close to the height of the truck, or stacks, you will save yourself some grief by taking into consideration the fact that the ice and snow may put you at a height greater than the clearance.
Budweiser plant St Louis, always top off before loading there. I swear they will load individual cans till your a perfect 80k and perfect weights on all axles
Old truckers like to be able to get to a destination faster than the other guys I know.
My dad told me a story about hauling slag in the late 40s mostly Hamilton to Belleville. He was driving a White tractor and there was another company doing the same run that had Mack trucks. My dad was also a mechanic and he had increased the pump pressure on the Cummins so he could squeeze a bit more power out of it and as a result he was usually a bit faster than the Mack he usually ran into on that run. One night in a truck stop they told my dad they were going to beat him that night for sure and when he got up to speed he saw this Mack pull out to pass him. As they got beside him there was the co-driver standing on the running board spraying ether into the air intake to make the Mack go like hell. Being a mechanic dad could predict the result and I'm sure you can too. About five miles down the road there was the Mack dead on the side with the engine blown all to hell. Of course he never let those guys live that one down.
Wow! Expensive race for the Mack! Good story, Thanks! Dave
Jesus, that poor, poor Mac.
If that motor had not blown up, they would have never been able to start it again without using a cab of either every time they hit the ignition switch!!!
Damn it’s amazing, it sounds so dumb today (and yes it definitely is) but back then not everyone knew ether to a diesel (especially just feeding it a straight shot
Of it for that long) is about like holding a lit stick of dynamite. I’m surprised it ran that long, good ol’ loose tolerance motors. Great story man, thanks for sharing
Kaboom!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That Simon story was top notch. I pulled up Donner the other day, fortunately I was loaded pretty light, but at 29000, I STILL ended up climbing about 30, opening the Jake all the way on the way down, and STILL smelling brake pads.
And a simple trick for rookies, don't fill up until you get past the scale.
Good advice! Dave
+rob1958bc
Better yet, most rookies are company drivers and won’t make more than a few extra cents per mile even on percentage by loading an extra 700 - 1000lbs on their trailer.
Load with full fuel tanks; period!!!
No more problems!!!
I once drove for a company that had tractors with sliding fifth wheels that were welded into a single position on the slider rails, so you couldn’t slide the fifth wheel to adjust the position of the weight between the drives and steer axles.
That helped to cost me an overweight ticket for 700lbs over on my drives!!
I was pulling a spread axle flatbed trailer and that meant that I had a five axle skateboard with no possible adjustments available.
If I loaded incorrectly, I was screwed and it required a tow truck with a rotator boom to reposition my load.
Ticket + tow truck with rotator + operator= lots of lost money on that load!
I made a haul for free that trip!
Simple trick for everyone: drive past active scales. If everyone begins doing it, there are not enough Gestapoes to stop us all.
This is the attention to detail that separates licensed drivers from professional drivers. Know your fuel weight at each tick on the gauge, & you'll never have to refuse a load. This is an especially useful skill for flatbedders who run steel coils, paper rolls, etc. I learned my lesson with 2 train traction motors out of BNSF.
Great video. Also remember you'll be burning about a pound every mile if your getting between 6 1/2 and 7 miles per gallon. If you got several hundred miles till you hit a scale you'll definitely be a little lighter by the time you get there.
I like your videos, though I am not sure how many “newbies” are heeding your information. I am a 23 year veteran and I have tried to make videos myself but just do not have the professionalism. I would like to see something that explains the importance of a pre/post trip!! Too many times have I seen drivers wake up, slip out of the bunk into the drivers seat, start the engine and scratch their heads for a minute, and then take off!!! It absolutely disgusts me how many of these drivers don’t take this job seriously and have such disrespect for the equipment. I am a firm believer that every time that truck stops, a thorough inspection should be done. Fueling? Walk around and check. For some reason these drivers feel that washing the windshield is more important than a walk around. An explanation of the importance to have some respect for the safety of others with an 80,000 lb wrecking ball rolling down the road at 70 mph is in order.
Great explanation ! I have an easier way to do it. Know your empty weight with full tanks, and always show up to load with full tanks.
Hey Dave, love your channel. You tell a lot of good stories of back when you were young. I bet a lot of your viewers would like to see some pictures of you as a rookie.
I'll see if we can find any! Dave
When you haul produce this is very important, because a lot of the bills don’t have weights on them.
When you are close, you run it across, using the fuel math
I just fill both tanks to the brim before picking up a heavy load.
Thumbs up. I usually try to load up on as little fuel as possible. Scale out at the certified Cat Scale, and then fuel up. If DOT has a problem with it they can take Cat Scale to court.
Dave is doing so much to help truck drivers. Over and over Dave lends his experience to those wise enough to listen. I’m a cow hauler in my 50’s so my fuel weight isn’t exactly my problem, but all of Dave’s videos are valuable
I been driving Werner for 6 month now I definitely went over a few times this helps a lot for the future
I love when you tell stories pop pop I can listen to this all day
Thanks! I always enjoyed the stories from the old drivers of my generation!
Great advice regarding fuel. And for the love of god, nobody make the mistake I made after delivering my very first load. I put DEF into the diesel tank and killed the engine. Really bonehead move I know but I had no idea what the difference was, it wasn’t covered in my training 😆
Great lesson and great story. My Uncle used to do the same thing when he was hauling tankers. Brought back memories of him making me haul those chains up to the top of those tankers. Stay safe.
Thank you for the lesson.
My pleasure sir, thank you for watching! Dave
Still love your old school stories. Always puts a big smile on my face
Thank you!
Thanks for another good tip.
Love the end stories
62 yearly guy who's been retired from the Navy 0ver 20 years , I just retired from my second career (cigar manufacturer). Doubt I'd be a driver with all the changes you mention. It will be crushing for my ego....I've always wanted the life.
Thanks for the great stories !!!!!! You guys rock !!!
Thank you so much I have learned so much from you I am a new driver I’ve been driving for about a year and a half and I just bought my first truck and I wanted to thank you For helping me learn the business through your videos
My pleasure Jatin! Glad it helped! Dave
Thank you ☺
Many times when I was heavy had to put on 40 gallons at a time. Love your channel. Us old timers have life adventures to tell.
Yes we do and I used to hate those 40 gallon at a time trips! Dave
Love the stories from the old days. Good video.
Thank you! Dave
Great videos, sir! I show them my CDL students on regular basis.
Yes love the Simon story. Great video, keep them coming.
Thank you Buddy, will do! Dave
Wow, after 3 years driving, I asked my boss how much does a gallon of diesel weigh and you make this video lol
Thank you so much for this. More stories like the Simon story please. Keep them coming.
Glad you like them! Some of my favourite memories were of my old trucking friends! Dave
LOVE ALL UR TRUCK stories OF logic an wisdom David 😀👍👍funny TOO!!! UR ABSOLUTELY AWESOME BUDDYBOY !!! Thankyou for sharing... ✌ 😁
Thank you sir! Dave
I love hearing your stories.. you learn a lot from them
Glad you like them! Thanks! Dave
Great video my friend. I didn't even think about diesel weight being fresh out the gate and all. I will be more diligent in the future for sure. Keep the awesome advice coming man. I appreciate every bit of it.
Thanks Dillon! Drive safe! Dave
Great video as usual. You should make a video about windy conditions while driving a truck, I had 65 mph winds throwing my truck around I swore I was going over.
Simple small things that really makes a difference, a great video with good amount of important information... thank you
Thank you sir!
I was pleased to hear you touch on setting the weight of the steer tires correctly. Most drivers don't know how to slide the fifth wheel. One thing you did forget was the 500lb exemption for having an APU. It helps if your weight is Super Close to limit.
Excellent info. I sure do enjoy the story segments. Kind of reminds me of the late and great Paul Harvey
Man, I used to listen to him! And that's the rest of the story! Dave
love the Simon story. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks! Dave
When I was pulling a Reefer unit. Most times I would get caught with loads like that. And have to fuel every 300 miles. But it paid good, but they made sure you were as close to 79999 as they could get you.
More then one time, I had to move fuel from the Reefer tank. To the tractor, to get to the next fuel stop.
My old T600 holds 3300+ lbs of fuel it has 4 tanks.
Pete k now thats a classic truck
This video was great for when I first started as a trainer now include teaching them how much fuel weighs especially when it comes to balancing loads. Thanks
Thank you Bailey! Dave
I was always told to scale the truck empty with full tanks so you know what your empty or tare weight is. Along with keeping the tanks at half or fuller in the in winter, just in case the road was closed and you had to sit in the truck.
Loved the Simon story. Keep em coming 😊
Will do, thanks! Dave
Thank you!
Why can't everybody make videos like you? You're not just a trucking expert, you are a natural born movie director! Even the music you chose is spot on & fits like a glove!
Thank you but I've got to give the credit to my wife. She's the producer!
Most of the time they wont bother you if it's a fuel load of wieght, I haven't worried about in 10yrs and they usually let you slide 1000lbs
M Blake Jr they allow 1000lbs for APU.If you have one that could be why they're letting you go no problem.
Thank you Great Info
Great info and great story. Them old timers probably have forgotten more tricks like that than the younger guys will ever know. I heard of an old guy that drove Greyhound buses that would put one gallon of gas to the 150 or so gallons of diesel (alcohol or mineral spirits should do the same) to get a little more rpm and speed out of it by thinning out the fuel slightly.
I just multiply by 7.4 lbs, this way I'm never over, and it works for winter blend too.
Thanks for the tip
great video, i was taught a different way being in the automotive trade, specific gravity of fluid compared to water water being one, everything else is ether heaver or lighter.
Thanks a lot for this video it was just in time I'm going to be hauling a heavy water load close to 46000 lbs. And I'm really sure how much my truck weighs with an empty trailer and fuel. I all ready planed on going in with 1/2 a tank but may be closer to 1/4 cause of having to idle all night
Great video. Thank you. Subbed
I know your not a fan of the the mega carriers. But this very informative. Thank you for the info. Every body could use this info Best trucking channel on RUclips
Thank you sir! Dave
Tricky system thanks for the information sir
Great Lesson! 😄
I never gave it much thought about being low on fuel and then being at an up angle. I can see that being a problem. You're 100% on correct on being too low on fuel before getting loaded. Half tanks is the way to go. I now realize I didn't get paid enough to stop often for fuel. Thanks for the great tips , Dave.
Great informative video thank you :)
Thank you sir! Dave
Thanks as I think about that when getting a load.
Dave I'm sure you remember this especially if you were hauling garbage allot. I mostly ran Flat Rack and later on Lowbed High wide and heavy, I always preferred those because I got plenty of sleep for a change. In the old outlaw days I used an 8 pound formula, because if you hadn't slept in 2 to 4 days you brain usually wasn't 100% on the mental math. I knew what my MPG was driving correctly and what it was running like an idiot. If I screwed up and didn't burn off enough with the 8 pound formula I would get the paper and pencil out and do the 7 pound calculation, after I dipped my tanks. I did this far enough away from the scale so I could still take the scenic route if necessary, the practice saved me a bunch of money over the years. Because even during the company driver stage of my life you were still on the hook for Equipment, Log Book, Speed, and Weight violations. Before Elizabeth Dole screwed everything up with the introduction of the CDL, you could have five different drivers licenses and you just showed one that didn't have reciprocity in your home state, or the last state you got a ticket in. You also had to be careful to show the correct cheat sheet for the day and time if you didn't want to get put out of service. She really screwed the Brotherhood up with the damned CDL, It put good experienced safe hands out of the game and opened the door up for driving schools , and inexperienced steering wheel holders that made the road more hazardous in my opinion. Thanks for listening the my rant. Stay Safe C/B.
Great rant and absolutely correct and accurate all the way down the line! Dole, I'd almost forgotten about her.
Been awhile since I've had to think much about weights on my truck. I haul us mail for Alan Ritchey. We're usually fairly light. Cool video thanks!
Enjoyed the video immensely and hope you begin production of the wooden collector truck series. I don't drive a rig, but I could handle one of those (and my kids would love them). It was very useful!
I always liked that wooden truck! Built that layed over in Waco Tx. one weekend. Bought it in kit form at this little truck stop there, all I had to do was glue it together. Haven't seen them anywhere since. Dave
Great information i never been shown how to move the 5th wheel
Check our older videos. I believe we did one on that!
Great info and a very good story..........👍😄
Thanks! Dave
I used to pull produce from Belglade Florida and would always go to shipper with full tanks.
Going through Virginia mountains trucks burn lots of fuel.
During winter months I always ran more weight on tractor and light as possible on trailer
I always look forward to your viedos.
Thank you Gabrielle! Dave
Another great video!!!
Thanks Tommy! Dave
Good info
I love your videos Man keep doing some more
Will do ! Thanks! Dave
That was my favorite stop out of Sac , Donner Pass.....never had any issues up or down, just get it in the gear before, crack the jakes , and let the truck do the work, who the heck cares how long it takes you, it's only your life after all!!
really appreciate your videos, greetings from california!
Hey Luis! Where abouts in California? Dave
Redlands, CA next to the coachela desert,
the reason that i enjoy your content is because it reminds me of all the skills the old man taught me.
I learned the fuel trick when i hauled for canyon out of Calgary.
Love this channel
Thanks! Dave
Smart-Trucking.com
You're one of the best
Great info. Can you do a vid on the bridge laws. I see that some states enforce it while others don’t.
The tanks on Freightliner Cascadia are about half way between drive and steer tires. 1000 lbs of fuel adds about 700 on drives and 300 on steers.
You got some great stories
Thanks! Dave
Awesome sir.
Thanks.
Thank you sir! Dave
i didn't quite learn this lesson the hard way, but I pulled into a shipper in Granite City, IL with only an 1/8 tank of fuel... and of course they loaded me with 85,000 pounds or so. So rather than getting fuel and reweighing the load I returned to the shipper. And of course they wouldn't cut enough freight for me to get to fuel. So, I got to drive all the way to Cheyenne, WY calculating the fuel economy vs. the distances between weigh stations. Had a couple of times where I wasn't sure I'd make to to a fuel stop.
🚛👍... I saw a guy run out of ⛽ fuel on a steep 🌉 bridge.
A bit late to this one (in my recommended feed?); my 2 cents worth is that many shippers today have gotten too used to loading stripped down mega-carrier trucks. My 2020 Cascadia has a heavy damn deer guard, APU, tools, and added driver comfort features. It's rare that my steers are under 11,700. And yes, my 5th wheel is as far back as it can go. Too many shippers hire idiots from temp agencies to load trucks. Very few of them actually give load diagrams. Getting very common to pick up a load that has to be brought back because we're overweight. If more shippers would allow us on the dock, or atleast give us the option to let us tell how we need it loaded. And yes, most states will give either 500-1000lbs for having the APU and guard, but jeez....getting old fighting with these shippers.
Can you please make a video for how to get a D license or heavy D I want to work my way up to an AZ eventually but I'm finding a few things hard on the Ministry Ontario test. You're pretty good at explaining stuff so just thought I'd ask 🤠👍
That's a good story about your friend.....too funny
Being company driver i go where they send me. But I do have some flex with where I fuel. And they are now pulling the guts out of the 5th wheel so it can't be moved. Not that I move it often but there have been loads where I had to move it all the way forward. And always know where the houses are do a quick calc of the distance till you get there so if the house is 100 miles away and fuel is 8 lbs at 8 mpg then you will use approx 12 to 14 gals over which is 96 lbs roughly. And don't forget the leeway you get if you have an apu which gives you 35k on your drives. Then your tandems are usually 500 sometimes up to 750 a hole depending how you are loaded. Then don't forget your bridge for states. But I'm sure you will bring that up in another video. Good info. Thank u.
Slowest truck I ever drove was a old International C/O 290 Cummins with a 7 spd hauling sheet rock out of AL. Truck barely moved when loaded and probably lucky if I could get up a mountain at 20 mph. I always enjoy the stories from the old guys even though not many left with the good stories anymore. I always used 8 pounds per gallon although I have no idea where I came up with that. Just been in my mind through out my career.
Mr Charles ... you say your truck didn't have a speedometer on the dash, it had a calender!
Mr Charles , I once had a truck that was so slow the bugs on the windshield flew off when I stppped.
Weight of water?
I had the fuel weight thing a lot in flat bedding. Especially at lumber mills. They would always get pissy when I told them to take some of the freight off to make me legal. If I was close and I new the next with station was 100 miles is risk it cause I new I'd burn off some fuel. Learned a lot of tricks at that first company
If you haul out of Budweiser make sure you fuel before going in . They scale you inbound and then max you out. Many fuel stops between pick up and delivery, been there ,done that and didn’t even get a damn T-shirt !! 😉
Lol yup you gotta top off for them
Thanks for the info I like the idea how u explainned also was very smart thinking of your friend I work for a company also but I like to load with a full tanks because I might not be the one taking the load to the final destination n that keeps me at ease with the other drivers company don't like it but I tel them u don't have to worry about the overweight tikect if I or other driver gets the fine so I say hell no that way I don't have to worry about the load been overweight
Hahaha that's pretty smart!😄
Also have to take into consideration the bridge laws in the states may not be able to slide trailer tandems back that far example California
Make it simple , fuel before you get to the shipper . That was SOP going in to Budweiser in St.Louis in fact the shipper told us to they had their own scales !
Cartersville bud also has a scale.
hey dave in the meantime i hookedup with a guy doin intermodal wisconisn area i love those lanes liked what i seen all kinda like port work seemed simple wadda think about intermodal,,,,,
I guess it has it's ins and outs, never tried it myself. The idea of sitting in a rail yard with a chassis that has been through god knows what waiting to load a can weighing god knows what never really appealed to me. Dave
i thought the weight was per axle. 12,000 -steering, then 17,000 per axle for drive, tag and each trailer axle on the trailer (U.S.) =80,000. You can be overweight, technically, if too much weight is on 1 axle.
Keep in mind that the returning fuel cools the injectors and the tank is the radiator. When you run on the low side, the fuel is hotter and doesn’t cool the injectors as well. That can lead to stuck injectors. Empty tanks cool off and pull water vapor in too. Sometimes a man has to do what a man has to do.
i did your riteon tryin to figureout that math solution confusing though
When I got my truck. I fueled up truck and reefer got an mt cat scale put it in the permit book. So when a customer said your load weighs 49,500 lbs and you tell them no. Show them the scale ticket as proof. Americold #1 Rochelle IL was bad about that. I could scale 46000 lbs California full fuel if they loaded it right.
i dont truck but i subscribe for the quality contnt
Appreciate it Trey! Dave
I like how you presented this and I understand it completely. However I'm afraid there's a small detail that can get a new driver in trouble. The missing detail is that not all the fuel weight goes to the drives. The weight distribution depends where the tanks are located. To keep things simple here's the easiest way I've explained it over the years to other drivers and it's always been dead on (actual measurements done with measuring tape, simple math.) the question is, where are the tanks? As a general model, if the tanks are under the doors then 75% of the fuel weight goes onto the steers and 25% goes onto the drives. If the tanks are under the sleeper then the weight goes 50% to steers and 50% to drives. I've always used 7.5 pounds per gallon and it's always worked, if anything keeps you slightly under to be safe. This works on all trucks with normal wheel bases, so custom extended frames don't count. That's all I can say, do the math from there. Thanx for all your videos.
Aren't some of those 700lbs of fuel going on the steering axel too, so you would have less then 33700lbs on drives??🤔
Denis G just a bit, depend on your fuel tanks location
Depends on how far forward your fuel tanks are. Dave
+Denis G
Depends on the fuel tank position as well as the position of your fifth wheel in relationship to the middle of the set of drive axles and your steer axle.
I was always told that a sliding fifth wheel moves roughly 500lbs per notch(depending on the distance between notches) from the drive axles to the steer axles or from the steer axles to the drives!
It will also pull weight off the trailer or add weight to the trailer axles.
If you have an APJ like most company trucks do, you're allowed up to 1000 over on drives for APU weight.
My tanks are at the rear and at 3/4 tanks I'm at 12,000 on my steers with no load (tools and parts take up the bulk of the weight on my steers) but I got a 14000 rated front axle and my steer tires are rated at 7,160 lbs each so 14,320 total in some states I can run 14k on them but others I cant I can only be 200 lbs over and not have any issues so I gotta know how far the dot scales are and how much fuel i can put on so i burn off the overweight