Total Vehicle Weight | Total weight of the tractor and trailer combined, including the cargo. | 80,000 lbs (maximum legal limit in the U.S.) |
Tractor Weight | Weight of the tractor unit alone without any trailers. | 15,000 – 25,000 lbs |
Trailer Weight | Weight of the trailer unit alone without cargo. | 10,000 – 15,000 lbs |
Cargo Weight | Weight of the goods being transported. | Varies based on load |
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) | The maximum allowable total weight of the tractor-trailer including cargo, passengers, and fuel. | 80,000 lbs (varies by country and vehicle type) |
Axle Weight | Weight distributed over each axle, critical for maintaining legal and safe load distribution. | Front Axle: 12,000 lbs, Rear Axles: 34,000 lbs combined |
Kingpin Weight | The portion of the trailer’s weight that is transferred to the tractor via the kingpin. | 20-25% of trailer weight |
Tandem Axle Weight | Weight distributed over the tandem axles, ensuring balance and avoiding overloading of individual axles. | 34,000 lbs (combined limit) |
Bridge Formula Weight | Federal regulation ensuring weight is properly distributed over the length of the vehicle to prevent bridge stress. | Formula: W = 500((LN/N-1) + 12N + 36) |