Load guides for truck drivers
Plain explanations of axle weight limits, Quebec spring thaw, the 40-foot kingpin rule and how to balance a 53-foot trailer. Every guide links to the AxleLoad 53 calculator so you can run the numbers on your own load.
Axle weight limits in Canada and the United StatesSteer, tandem, tridem, gross weight and the Bridge Formula: the limits that apply to a tractor with a 53-foot semi-trailer.Balancing a 53-foot trailer: slider, fifth wheel and palletsHow pallet weight splits between the kingpin and the trailer axles, and how many pounds each slider hole or fifth-wheel notch moves.Quebec spring thaw: zones, dates and load reductionsWhy allowed loads drop every spring in Quebec, how the thaw zones work and how to plan your loads.California’s 40-foot kingpin-to-axle ruleWhat California’s 40-foot KPRA rule measures, how to check it on a 53-foot trailer and how it changes your axle weights.
Open the AxleLoad 53 calculator →Free, in English, French and Spanish. Works on a phone in the cab.
This guide is for information only. Legal limits change and depend on the road, the season and your permits: always check with the competent authority. Certified scale weights govern.