AxleLoad 53 user guide

Updated October 18, 2026

AxleLoad 53 works out how much weight each axle group of a tractor and 53-foot semi-trailer will carry, before you get to the scale. Here is how to use it, step by step.

1. Pick the regulations

In the Regulations card, choose where you are driving:

Quebec (MTQ): limits from the Quebec Ministry of Transportation loads and dimensions guide, 2026 edition. The Quebec spring thaw switch applies the thaw-period limits.
Canada (CCMTA): limits from the interprovincial weights and dimensions agreement.
United States (federal): Interstate limits and the Bridge Formula. The 40 ft rule option checks the kingpin-to-axle distance required in California.

2. Describe the equipment

In the Equipment card:

Trailer axles: tandem or tridem. For a tridem, set the spread between the first and last axle, since the limit depends on it.
Rear slider: the distance from the kingpin to the center of the trailer axles. Move the control the way you would slide the tandem.
Tares: the empty weight of the trailer, and of the tractor on the steer axle and the drive axles. The guide Weighing your truck explains how to measure them.
Wheelbase and fifth wheel: the distance from the front axle to the center of the drive tandem, and how far the fifth wheel sits ahead of that center, in inches.

3. Enter the pallets

The trailer holds 13 rows of 2 pallets. You can:

use batch fill (for example 26 pallets at 1,650 lb), which fills from the front;
type each pallet’s weight in the table, row by row;
tap a pallet in the 3D view to edit its weight.

To swap two pallets, drag one onto the other. On a touch screen, hold the pallet for half a second before dragging.

4. Read the gauges

The four large tiles show the gross weight and the load on the steer axle, the drives and the trailer:

Green: legal, with more than 5% margin.
Orange: legal, but within 5% of the limit. A mis-declared pallet or a fuel stop can be enough to go over.
Red: overweight.

Under the trailer, each gauge shows the limit and the margin left.

5. Fix a load

If the drives or the trailer are over while the gross is legal, move pallets or the slider. The guide Balancing a 53-foot trailer explains what each adjustment does. If the gross is over, no adjustment helps: weight has to come off.

6. Save your loads

With a free account you can save 5 loads and open them on any device; the Premium plan allows 15 and removes ads. The current load is also kept automatically on the device.

AxleLoad 53 gives an estimate. It depends on accurate tares and declared weights. Only a certified scale weight is official.

Open the AxleLoad 53 calculator →Free, in English, French and Spanish. Works on a phone in the cab.

More guides

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.Weighing your truck on a certified scaleHow to weigh axle group by axle group, read a scale ticket and measure your tares for more accurate calculations.Loading and axle weight glossaryKingpin, fifth wheel, slider, tandem, tridem, gross weight, tare, Bridge Formula: loading terms explained simply.AxleLoad 53 frequently asked questionsAnswers about the calculation, accuracy, regulations, spring thaw, accounts, the subscription and privacy.About AxleLoad 53 and contactWho builds AxleLoad 53, where the load limits come from, and how to reach us.

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.