Watch Your Weight - Load Distribution
38 OVERDRIVE JANUARY 2010 C ou rt es y of F on ta in e Tr ai le r C o. Y ears ago, a dry van trailer collapsed near El Paso, Texas. The service manager at the Utility Trailer dealership went to the scene to fi nd out what happened. There was 177,000 pounds of metal castings that came across from Juarez, Mexico, recalls Chuck Cole, manager of technical sales for Utility. It hit a major bump on I-10 and broke in half. Though most operators will never pull such a heavy load, today's trailers can handle loads well above legal limits. They're also capable of handling weight that is poorly distributed, though not indefi nitely. Planning your cargo's positioning lessens the likelihood of trailer wear and damage. Combined with regular equipment inspections and intelligent driving practices, careful weight Knowing how to distribute your cargo when loading will help you maximize payload and keep you running legal. BY MAX KVIDERA Trailer makers sometimes use a sticker to indicate the opti-mum location for placing a heavy load, such as a steel coil. weight Watch your