Tag/Pusher Axle

Sleepydog · Jul 11, 2004

Hope one of you smart people can help me here. I have a 2000 FL106 with a Detroit series 50. The truck also has a 120" sleeper and a 20 foot box. I want to install a tag/pusher axle to help reduce a little of the weight on the front and to be able to haul a little more weight. I will admit the only thing I know about these axles is that they go up and down. Can someone help me out with some specs on if I want a tag or a pusher. Is there a web site I can visit for some info? Does anyone have someone they can recommend for installation and setup. Which is better or worse, a tag or pusher. Thanks for any help anyone can give me

davekc · Jul 11, 2004

For starters, are you sure you have a 120" sleeper and a 20 ft. box?
The reason for the question is that you would be illegal in many states. 40 Ft total length is all some states allow. Some will let you go to 45 with the extra axle but not all. Unless something has recently changed.
Whether to go tag or pusher depends on where you are trying to move the weight. In otherwords, are you too heavy on your steer axle? If so, go with a tag instead of a pusher.
There are numerous posts on here relating to your other questions, but before you proceed, make sure you are legal on your overall length or adding a secondary axle won't benefit you all.
Any dealer or shop that performs suspension work could add one. You will have to price out the labor to see who will give you a good deal. Either purchase the axle from a suspension component company, or buy through the dealer ect.

BigBusBob · Jul 12, 2004

SleepyDog, a Liftable Tag Axle (they lift with air-pressure)... kiss about $6,000.00 Good Bye.
They lift right from the drivers seat and you can adjust how much pressure you want to put onto the ground - from about 20 psi all the way up to 120 psi plus. The Tag goes in front of the drives, the pusher goes in back of the drives... like Dave said, which one you want depends on where you want the weight taken off - the drives or the steers?

Measure the outside of your sleeper with a tape measure and let us know.

Bet it looks sharp... is it a walk-thru? Do you have a generator or reefer unit on it? a lift gate? if you have a lift gate you may not be able to place a pusher axle on there - not sure, though I know it'd be a tight fit. How much does it weight empty? full tanks and your regular gear onboard - without freight?

ClassicOne · Jul 13, 2004

Hello, I currently run a 96" sleeper/22' box on a FL106 with the detroit 50. I have a tag axle that positions the aux axle behind the drives. I weight just under 11K empty on the steers. It takes a little playing with the loads to keep the weight off the steers with a FL106 and my tag helps by transfering some weight to the drives empty and by loading after drives enables about 19K of load if I want (I don't)registered weight of 46K

expeditesales · Jul 13, 2004

120" Sleeper = 10'
20' Van body = 20'6"
FL-106 is 9 foot cab chasis
3" ICC bumper + 3" gap between sleeper and Van body = 6"

Total Lenght is 40'

Just an FYI

expeditesales · Jul 13, 2004

PUSHER AXLE
You have a Large Sleeper
You need the weight taken off the steer tires not the drives

Hope this helps

BigBusBob · Jul 14, 2004

ClassicOne, I'm trying to understand all that - but all the numbers confused me - I'm interested though. Can you explain better/easier???

thank you, Bob

SHARP327 · Jul 15, 2004

HI EVERYBODY! WELL HERE'S MY TWO CENTS WORTH! AS FOR THE AXLES, I WAS TOLD THAT A PULLER IS AN AXLE THAT IS BEHIND THE DRIVE AXLE BECAUSE YOU PULL IT DOWN THE ROAD ALSO KNOWN AS A TAG AXLE, WHEN PRESSURE IS ADDED YOU'LL INCREASE THE WEIGHT ON YOUR STEERS.

A PUSHER AXLE IS IN FRONT OF YOUR DRIVE AXLE BECAUSE YOU PUSH IT DOWN THE ROAD AND WHEN YOU APPLY PRSSURE YOU'LL DECREASE THE WEIGHT ON YOUR STEERS.

I HAVE A PUSHER AXLE ON MY TRUCK AND THIS ALLOWS ME TO POSITION ALOT MORE WEIGHT TOWARDS THE FRONT OF THE BOX AND NOT HAVING TO CONCENTRATE THE BULK OF THE WEIGHT OVER MY DRIVE AXLE. I'D RECOMMEND THIS SET UP.

ANOTHER THOUGHT I'D LIKE TO MENTION IS THAT WITHOUT THE AUX. AXLE MY TRUCK WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CARRY AROUND 13K BUT NOW THAT IT HAS THE AUX.AXLE IT CAN ONLY HAUL AROUND 9.5K WHEN NOT USING THE AUX. AXLE, REASON IS BECAUSE THE AUX. AXLE WEIGHS AROUND 3K WHICH TAKES AWAY FROM THE AMOUNT I CAN CARRY, THE ONLY REASON I WENT WITH THE AUX. AXLE IS BECAUSE MADE THE TRUCK TAX EXEMPT HERE IN KY.

ANOTHER THING IS BEWARE OF THE LOCATION OF THE PRESSURE REGULATOR! I GOT A TICKET IN LA. FOR HAVING IT IN THE CAB (SEE PAST POST ON AUX.AXLES)

I HOPE THIS HELPS YOU IN SOME WAY AND I HOPE I HAD MY INFO CORRECT! BE CAREFUL OUT THERE! SHARP327

davekc · Jul 15, 2004

I think sharp gives a good explanation.

BigBusBob · Jul 15, 2004

Yes, I agree with Dave, that Sharp' explains it very welll...

Sharp said "A PUSHER AXLE IS IN FRONT OF YOUR DRIVE AXLE BECAUSE YOU PUSH IT DOWN THE ROAD AND WHEN YOU APPLY PRSSURE YOU'LL DECREASE THE WEIGHT ON YOUR STEERS."

Sharp also said "I HAVE A PUSHER AXLE ON MY TRUCK AND THIS ALLOWS ME TO POSITION ALOT MORE WEIGHT TOWARDS THE FRONT OF THE BOX AND NOT HAVING TO CONCENTRATE THE BULK OF THE WEIGHT OVER MY DRIVE AXLE."

That's easy enough to understand. The rig I was in had a "pusher axle". Anything over 8,000 lbs, I put it down - and never have any problems at scales.

Thanks for the info., Bob

SHARP327 · Jul 15, 2004

GLAD I WAS ABLE TO BE OF SOME HELP!

BE CAREFUL OUT THERE!

SHARP327

ClassicOne · Jul 16, 2004

sharp.... have you relocated the pressure regulator yet. I have been thinking about relocating mine to the side door of the sleeper... anyone else thinking about it? or already relocated one? don't really want the hassles you and mcbride have had in LA

SHARP327 · Jul 17, 2004

HI CLASSICONE! WISH I COULD SAY THAT I'VE TAKEN CARE OF RELOCATING THE VALVE, BUT BETWEEN BEING LAZY,WORKING TOO MUCH AND TRYING TO FIND TIME TO DO IT OR GET IT DONE IT STILL RESIDES IN THE SAME PLACE IT WAS IN WHEN I GOT MY FINE.

I'VE BEEN AVOIDING LA. AND WHEN I DID GO BACK THROUGH THERE I KEPT MY AXLE DOWN WITH REAL LOW PRESSURE.

PUTTING THE VALVE IN THE SIDE SLEEPER COMPARTMENT SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD LOCATION, I'LL LOOK INTO THAT MYSELF!

I'D ALSO LIKE TO HEAR FROM OTHER DRIVERS ABOUT WHAT THEY DID!

TAKE CARE OUT THERE! SHARP327

Doggie Daddy · Jul 17, 2004

sharp,i haven't done anything with my aux. axle controller either. been too busy to do much more than drive lately.t also drop my aux axle down(needed or not) whenever i go through LA. DD.

truckercop · Aug 5, 2004

Sleepydog:

Here is a little info for you if you are still looking for a drop axle. Check out the dump truck sites, truck salvage places, and related repair shops in the Michigan area. Michigan trucks run up to fifteen or more axles. More than half of them being drop axles. When I was considering the dump truck business, I came across several drop axles for sale in Michigan (used).

Also, my brother just got a ticket in Kentucky/Louisiana for not having the control lever for the drop axle on the outside of the cab. Reason being, DOT down there says that you can drop it to go over the scale and then raise it when you leave. The ticket was under one hundred dollar ticket.

Hope this helps...

SHARP327 · Aug 7, 2004

TRUCKERCOP!

HI! WHICH DOT WAS IT? THAT TICKETED YOUR BROTHER, I WAS ONE OF THE 1ST. THAT RECEIVED THE $100.00 FINE FOR THE VALVE BEING IN THE CAB, I PROTESTED THE TICKET AND IT WAS REDUCED TO $50.00 ONLY BECAUSE I'D NEVER REC'D A TICKET IN LA.

I CALLED THE LA. DOT AND ASKED WHY AND WAS TOLD THAT I HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO SOMETHING WRONG! NOT THAT I DID BUT BECAUSE I COULD HAVE! (guilty until proven innocent)

ANYWAY AFTER GETTING MY TICKET IN LA. I WENT TO THE CHICKEN COOP BY MY HOUSE HERE IN KY. AND ASKED ABOUT THIS AND WAS TOLD BY THE OFFICER THAT THEY MUST HAVE WANTED TO GET ME FOR SOMETHING NO MATTER WHAT!, AND THAT IT WAS NOT IN THE FEDERAL DOT LAW ABOUT HAVING OR NOT HAVING THE VALVE IN THE CAB, IT'S JUST THAT DIFFERENT STATES CAN ADD AMMENDMENTS TO THE FEDERAL DOT LAWS BUT CAN NOT DELETE ANY.

SO UNTIL I GET THE VALVE MOVED INTO THE COMPARTMENT IN MY SLEEPER I'LL JUST STAY AWAY FROM LA. OR AT LEAST JUST KEEP MY AUX. AXLE DOWN SO IT DOESN'T APPEAR TO BE ADJUSTABLE WHILE GOING THROUGH LA.

TELL YOUR BROTHER TO PROTEST THE TICKET! UNLESS IT'S TO LATE, BECAUSE IF ENOUGH PEOPLE PROTEST THAT RULING MAYBE JUST MAYBE SOMEONE WILL NOTICE AND CHANGE IT (WISHFUL THINKING IN THE HIGHEST DEGREE)

GOTTA GO! TAKE CARE OUT THERE!

SHARP327