Maximum traveling payload capacity of bandmill bed?

[Walnut Beast]

I didn't put it on the scale, when I bought my mill the literature stated the weight and after I bent an axle and was discussing it with WM. I asked @ why do you put a 4200# mill in a 3500# axle" ? I was told that "Dexter approved it". I can run across the scale tomorrow though.

That's crazy! Underrated axle 🙄. That's hard to believe Dexter approved that

[Crossroads]

That is exactly what I was told when I asked.by the way, I totally agree 

[Magicman]

 

 
The 4th item in the VIN identifies the "Weight Class".  A=Under 3,000 lbs.  B=3,001-4,000 lbs. C=4,001-5000lbs.

My 1998 LT40SH has a "C" rating and ......



These wheels & tires.  My axle is rated @5.2K lbs.

I am not doubting what someone might have said, but I am not believing for one second that Dexter would approve of nor that Wood-Mizer would use an axle rated for less than the stated sawmill weight.  There would be no reason whatsoever for either to expose themselves to that potential liability.

[terrifictimbersllc]

Crossroads if I'm not mistaken yours is not a super, And not a diesel. My 2001 super diesel had a 5200 pound axle.Doesn't explain your 3500 pound axle but it matters whether it's a super diesel or not.

[OlJarhead]

That's crazy Crossroads!  I have more that 10,000 hard miles on my '16 LT40 and no issues despite hauling 300+ pounds of gear on it over very rough roads!

I think yours was a defect

[Crossroads]

 Curiosity got the best of me. I just returned from the local log yard scales and my mill is 3660#   
It's not the 4200 stated in the ligature, but I have the 26hp engine which is a light option. Now, it is most definitely over the 3500# axle rating. Either someone approved that difference or it left the manufacturing facility accidentally overweight and the Portland distributor overweight by accident. 

TT, you are correct, my mill is not a super and does not have the Diesel engine. My point and my only point is that MY mill is over the rating of the axle and it came from WM that way. On top of that, I was told that they know about the overloading and have it approved. 

[Magicman]

Kevin, Your sawmill weighed 3660 lbs but that included the weight of the axle & wheels which surely weigh more than 160 lbs. and should not be included as actual payload.  ???

[doc henderson]

an axle rated for 3500 will have some margin.  they will not just rate it at that, and it will fail at 100 # over.  that is a safe rating.  It may be in harsh conditions it will survive as well such as rough terrain or emergency maneuvers.  did you know that the exp.  on most meds is 1 year after dispensing, but the big bottle at the pharmacy has much more.  after dispensed, the storage conditions are unknown.  there is prob. a 3 year window that the med is safe and effective.  they know how people are.  

[doc henderson]

I would be more worried about tweaking the frame hitting a big bump in the road, especially if the weight is not over the axle.  the weight rating is for the spindle shaft, bearings ect. as well as the tires and wheels.  I think long term gross over loading could cause premature wear, but the big concern is an accident where it is found you exceeded recommendation by a bunch, and sited as a cause.  right or wrong.  if you cannot stop or control the vehicle in a pinch it may be argued that the condition could have been avoided.  

[Crossroads]

Yes I would expect a safety margin, but it's a bit of a sore subject for me as I had to fork out $500 for a new axle and another $300 to replace the tires the bent axle scrubbed off. Bear in mind 3660 was connected to the the pickup, so the truck was supporting some weight. At what point do they go to the 4200 axle? If you opt for the 38hp or the 35hp diesel.  Or do all standards get the 3500? 

[Southside]

Don't ask me how, maybe it's the new math, but axle ratings can change. When my 70 went back to IN for a computer issue it returned with new tires and wheels, along with a higher rated axle per the VIN tag. The same axle was still bolted underneath, but the tag had a higher rating. 

[bigblockyeti]

I initially thought the super had a 3500lb axle under it as the videos on the WM site show an LT40 with a 5 lug axle.  It is apparently not the super though.  I would expect when looking at the super, they would take the time to create a dedicated video for the super?

[doc henderson]

Crossroads, I did say right or wrong.  

[KenMac]

I'm wondering if anyone knows if the tongue weight or jack stand weight is subtracted from the weight of the entire unit and that weight is used to determine axle weight rating? Never is the entire weight of the unit or trailer is on the axle so it may be considered. I don't know the specifics of how that is determined. My Cook's AC36 has two 5200 lb. axles under it and supposedly weighs 7k. 
They left some room for error it seems.

[doc henderson]

I do not think the tongue and jack are subtracted.  i also do not think the tires wheels and axle is either.  I think they are all part of the gross vehicle weight.  Not  perfect system, but it gets us in the ball park.  I would hesitate to push the odds by very much or very often or for very many miles.  My first trailer i bought in 1990 was a 5 x 10 2k axle with no brakes.  I upgraded to 5 x 10 with a 3500# axle with brakes.  it cost me 360$.  I overloaded it with gravel to the back once on top of a pile.  on the way down it  was bobbing and lifting the back of my bronco 2 off the ground and setting it down left to right.  I hit the brake actuator to straighten the mess out.  bent the tongue also it was replaced with 1/4 inch wall and a longer tongue. I have learned a thing or too and survived it.  My best friend and his 3 year old son were with me coming down the 20 foot tall side of that rock.  they did not know what had happened till I told them. 

[Crossroads]

With all this discussion, I think I'll call WM and make sure my new mill has a little extra axle under it than what they think will get me by. Especially since I put a lot of miles on a mill, roughly 25k since last April 

[KirkD]

If it would benefit you, go for it, don't do it on my account.  I had this discussion with WM recently, my specific question: "What is written on the axle tag capacity by the axle manufacturer on the LT40 Super?"  Their answer:  "LT40 Super   AXLE ASSEMBLY, 5200 LB" I don't know what has changed between 2017 and 2022 but the axle being used could have been one of those things.  FWIW, I was not asking about 2017 MY mills.

Is your 5200Lb axle a 6 lug wheel or 5 lug? If it truly is a 5200Lb it will have 6 lug wheels.

[Stephen1]

My old 93 had the 13" wheels and #3500 axle. I upgraded to 14" wheels as 13" were to hard to find. my new mill has the larger axle 6bolt, and my frame is larger #50 size as I have the 38 horse kholer engine.