(a) For pneumatic tired vehicles.
(1) The maximum wheel load of any one wheel of any vehicle, load, object or structure operated or moved upon improved public highways, streets, bridges or culverts shall not exceed 650 pounds per inch width of pneumatic tire, measured as prescribed by Ohio R.C. 5577.03.
(2) The weight of vehicle and load imposed under the road surface by vehicles with pneumatic tires shall not exceed any of the following weight limitations:
A. On any one axle, 20,000 pounds;
B. On any tandem axle, 34,000 pounds;
C. On any two or more consecutive axles, the maximum weight as determined by application of the formula provided in subsection (a)(4) hereof,
(3) For purposes of subsection (A)(2)(c) hereof, the maximum gross weight on any two or more consecutive axles shall be determined by application of the following formula:
W=500 ([LN/N-1] +12N +36)
In this formula, W equals the overall gross weight on any group of two or more consecutive axles to the nearest 500 pounds, L equals the distance in rounded whole feet between the extreme of any group of two or more consecutive axles, and N equals the number of axles in the group under consideration. However, two consecutive sets of tandem axles may carry a gross load of 34,000 pounds each, provided the overall distance between the first and last axles of such consecutive sets of tandem axles is thirty-six feet or more.
(4) The maximum overall gross weight of vehicle and load imposed upon the road surface shall not exceed 80,000 pounds.
(5) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, when a vehicle is towing another, such drawbar or other connection shall be of a length such as will limit the spacing between nearest axles of the respective vehicles to a distance not in excess of twelve feet, six inches.
(6) As used in this section, “tandem axle” means two consecutive axles whose centers may be included between parallel transverse vertical planes, spaced more than forty inches but not more than ninety-six inches apart, extending across the full width of the vehicle.
(ORC 5577.04)
(ORC 5577.04)
(b) For solid tired vehicles.
(1) No vehicle, load, object or structure having a maximum axle load greater than 16,000 pounds when such vehicle is equipped with solid rubber tires shall be operated or moved upon improved public highways, streets, bridges or culverts. The maximum wheel load of any one wheel of any such vehicle shall not exceed 650 pounds per inch width of tire, measured as prescribed by Ohio R.C. 5577.03, nor shall any solid tire of rubber or other resilient material, on any wheel of any such vehicle, be less than one inch thick when measured from the top of the flanges of the air channel.
(2) The weight of vehicle and load imposed upon the road surface by any two successive axles, spaced four feet or less apart, shall not exceed 19,000 pounds for solid tires, or by any two successive axles spaced more than four feet but less than eight feet apart shall not exceed 24,000 pounds for any solid tires; or by any two successive axles, spaced eight feet or more apart, shall not exceed 28,000 pounds for solid tires; nor shall the total weight of vehicle and load exceed for solid rubber tires, 28,000 pounds plus an additional 600 pounds for each foot or fraction thereof of spacing between the front axle and the rearmost axles of the vehicle; nor shall the weight of vehicle and load imposed upon the road surface by any vehicle equipped with solid rubber tires, exceed eighty percent (80%) of the permissible weight of vehicle and load as provided for pneumatic tires.
(3) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, when a vehicle is towing another vehicle, such drawbar or other connection shall be of a length such as will limit the spacing between the nearest axles of the respective vehicles to a distance not in excess of twelve feet six inches.
(ORC 5577.041)
(ORC 5577.041)
(c) Whoever violates the weight provisions of this section shall be fined eighty dollars ($80.00) for the first 2,000 pounds, or fraction thereof, or overload; for overloads in excess of 2,000 pounds, but not in excess of 5,000 pounds, the person shall be fined one hundred dollars ($100.00), and in addition thereto one dollar ($1.00) per 100 pounds of overload; for overloads in excess of 5,000 pounds, but not in excess of 10,000 pounds, the person shall be fined one hundred thirty dollars ($130.00) and in addition thereto two dollars ($2.00) per 100 pounds of overload, or imprisoned not more than thirty days, or both; for all overloads in excess of 10,000 pounds, the person shall be fined one hundred sixty dollars ($160.00) and in addition thereto three dollars ($3.00) per 100 pounds of overload, or imprisoned not more than thirty days, or both provided however, that whoever violates the weight provisions of vehicle and load relating to gross load limits shall be fined not less than one hundred dollars ($100.00). No penalty prescribed in this section shall be imposed on any vehicle combination if:
(1) The overload on any axle does not exceed 1,000 pounds, and
(2) The immediately preceding or following axle, excepting the front axle of the vehicle combination, is under-loaded by the same or greater amount.
For purposes of this section, two axles on one vehicle less than eight feet apart shall be considered as one axle.