Weight plate designation

[vtach]

Can someone please tell me what the correct weight designation goes on an M35A2 plate? I have seen no letter or a "C", and numbers anywhere from 06 to 18. Can someone shed some light on this please?

 

[tmbrwolf]

08 without trailer 12 with trailer, top plate should have a "c" while towing a trailer

 

[steelandcanvas]

Does the "C" mean combined?

 

[M813rc]

Yes, Combination

 

[vtach]

And what does the 08 mean?

 

[roger-wilco-66]

8 tons I presume

EDIT: some explanations and further references are found in the TB-746-93-1 Section 14ff in the Resources / Technical Manuals on the StSo site here.

 

[tmbrwolf]

The number is the "weight class" of the vehicle. The weight class chart from TM9-2320-361-10-1 actually lists three different numbers for an M32A2, empty 6, loaded cross country (5,000 LBS) 8, loaded highway 11. This is based on the weight of the vehicle in metric tons (2204.6 LBS) then rounded. take an M35A2 at CC weight (13,530 truck+ 5,000 cargo) 18530 / 2204.6=6.13 T rounded 6, take the same truck at highway 23530 / 2204.6= 10.67 T rounded to 11. This system was developed to cross bridges safely, if the number on the vehicle is the same or lower than the number on the bridge it's ok to cross, if it's higher you might be swimming! in europe almost all bridges are marked, the marking is the same as the plates on the vehicles, a yellow circle with a number, not as common in the states except on military posts.

 

[roger-wilco-66]

Ken, good explanation. Below is a picture of typical signs designating the mlc (military load class) of a bridge.
But there are usually two signs, one for wheeled and one for tracked vehicles, and one-way or two way traffic.

---> edit: this is the european sign, I don't know what they look like in the US.

Mark

 

[tmbrwolf]

Typically the signs I see here only have the max weight class listed for all types.

 

[M1075]

Well, I guess if I saw that sign, I would have to wait for one way traffic. My M1009 would be just under the 70 ton limit.

 

[vtach]

Okay, thanks for the explaination.