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169.823 Tire weight limits.

Subdivision 1. Pneumatic-tired vehicle. No vehicle or combination of vehicles equipped with pneumatic tires shall be operated upon the highways of this state:

(1) where the gross weight on any wheel exceeds 9,000 pounds, except that on designated local routes and state trunk highways the gross weight on any single wheel shall not exceed 10,000 pounds;

(2) where the gross weight on any single axle exceeds 18,000 pounds, except that on designated local routes and state trunk highways the gross weight on any single axle shall not exceed 20,000 pounds;

(3) where the maximum wheel load:

(i) on the foremost and rearmost steering axles, exceeds 600 pounds per inch of tire width or the manufacturer's recommended load, whichever is less; or

(ii) on other axles, exceeds 500 pounds per inch of tire width or the manufacturer's recommended load, whichever is less. This item applies to new vehicles manufactured after August 1, 1991. For vehicles manufactured before August 2, 1991, the maximum weight per inch of tire width is 600 pounds per inch or the manufacturer's recommended load, whichever is less, until August 1, 1996. After July 31, 1996, this item applies to all vehicles regardless of date of manufacture;

(4) where the gross weight on any axle of a tridem exceeds 15,000 pounds, except that for vehicles to which an additional axle has been added prior to June 1, 1981, the maximum gross weight on any axle of a tridem may be up to 16,000 pounds provided the gross weight of the tridem combination does not exceed 39,900 pounds where the first and third axles of the tridem are spaced nine feet apart;

(5) where the gross weight on any group of axles exceeds the weights permitted under sections 169.822 to 169.829 with any or all of the interior axles disregarded, and with an exterior axle disregarded if the exterior axle is a variable load axle that is not carrying its intended weight, and their gross weights subtracted from the gross weight of all axles of the group under consideration.

Subd. 2. Vehicle not equipped with pneumatic tires. A vehicle or combination of vehicles not equipped with pneumatic tires shall be governed by the provisions of sections 169.822 to 169.829, except that the gross weight limitations shall be reduced by 40 percent.

HIST: 1981 c 321 s 4; 1982 c 424 s 42; 1982 c 617 s 11-13; 1983 c 198 s 9; 1986 c 398 art 13 s 6-9; 1986 c 452 s 20; 1Sp1986 c 3 art 4 s 13; 1991 c 112 s 4; 1991 c 333 s 18,19; 1992 c 578 s 7-10; 1994 c 635 art 1 s 16; 1998 c 372 art 1 s 8; 2000 c 433 s 1; 2001 c 156 s 1; 2001 c 213 s 10; 2002 c 364 s 13

Official Publication of the State of Minnesota
Revisor of Statutes