Weight of a 45ft semi trailer

Okay, now THAT was clever! :-)

They're between 11,000 and 13,000 lbs empty depending on size and if it's a steel or aluminum trailer. Had a couple of these hauled off last year.



Steel 45 footer would be likely closer to the 13,000 range.

I searched extensively for actual weights and came up empty. Decided to just do one. I am in the process of cutting up a 40' right now. Trailer had aluminum roof, walls, wall uprights. Aluminum and steel floor cross members.
So far I have got 1400# alum. from walls and roof, (840# sheet, 560# extrusion). I got 3900# steel from the axles, frame above axles, rear door frame and 5th wheel plate.
I still have the aluminum trailer front and floor to process.
The wood floor was VERY heavy, no scrap weight but good hardwood for next winter heating.
Gross trailer weight is very misleading as far as scrap weight because you have to DEDUCT weight for: tires, wood floor, plywood wall liner, wood roll-up door and insulation. I have 2) 4x4 crates full of fiberglass insulation, 2) pallets of plywood, a 4'x3'x8' crate and 3) 55 gal. barrel full of wood floor.
I will weigh everything and post results.

Originally Posted by ResourcefulRecycling

Looking for the approximate weight of a 45ft flatbed semi trailer. I have a buddy that has one and he is interested in having me scrap it. I would cut the whole thing up for short steel. It has cross members every 12in and duel axle. Wood deck is rotted out. Thanks .

Oops sorry about earlier post, missed the "flatbed" part. I've got van trailer on the brain this week.

I did a 45' Fontaine flatbed last year. Gross weight was 12,760 with a real solid deck.
Actual scrap weight was a little under 8000#.
I lost almost 5000# between the deck and wheels and tires. One of my yards confirmed this that they figure 3000# for a wood deck and 2000# for a set of 8 wheels and tires.