Scales

[hoffbrew]

Can anybody point me to the thread that is on the correct way to weigh your truck/trailer at the scales? Thanks

[Festus2]

hoffbrew -
Try one or both of these sites:
1) www.catscale.com/how-to-weigh

2) www.rvbasics.com/techtips/weighing-your-rv.html

Hope this helps - all you need to know - I think.

[canesfan]

Yup, those links show it all. Only thing I might add is every Cat scale I've been to there was only one call button and it is high. You may need something to push it with. I'm also height challenged.

[canesfan]

Oh, I personally wouldn't recommend unhitching on the scale to weigh your trailer by itself at a Cat scale. Some trucker behind you may get really annoyed. Have seen it happen. It's also unnecessary because truck and trailer weight - truck weight = trailer weight - if done correctly.

Make sure you don't forget to add the weight of that cooler full of "sodas".

[Ken / Claudia]

I found the tongue wt. by checking wt. of rear end truck axle empty and than with trailer attached. Several years ago I also checked my boat at a closed scale and did same, than unhooked boat and drove off scale with only tongue jack sitting on scale, it was the same.

[JRTJH]

Canesfan is right. It's pretty much a self explanatory process. BEFORE YOU DRIVE ON THE SCALE: go inside and tell the weighmaster what you're wanting to do. He (she) will help you get what you want figured out. When you do drive on the scale, you'll see three distinct pads. The front two are about 15' long and the back one is significantly longer. Drive your complete hitched rig onto the scales with the front axle on the front pad, the rear axle on the center pad and the trailer axles on the third (longest) pad. Jump JUMP JUMP to hit the call button and tell the weighmaster you're ready. Get back in the truck until he says he has the weight. Then drive off the scale to an open parking area, unhitch the trailer, drive the truck back onto the front two pads and get the truck weight. From those two weights you will have the loaded front axle, loaded rear axle, loaded trailer axles (first weight) and the empty truck front axle, empty rear axle (second weight). With those weights you can add and subtract to get your total rig weight, pin weight, total truck weight full and empty, and total trailer weight. There is no need to park the trailer on the scale unhitched. All the data you need to compute trailer weights will be available with the two weights described above.

It's easy once you've done it once or twice, but can be daunting if there's a line of 18 wheelers whizzing past and waiting behind you to weigh. Remember, you're paying the same as they are, so don't be intimidated, just get on the scale and off the scale as directed and you'll be fine.

[hoffbrew]

Perfect! Our work neighbor has certified scales for there big rigs, I talked to them last week and he told me to come on over, not a problem. I am taking the Fuzion out for the first trip this weekend, so I thought I would bring her to work on Thursday before I go and weigh her.

[Sherwood]

Originally Posted by JRTJH

Canesfan is right. It's pretty much a self explanatory process. BEFORE YOU DRIVE ON THE SCALE: go inside and tell the weighmaster what you're wanting to do. He (she) will help you get what you want figured out. When you do drive on the scale, you'll see three distinct pads. The front two are about 15' long and the back one is significantly longer. Drive your complete hitched rig onto the scales with the front axle on the front pad, the rear axle on the center pad and the trailer axles on the third (longest) pad. Jump JUMP JUMP to hit the call button and tell the weighmaster you're ready. Get back in the truck until he says he has the weight. Then drive off the scale to an open parking area, unhitch the trailer, drive the truck back onto the front two pads and get the truck weight. From those two weights you will have the loaded front axle, loaded rear axle, loaded trailer axles (first weight) and the empty truck front axle, empty rear axle (second weight). With those weights you can add and subtract to get your total rig weight, pin weight, total truck weight full and empty, and total trailer weight. There is no need to park the trailer on the scale unhitched. All the data you need to compute trailer weights will be available with the two weights described above.

It's easy once you've done it once or twice, but can be daunting if there's a line of 18 wheelers whizzing past and waiting behind you to weigh. Remember, you're paying the same as they are, so don't be intimidated, just get on the scale and off the scale as directed and you'll be fine.

What is the method for travel trailers with weight distribution hitches? My main concern is tongue weight after I redistributed a lot of weight to the back.

[Ken / Claudia]

Go back across the scale without the WD hooked up.

[Sherwood]

So, do I go through with the WD hooked up and then go through without it hooked up and then go through and just weigh the truck?

[denverpilot]

I laughed the first time I did it. Couldn't reach the call button without standing outside the truck cab on the running board of the Dodge 3500 and even then only barely. I'm 5' 11". Next time I'll bring a stick. The question "What's your truck number?" also threw me for a momentary loop since I didn't go inside first. The lady laughed after I said I was weighing an RV trailer and pickup truck and said, "We'll call you truck number 1! Just give them that number when you come in to pay. Thanks!"

[Dave-Gray]

Check out this page and others giving detailed instructions on how to weigh RVs.

[canesfan]

Originally Posted by denverpilot

I laughed the first time I did it. Couldn't reach the call button without standing outside the truck cab on the running board of the Dodge 3500 and even then only barely. I'm 5' 11". Next time I'll bring a stick. The question "What's your truck number?" also threw me for a momentary loop since I didn't go inside first. The lady laughed after I said I was weighing an RV trailer and pickup truck and said, "We'll call you truck number 1! Just give them that number when you come in to pay. Thanks!"

Lol, yeah, the first time I grabbed my manual awning pull rod to push the button, but at least I thought fast.
And same here with the truck number question, I didn't go in first, just pulled up on the scales. I was um, 1??? So they asked for my license number.

Have it down to a science now, well, almost. It sure would be nice if they put a second button lower though.

[canesfan]

Originally Posted by Sherwood

So, do I go through with the WD hooked up and then go through without it hooked up and then go through and just weigh the truck?

If you haven't weighed your truck before you should weigh it without the trailer otherwise you won't have all the information you need.

As for wanting to know the tongue weight, do you want to know the actual tongue weight of the trailer by itself? Or are you just interested in the tongue weight while hooked up with your WD hitch?

If you're just interested in tongue weight hooked up and in towing mode, go across the scales in that configuration, with WD hooked up. If you want to know just plain old tongue weight as the trailer sits on the ground also, go across the scales a second time without the WD hooked up.

You will need your empty truck weight to do all the math though.

[Sherwood]

Originally Posted by canesfan

If you haven't weighed your truck before you should weigh it without the trailer otherwise you won't have all the information you need.

As for wanting to know the tongue weight, do you want to know the actual tongue weight of the trailer by itself? Or are you just interested in the tongue weight while hooked up with your WD hitch?

If you're just interested in tongue weight hooked up and in towing mode, go across the scales in that configuration, with WD hooked up. If you want to know just plain old tongue weight as the trailer sits on the ground also, go across the scales a second time without the WD hooked up.

You will need your empty truck weight to do all the math though.

I never been through the scales before so I have no idea what my truck weighs by itself loaded as if we were going on a trip. I was wondering how to get tongue weight without unhitching on the scale. Thanks a lot. That helps a lot.

[canesfan]

So go across hooked up in towing mode, then unhook and go across with just the truck. You'll have loaded front and rear axle weights for the truck as well as trailer axle weight, and you'll have empty front and rear weights for the truck. You can figure from those numbers exactly what your WD hitch is doing with your tongue weight.

[murphysranch]

Why do we have to weigh our trucks and trailers? Or is it mandatory in some states with some weight ranges? Thanks.

[canesfan]

I'm not sure it's mandatory anywhere in the US, but it's nice to know your weights, if you're overloaded or not, etc.

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by murphysranch

Why do we have to weigh our trucks and trailers? Or is it mandatory in some states with some weight ranges? Thanks.

Without trying to sound petty, (I'm not trying to), the reason is so you know what you're driving and towing. If you don't have a clue about your weight, you don't have a clue as to whether you're "about to break an axle" or "pop a tire" or ?????

Knowing how much your rig weighs is akin to "responsible trailer towing" It's much like asking the questions: "Why check my tire pressure?" or "Why check my fuel gage?" or "Why do I need a map or GPS, I'll find it someday."

The more you know about your rig, the better enabled you are to care for it and to use it safely.

One of the "last" things I'd want to share the highway with is a severely overloaded trailer swaying from lane to lane going down the interstate and to pull in behind it at a rest area, ask the driver if things are OK and to be told, "Oh I guess they are, but this is the first time I've driven this and I thought that's how they are supposed to work." Knowing your rig, its capabilities and its status is just plain old responsible RVing

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by Sherwood

I never been through the scales before so I have no idea what my truck weighs by itself loaded as if we were going on a trip. I was wondering how to get tongue weight without unhitching on the scale. Thanks a lot. That helps a lot.

Sherwood,

When you go to weigh, if you go across the scale with the complete rig on the three pads (weight distribution bars attached, then also, without moving the rig, disconnect the bars and reweigh, then pull off the scales, unhitch and weigh the tow vehicle on the front two scale pads, you will then be able to correctly determine the total trailer weight, the total tongue weight, the "redistributed tongue weight" and the total tow vehicle weight (by axle)

If you only weigh with the distribution bars attached, you won't be able to determine the actual tongue weight. That's one important weight when trying to set up a trailer. You want to keep the tongue weight between 10*15% of the total trailer weight. You need the "undistributed tongue weight" to determine that value. So, actually, you need 3 weights to get all the data.

Hope that "sorta" clears it up a little.