The Scales Routine

[BeagleMan]

Hi guys,

Been reading quite a few posts in Towing and ya'll have me thinking. I need to weigh my stuff and see what it is I am doing right or wrong. I have a 2008 Tundra 5.7L with towing capacity of 10,600lbs. I drag a 2019 Outback 260UML Ultra-Lite. Bought in Missouri and currently in Alabama. Towed it down here with no problems whatsoever. E4 Hitch, Brake controller installed and its good to go. But, I do want to be correct and safe in all possible aspects. And you guys here have me thinking...…

I want to take it to the CAT scales and get it weighed and see where I can do better. What is the process? For truck and TT? How does this work to get the true readings I am looking for and the adjustments I maybe have to make?

TIA!

AC

[Getn off]

Pretty simple. Pull onto the scales with front truck tires on the first pad. Make sure the truck’s rear tires are on the second pad. This should leave your trailer tires on the next pad. Push the int button and let them know you want to weigh your fifth will let you know when its complete and to come inside and pay ($12 usually). Easy cheesy. If you have any questions, they are usually very helpful.
Troy

[notanlines]

Just to add to the correct info from Troy, be sure to go the way you actually travel. Bring the kids and Momma. It'll be fun. After you weigh the first time, pull way out of the way out to the parking area, drop your RV and get back on the scale for a re-weigh. Again, same position. Go inside and pay $2.00 more. Now you have enough info to keep people at each other's throats on this forum for days on end. We all look forward to it!

[Bill-2020]

Oh, don’t forget to leave Endeavor at home in the shuttle port. It’ll overload our scale numbers every darn time! (just pokin’ a little bit at ourselves...).

[flybouy]

Originally Posted by BeagleMan

Hi guys,

Been reading quite a few posts in Towing and ya'll have me thinking. I need to weigh my stuff and see what it is I am doing right or wrong. I have a 2008 Tundra 5.7L with towing capacity of 10,600lbs. I drag a 2019 Outback 260UML Ultra-Lite. Bought in Missouri and currently in Alabama. Towed it down here with no problems whatsoever. E4 Hitch, Brake controller installed and its good to go. But, I do want to be correct and safe in all possible aspects. And you guys here have me thinking...…

I want to take it to the CAT scales and get it weighed and see where I can do better. What is the process? For truck and TT? How does this work to get the true readings I am looking for and the adjustments I maybe have to make?

TIA!

AC

The first thing you need to do is ignore the bolded line above. Look at the yellow and white sticker on the driver's door pillar. It will say "Tire and loading information" across the top. The line that states "The combined weights of all ocupants and cargo must not exceed xxx kg or xxx lbs." That is your trucks load or varying capacity. I'll guarantee you will exceed that number long before you hit the advertised "tow capacity".

[KimNTerry]

Originally Posted by flybouy

The first thing you need to do is ignore the bolded line above. Look at the yellow and white sticker on the driver's door pillar. It will say "Tire and loading information" across the top. The line that states "The combined weights of all ocupants and cargo must not exceed xxx kg or xxx lbs." That is your trucks load or varying capacity. I'll guarantee you will exceed that number long before you hit the advertised "tow capacity".

Agreed except "That is your trucks load or carrying capacity"

It was the available payload when it left the factory! Any modifications to the truck, tonneau cover, floormats, shell, toolbox, what ever reduces this number as well.

If going to the scale,
GVWR (on the White Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Certificate)- Weight of truck = available payload.

for the reweigh, When unhitching, leave the hitch in the receiver and put the bars in the bed. this way you account for that weight as well.

[Northofu1]

The only thing I would add is weigh your set up with the wdh engaged and then weigh disengaged. It will help show the distribution over all the axles.
Good luck.

[gearhead]

The biggest thing is to enter the scale from the correct direction. Sometimes there will be a "EXIT ONLY" sign.
You might want to have a stick or something to reach the call button.
After you get on the scales and hit the button it usually doesn't take very long at all and the clerk in the store will usually say something. I usually can't understand them, so when you hear anything just pull off the scale, park, and go in the store to pay. The clerk will ask your unit number. I usually say zero.

[markcee]

Originally Posted by BeagleMan

Hi guys,

Been reading quite a few posts in Towing and ya'll have me thinking. I need to weigh my stuff and see what it is I am doing right or wrong. I have a 2008 Tundra 5.7L with towing capacity of 10,600lbs. I drag a 2019 Outback 260UML Ultra-Lite. Bought in Missouri and currently in Alabama. Towed it down here with no problems whatsoever. E4 Hitch, Brake controller installed and its good to go. But, I do want to be correct and safe in all possible aspects. And you guys here have me thinking...…

I want to take it to the CAT scales and get it weighed and see where I can do better. What is the process? For truck and TT? How does this work to get the true readings I am looking for and the adjustments I maybe have to make?

TIA!

AC

you actually should weigh 3 times minimum to get all the pertinent info:

1. Fully loaded truck alone (all passengers/cargo for camping)
2. Fully loaded truck and trailer with WDH bars disconnected and in bed of truck
3. Fully loaded truck and trailer with WDH bars engaged

This will allow you to get tongue weight as well as allow you to see how much weight your WDH is transferring.

Credit the info below to SmokeyWren....one of the most knowledgeable tow related forum members I've seen (F150forum.com/iRV2 etc.

you need at least 3 weight tickets from the CAT scale. Be sure all the passes over the scale include the same weight of people and pets and stuff in the TV and RV. And the "stuff" in the TV and RV should be everything that will be in it when towing to the campground. Tools, jacks, jack stands, campfire wood, toys, dutch oven, grill and fuel for the grill, food, drinks, enough fresh water in the holding tank to flush the pottie while on the road, everything. Else you're just kidding yourself.



Using CAT scale tickets 1] thru 3], add the weights on the front and rear axles to get GVW.

Subtract GVW 1] from GVW 2] to get tongue weight (TW).

Subtract GVW 3] from the GVWR of the TV to determine if you exceed the payload capacity of your TV. If the answer is a positive number, you're good to go. If it's a negative number, you're overloaded.

Subtract the gross weight of your rig from the GCWR of the TV to see how close to the max tow rating you are.

Weight distribution: Note the differences in weight on the axles with scale tickets 2] and 3]. Goal is 20% to 25% of TW distributed to the trailer axles, another 20% to 25% of TW distributed to the front axle of the TV, leaving 50% to 60% of TW on the rear axle. If you're not close to the goal, your WD hitch needs more adjustment.

[BeagleMan]

Oh my! Lots of info here. This is why I am here instead of FB or other guru sites.

Thank you all. I have printed all of your responses and use them to the letter. Thanks! And I will post the numbers once I do. Thanks again.

[gearhead]

If you "do" Facebook there is one decent site. RVelectricity.
Besides the fishing reports of course.

[Northofu1]

Originally Posted by markcee

you actually should weigh 3 times minimum to get all the pertinent info:

1. Fully loaded truck alone (all passengers/cargo for camping)
2. Fully loaded truck and trailer with WDH bars disconnected and in bed of truck
3. Fully loaded truck and trailer with WDH bars engaged

This will allow you to get tongue weight as well as allow you to see how much weight your WDH is transferring.

Credit the info below to SmokeyWren....one of the most knowledgeable tow related forum members I've seen (F150forum.com/iRV2 etc.

you need at least 3 weight tickets from the CAT scale. Be sure all the passes over the scale include the same weight of people and pets and stuff in the TV and RV. And the "stuff" in the TV and RV should be everything that will be in it when towing to the campground. Tools, jacks, jack stands, campfire wood, toys, dutch oven, grill and fuel for the grill, food, drinks, enough fresh water in the holding tank to flush the pottie while on the road, everything. Else you're just kidding yourself.



Using CAT scale tickets 1] thru 3], add the weights on the front and rear axles to get GVW.

Subtract GVW 1] from GVW 2] to get tongue weight (TW).

Subtract GVW 3] from the GVWR of the TV to determine if you exceed the payload capacity of your TV. If the answer is a positive number, you're good to go. If it's a negative number, you're overloaded.

Subtract the gross weight of your rig from the GCWR of the TV to see how close to the max tow rating you are.

Weight distribution: Note the differences in weight on the axles with scale tickets 2] and 3]. Goal is 20% to 25% of TW distributed to the trailer axles, another 20% to 25% of TW distributed to the front axle of the TV, leaving 50% to 60% of TW on the rear axle. If you're not close to the goal, your WD hitch needs more adjustment.

This is good.
Before you do this, in the middle of the wheel well measure from the ground to the top. During the process remeasure each time there is a change. Let's not forget about the head light aim.

[dalamarjj78]

We recently used CAT scales for the first time and I was a little anxious about it. There are two truck stops near us that had scales so I actually drove down there without the TT first just to scope the area out and see which scale would be easier to access, maneuver through, etc.

Once I decided which one I'd use I went inside and spoke to the weigh master. They were really friendly and didn't mind answering all of my questions (like where to park the trailer when I disconnected to weigh just our tow vehicle).

You may want to check out the mobile app. Apparently you can use it to get all your weights without having to talk to anyone. Just make sure you set it up at home in advance. We couldn't get it to work but it may have just been spotty cell service.

I also brought a stick in order to hit the call button but it turns out the scale had a second button and speaker installed at a height convenient for regular trucks. But I'm not sure if that's standard or not.

[Mainer]

Originally Posted by BeagleMan

Hi guys,

Been reading quite a few posts in Towing and ya'll have me thinking. I need to weigh my stuff and see what it is I am doing right or wrong. I have a 2008 Tundra 5.7L with towing capacity of 10,600lbs. I drag a 2019 Outback 260UML Ultra-Lite. Bought in Missouri and currently in Alabama. Towed it down here with no problems whatsoever. E4 Hitch, Brake controller installed and its good to go. But, I do want to be correct and safe in all possible aspects. And you guys here have me thinking...…

I want to take it to the CAT scales and get it weighed and see where I can do better. What is the process? For truck and TT? How does this work to get the true readings I am looking for and the adjustments I maybe have to make?

TIA!

AC

Hope you have better luck at the Cat Scale than we did. Light weight kayaks on top, boat gear and 200i Gen in back of TV. Round bar WD hitch. Custom frame mount cargo box on back for heavy items, pass-through has only light stuff, F/W at 1/4 for roadside use on the smallest Bullet Keystone made that year. Two of us. Could have carried another 800 pounds in the trailer, TV axles well within spec, but GVWR was at the limit.

You are going to have to fill that pantry with lead. The trailer is 1600 pounds heavier than ours so tongue weight is going to be 160 more pounds at 10% distribution. These trailers are tongue heavy and you might be able to load it so that 10% is still on the TV and stay within the GVWR.

Pulling it is no problem, gets right on the highway, hauling the tongue weight is the problem.

BTW, looking at biting the bullet, no pun intended, and getting a truck.

[Kaptn Krabby]

hello.....i have the exact same setup as you, except my tundra is a '14 and I have the '19 outback 260uml. I also have the equalizer 4 setup. Like you, I have had zero problems with the tundra or trailer. I am thinking of installing some sort of spring helper in the rear of the tundra because I do think I am maxed out on payload. Yep, I can see a trip to the scales in my future too!