Packing - GVWR - CAT Scale

O.K., I thought I was a light packer. Spent the last few months getting ready, deciding on tools, supplies, re-arranging; bought the right truck, 5th wheel, and put it all together along with clothing, food, kitchen stuff - left for our 6 month ride. Decided to pull onto a CAT scale about 70 miles from home to see what our weights are fully loaded, w/people and near full tank of fuel, empty holding tanks, full propane, and 1/3 tank of fresh water.

Our Big Horn 3055RL - Label GVWR is 14,000 lbs w/ standard 6000 lb. axles - We did get the 7000 lb axles, but label stayed at 14,000.

The trailer axles weighed 11,020 lbs, TV drive axle = 6520, Steer axle = 5100
TV unhooked - drive axle = 3640, steer axle = 5000

Cat scale weights after doing the math says we are loaded and 'exactly' 14,000 lbs! ....
Pin weight = 2980

According to this, if the CAT scales are accurate, I'm dead-on my weight limits...... Glad i got the upgraded trailer axles.

How many of you know your actual weights and posted limits?

P.S... When I weighed the TV only, the scale ticket said my trailer axles were 140 lbs., while that scale was empty ...... Does that mean the scales weigh a little heavy? CAT scales do offer a guarantee to commercial truckers to pay their fine if they are found to be over weight, so if they weigh a little over, it's insurance for the cat scale people.... hmmmmmm

The first trip we made with our Big Country was to the local CAT scale. Just had to know! We must pack light as our weights were a little less than yours (we do not carry water, no generator and have regular windows.) 10,340 on the trailer axles. Don't know about the 140lb issue with the empty scale. Seems to me the scales would need to very accurate to provide legal weight documents.

Just curious, how much do they charge for weighing at cat scales? We live in a small town with a feed store that has scales for grain trucks and they charge $2. There is also a truck stop with cat scales, I would be curious to weigh at both and compare the results.

$9.50 for cat scale

reweighs within 24 hours are only $1 on the cat scales.

I posted my weights in "the basics" section under the Truck/Trailer weights thread.
Just so I have a place to look if I lose the CAT ticket and so it can server as a reference for anyone else with a similar rig.

Steer 4880
Drive 6820
Trailer 11120

Oscar8499 said:

$9.50 for cat scale

Click to expand...

Yep, we paid $9.50, then unhooked and weighed TV, paid another $1.00

I think there will be an on-site weighing service at the Gillette national rally.

I, too, have weighed our 6.7 Ford and 3055RL fifth wheel. Our rig tips the scale at 13,050 pounds ready to camp. The GCVW is 22100 pounds. The 2011/2012 Ford F350 SRW trucks are a good match for the 3055RL

Enjoy your rig

Regards

I think CAT scales, like bathroom scales, may be unreliable