Excellent guide for rig and truck weighing!!

kognito · Oct 29, 2007

I found an excellent guide that explains how to properly weigh your truck and trailer. The thing I like most about it is that it has lots of pictures and diagrams so you can understand the process!!

http://www.trucktires.com/bridgestone/us_eng/press/zip/WeighForm.pdf

waynet · Jan 21, 2008

Thanks for the thread Kognito! I think it was the best I've seen! Helped alot! None

lamontagne · Jan 22, 2008

weight

We just returned from Sedona AZ, and while going through Kingman AZ I stoped at the TA truck stop to fill up and my wife talked to a truck driver about the scale, an he explained how it works so I went in the station and asked to have my truck and fifth wheel weighed, I pull on the scale and it weighed the front axel of the truck and rear axel and the fifthwheel to my surprise my total weight was 20500 the fifth wheel came in at 10500.

Arthur & Cindy
Henderson NV

Forrest Fetherolf · Jan 22, 2008

lamontagne said:
We just returned from Sedona AZ, and while going through Kingman AZ I stoped at the TA truck stop to fill up and my wife talked to a truck driver about the scale, an he explained how it works so I went in the station and asked to have my truck and fifth wheel weighed, I pull on the scale and it weighed the front axel of the truck and rear axel and the fifthwheel to my surprise my total weight was 20500 the fifth wheel came in at 10500.

Arthur & Cindy
Henderson NV

Arthur,

The next time you are at the scales weight the truck only loaded, subtract the rear axle weight from the rear axle weight when hitched up to 5er to get the hitch pin weight.

Karen and I just move to Sun City Anthem, Henderson, NV from Northridge, CA three weeks ago. We store our 3600RL on Eastern near Warm Springs at Storage West. Where are you?

Forrest

WeighIt · Jan 22, 2008

As good as the diagram that is shown, is, if you contact the people that make Cat scales, or other flat scales, they will tell you that driving off center is not advisable. They don't recommend it, advise against it, and are so sure they don't want you doing it, they install poles or curbs to prevent it. If they didn't care, they would NOT spend the money for these barriers.

Niles · Jan 23, 2008

I think that for the most part, public scales don't want people driving across scales at a angle or other ways, just straight across. Going at scales at angle will affect the beams they set on, the new ones are mostly electronic now though and they too can be screwed up by going on angles, to fast and such. What I'm leading to in this longggg explanation is that driving straight onto a set of scales for side to side weights is not a problem on most platform scales as long as there are no posts in the way!!! The only other option is to have the small platform type that fit under each tire. The web-site above does explain how to weigh your rig very well IMO.

3rpete · Feb 4, 2008

Heartland weight question

About ready to buy a Heartland 5th wheel. Considering the 3300RL Big Country. I have a 2007 Dodge Ram 2500 Quad Cab with a 6.7 Cummins. Don't see much info on the Dodge site regarding weights and capacities. The rig shows about 11,000# empty on the Heartland site. Think my truck can handle it?
Also, what's the difference between the Big Country and the Big Horn?
Thanks
Pete

itsbeertime · Mar 3, 2009

I'd liked to add one thing here that may help some of you after reading some other threads about weighing, especially at a Cat scale. If you have a manual awning (God forbid) get the pull rod out for it and use it to reach and push the call button that is way up there ^ . It's helped me to not stand there looking up at that so far out of reach button and scratching my head.

TXBobcat · Mar 3, 2009

I can reach the button...

Why would you need to use your Awning rod??

2010augusta · Mar 3, 2009

How much does it cost to weigh at a CAT scale? Do the truck stop give 5ers a hassle for using the scale?

Ray LeTourneau · Mar 3, 2009

I think the cost is usually about $8.00 and and if you drop the trailer and get right back on with the tow vehicle they might not charge you. Some charge only $1.00 for a re-weigh within 24 hrs.

TXBobcat · Mar 4, 2009

Ray is correct.
I have never been hassled for using the scales.. It is a public scales, truckers do not own it. When you weigh your full RV drive back around to the outside area, drop the 5er and weigh the TV. Before you weigh the TV go in and pickup your first ticket and tell them you are going to do a re-weigh. Subtract the difference of the drive axle and you will have your pin weight.
BC

Bob&Patty · Sep 7, 2009

We finally got to weight the rig loaded for bear (camping). Now, unless my memory has gone bad (CRS) and all the years of working at a truck scale for a summer job have proved I was doing axle weights wrong. There is really no need to unhook the truck to get your drive axle (pin weight).

All you have to do is subtract the steering axle weight from the drive axle weight. Voila....pin weight.

Here is what our rig axled out at.

Steering.........4220#

Drivers...........6200#

Trailer axles....10340#

GCVW............20760#

Drivers...........6200#
Steering....... -4220#
Pin weight......1980#

At least that was the way I did it many..many moons ago..IMHO Bob

porthole · Sep 10, 2009

TXBobcat said:
Ray is correct.
I have never been hassled for using the scales.. It is a public scales, truckers do not own it.

Yeah, and besides they have enough of their own "private scales"

helps keep the highways clear for us RV'ers

Liberty-GTR-5 · Sep 27, 2009

Hi I have a travel trailer, Can someone tell me If I have to stop at the scales along an interstate. I have a 26 ft North Country .Or is that just for tracter and trailers that need to stop?

Ray LeTourneau · Sep 27, 2009

Liberty-GTR-5 said:
Hi I have a travel trailer, Can someone tell me If I have to stop at the scales along an interstate. I have a 26 ft North Country .Or is that just for tracter and trailers that need to stop?

Scales on the Interstate system are for commercial vehicles. Although, stopping at a truck stop scale to weigh your rig is a good way to determine if you are overloaded in any way for safety reasons and peace of mind.

jmgratz · Sep 27, 2009

Weigh you truck unloaded, the weigh it with the trailer. Subtract the unloaded rear axle weight from the loaded (hooked up) rear axle weight and you have the pin weight.

Rigmover06 · Sep 28, 2009

Chicken Coops

Liberty-GTR-5 said:
Hi I have a travel trailer, Can someone tell me If I have to stop at the scales along an interstate. I have a 26 ft North Country .Or is that just for tracter and trailers that need to stop?

Anybody can pull into a government scale for their weights. You can even go inside and talk to the 2 headed monster (DOT Officer

) and ask them if they will even give you a print out of your weights.
Most of them are pretty obliging about doing this.

Or if the scale is closed sometimes they turn the read out to the window so you can copy down your own weights. That way if you want you can also unhook and scale your power unit or if it is a platform scale like some states have weigh just your trailer.
BTDT.
Dan

Liberty-GTR-5 · Sep 28, 2009

Thank you .ALL

DW_Gray · Apr 16, 2011

kognito said:
I found an excellent guide that explains how to properly weigh your truck and trailer. The thing I like most about it is that it has lots of pictures and diagrams so you can understand the process!!

http://www.trucktires.com/bridgestone/us_eng/press/zip/WeighForm.pdf

This is a great guide. Most truck scales will not be able to weigh individual wheels which is the most accurate method. Fifth Wheel St. website provides simplified forms and calculator for the task.

Excellent guide for rig and truck weighing!!

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