The reason I ask it, is that when I am pulling my camper I work really hard to not be a pain in the neck to the professionals making a living on 18 wheels.
Just how does it work when you weigh on a CAT scale? Pay at the scale or inside, before or after? Pick up the printout at the scale or inside? Never done it, don't want to cause a professional driver to wait for my inexperience.
when i did mine i pulled on hit the button they asked my number i said something like my personal; truck or something .....they said ok i pulled off went and unhooked the trailer went back on push the button again ...said same thing ....then pulled off hooked up trailer went inside paid my less then $10 for my 2 weights and off i went Very easy to do
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1997 f-350 4X2 7.3 PSD E4OD AUTO 4.10 Rear CC Dually Run Rotella Synthetic Oil, 150,000 +/- Miles...Came with a Superchips 1705 programmer....Things I've had to do ....Left Front Ball Joints, Air and Fuel Filters, Rear Fuel Tank, CPS, MAP, Cleaned EBP Tube and Sensor Replaced FPR Screen New 3" Downpipe and 4" Exhaust. Shimmed FPR Modified Air Box, Trans Temp Gauge, Boost Gauge, 8 New Glow Plugs. Not Sure What Else Yet...Any Ideas???
2004 Jayco Jayflight 26.5 5th Wheel (Truck pulls it like its not even there)
When you pull onto the scale, there is a speaker box that connects you to the fuel desk. push the button & tell however answers your info. Pull of the scale & go to the fuel desk to pick up your printout & pay. If you need another weight, tell them you want a reweigh. Usually you get one free.
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97 F250 SC LB 4X4 PSD TDE0, E4OD,3.55's, 285/70/16"s ,Modified fuel tank vents, 375+k headed for 500k
My biggest problem is the "button" is usually ten feet in the air, so I end up outside the truck jumping up and down and poking it with a long umbrella.
Big rig I ain't, no matter how much I like to pretend...
you mean you dont climb on the roof of your truck to get to the speaker???? Hmmmm........I
When I weighted my rig I weight the whole unit then the trailer and out of curiosity I weighted each axle, the front steer axles then the rear dually then the trailer tandems....it was just out of curiosity.... [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smokin.gif[/img]
I did it at a farm coop place...They didnt charge me there
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David and his Ford truck with a little motor and a big idea......
Ford F-350 Dually Crew Cab 5-Sp 7.3 IDI Centurion Conversion. No mods, rebilt IP and replaced injectors. Used as personal driver and pulling my RV camper.
Planned upgrades are a new and better turbo and larger exhaust pipes than the 21/2s that are already under the rig/ would like a 6 spd tranny but dont know if that is a feasable or smart investment yet.
1993 Dodge 3/4 ton Van Conversion 318CI
1978 Dodge Magnum XE T-top Classic 4BBl 400CI (Honeymoon Car)
1965 Dodge Polara 4 DR 383CI
cat scale are like 4 or 5 scales in one .....u get steer drive and one weight for both trailer axles...(atleast how mine was)
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1997 f-350 4X2 7.3 PSD E4OD AUTO 4.10 Rear CC Dually Run Rotella Synthetic Oil, 150,000 +/- Miles...Came with a Superchips 1705 programmer....Things I've had to do ....Left Front Ball Joints, Air and Fuel Filters, Rear Fuel Tank, CPS, MAP, Cleaned EBP Tube and Sensor Replaced FPR Screen New 3" Downpipe and 4" Exhaust. Shimmed FPR Modified Air Box, Trans Temp Gauge, Boost Gauge, 8 New Glow Plugs. Not Sure What Else Yet...Any Ideas???
2004 Jayco Jayflight 26.5 5th Wheel (Truck pulls it like its not even there)
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Just how does it work when you weigh on a CAT scale?
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First, simply pull onto the scale. Be sure your rig is parked on the pads so the front axle is on one pad, the rear axle is on a separate pad, and the trailer axles are on a third pad.
When your rig is placed properly on the pads, the intercom speaker box will probably be way up in the air above your head. I usually have to open the window and stand on the window sill to reach the button on the intercom.
Mash the button and talk to the nice but extremely busy lady at the fuel desk. She'll ask company name and truck number. Just say "private RV, no number" or some such. In a few seconds she'll mumble something and you'll know she has your weights.
Park the rig and go inside to the fuel desk. Pay your $7 to $10 bill, and explain that you'd like to get a second weighing in a few more minutes. She'll explain the deal - usually the second weighing is free. Then go out and drop the trailer and weigh just the tow vehicle. Same drill - stand on the window sill, etc.
Compare GVW on the two truck axles with the trailer to the GVWR of the tow vehicle. Compare the total weight on all truck and trailer axles to the GCWR of the tow vehicle.
GVW on the two truck axles with the trailer minus GVW on the two truck axles without the trailer gives you hitch or kingpin or "pin" weight. Pin weight plus trailer axle weight gives you trailer GVW - compare to the trailer's GVWR.
Pin weight divided by trailer GVW gives you percent of pin weight. For most medium-sized 5ers, the pin weight should be around 17 percent of GVW.
I've done it several times over the years, and have never had a big truck pull up behind me waiting for the scales. It's not like filling up with diesel at a busy Flyin' J, with big rigs lined up three deep behind you waiting for you to get out of their way. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/warmsmile.gif[/img]
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My Sierra Blanca is a '99.5 PSD CrewCab hot-rod Towing Machine! BTS tranny; TurboRamAir intake and 4" stainless turbo-back exhaust; DP-Tuner tunes flashed into an Edge Evolution tuner; ISSPRO EV gauges and TTM; AIC; SP-Diesel exhaust brake and torque converter controller. I special-ordered it new and plan to drive it until it quits.
Thanks for all the help. You guys have answered all my questions. I am glad to know there are different weight pads on the "platform", wondered how they got the axle weights.
A couple of jobs ago I had wheel load scales, could have weighed each wheel sitting in the driveway, but not any more. No, I wasn't DOT, but same scales they use on a temporary weigh station.
I have to laugh when I think about hauling my stiff 270 pound frame up onto the window sill of the X. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] I may check with the local grain elevator next time I get the trailer out.
I just use the Closed truck scales by my house on I-5, when they are closed they leave the moniters on and I can look right at my digital weight in front of me and its free dont know if its illegal but it works for me [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shrug.gif[/img]
We used to have a place like that by me. They even put a couple blocks to stand on to see scale readout. One guy would cover numbers (guess he was upset folks got free weighs) That didn't last long till he was told to keep access open.
Guess they figured the number of folks who did business it was worth it. Place caught fire and is no more. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img] I did have a key for scale at agri plant. IIRC they charged me $20 a year for key. Built new and I have never asked as scale readout is inside main office.
There are several one pad state scales in the area around here. They're left "on" & you can drive over 'em any time. Good for a close "quick & dirty".
One's on 99 north, just north of Ashland, another on 62 north & south, just north of Eagle Point, an another on 140 about 15 miles east of Medford headed to KFalls (north side of highway.)
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Feb 03 6.0 Silver F-250 SD SC XLT long box, 6-spd 3.73ls, Fx4, Stock, Spray-in liner, Contico box.HARPOONED.
9 out of 10 truckstops monitor cb channels 1,2 or 3 for the scales. If you have a cb radio in your truck it's easier to just use that to communicate with the fuel desk.
Usually there is a sign at the scale entrance telling which channel they are on. If not, just holler on 19 and ask if anyone knows what channel to use for the scales. Someone will let you know.
Most scales are also on camera. So don't just go to the scale channel and start yelling for the fuel desk, they know you're there. They'll get with you the first chance they get.
If you don't have a cb it might take them a couple of minutes to talk to you. Probably because they're having a good chuckle watching you on camera climbing up on the truck roof or jumping up and down with an umbrella trying to push the button. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif[/img]
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"Early" '99, 4-98, F350 2WD CC DRW Lariat, Diablo tuner, Swamps 20* HPOP, 4" turbo back straight pipe & a 5" tip, S&B 12" open element air filter, CCV mod, EBV gutted, Vedder's built 4R100 with triple disk convertor, 6.0 trans cooler, Dfuser T/C lockup mod, DieselSite coolant filter, DieselSite TurboMaster, ITP reg fuel return, 4:10 gear w/lmtd slip,Centramatics, Western Diesel gauges, AIC, Ride Rite air bags & onboard compressor kit, Super-Vu convex mirrors, R.D.S. 91 gal. diamond plate aux fuel tank & toolbox combo, B&W gooseneck & 18K companion 5th wheel setup, Rhino lined, Drawtite 1,000lb leveler bars, Drawtite Activator II, Brown's Welding shop (New Braunfels,Tx)full grill/bumper/headlight guard, TurboNet V-Gate.
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I just use the Closed truck scales by my house on I-5, when they are closed they leave the moniters on and I can look right at my digital weight in front of me and its free dont know if its illegal but it works for me [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shrug.gif[/img]
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There's also the tranfer station on the I-5 exit just west of the Boeing Kent Space Center (can't remember the road even though I drove it for +10 years when I lived in Des Moines North Hill and worked at the KSC.
They will weigh you for free if you're nice to the guy. Can't remember if the scale is in or outside of the fence/gate, I think inside, but it's been +16 years since I've been there.
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