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Dega500

Alabama

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Posted: 05/08/12 01:49pm

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Does anyone here use Cat Scales to get the lowdown on your TV/TT weight and weight distribution etc.? If so, what do they charge and what all configurations should I weigh? I looked on their site and they showed putting each axle on a scale. Should I try and weigh tongue weight alone. I think it would be good to know and although my TT is not near my TV's capacity it would be good to know where I should load any extra cargo should need to carry some.

Dega

bpounds

Whittier CA

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Posted: 05/08/12 02:15pm

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Dega500 wrote:

Just weighed on the CAT last weekend. Cost me $9.50.

Usually the scale has 3 segments, and you want to try to get your front TV axle on one segment, rear TV axle on the second segment, and your trailer axles on the 3rd segment. Then go in and get your weight. They made me pull off the scale before they would print out the ticket. If you want multiple check weights, you will have to pull back on again, but the fee is reduced for additional tickets. In your case you would want to pull on the scale the same way, then run your tongue jack down until the weight is off the ball. Making sure the jack is on the same scale segment as the trailer wheels. Then get another ticket, and this one will have your empty truck weight and your total trailer weight. Compare the various values to get tongue weight.

You can get a lot more fancy and do individual axles, or even individual wheel weights. I'm not interested in that kind of precision, but some folks are.

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K Charles

Connecticut

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Posted: 05/08/12 02:33pm

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Drive on with the TT and get the 3 weights, then go back with just the TV and get the 2 axle weights. If they are busy they may not like you unhooking on the scales

rfryer

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Posted: 05/08/12 02:33pm

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I weighed at a Flying J and it cost me $8.00 for two weights. I put the front TV axle on the first scale, the rear axle on the second and the TT axle on the third and weighed. Then I unhitched and weighed the TV alone the same way. I didn't try to unhitch on the scale and weigh the tongue, that's generally frowned on and unnecessary, you can calculate the tongue weight from the initial two weighs. You'll need a long stick to reach the intercom button, they're designed for semi trucks.

bpounds

Whittier CA

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Posted: 05/08/12 02:42pm

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K Charles wrote:

Drive on with the TT and get the 3 weights, then go back with just the TV and get the 2 axle weights. If they are busy they may not like you unhooking on the scales

They won't ever know. You're just lifting up off the ball, get your ticket, and set it right back down on the ball. But dropping it somewhere certainly works too.

bob213

Fresno, CA

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Posted: 05/08/12 03:35pm

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Here's how to weigh from their website....
How to weigh

lcirelli

Hackettstown, NJ

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Posted: 05/08/12 04:18pm

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When you weigh the truck and trailer, do you undo the weight distribution hitch? I plan on going this weekend. Called the TA near me and they said they were least busy on weekends. It is $9.50 for 1st weigh and $1.00 for each additional.

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johntichy

Florida

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Posted: 05/08/12 04:31pm

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Don't understand what the big concern is about weight. It's a no brainer if you load properly, it feels ok, and you have good tire. Go for it. It's not as if the DOT is going to shake you down as they would a commercial operator. They have to have resonable cause. That's not going to happen unless you do something stupid.

bpounds

Whittier CA

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Posted: 05/08/12 04:40pm

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lcirelli wrote:

You would want to disconnect the load bars if you want to know the actual weights of the truck and trailer. On the other hand, if you want to know how much load the WD is transferring to the front axle, which is what they are designed to do, then you would want to leave them connect for one of your scale runs. So the answer depends on what you wish to learn.

A wise trucker wants to know his weight. Law is beside the point.

BarneyS

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Posted: 05/08/12 04:46pm

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Take a look at this post by member Ron Gratz. In it, he details exactly how to weigh your rig at a Cat Scale and how to decipher the weight information once you get it.