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  1. #1
    Seasoned Camper Hobo Bill's Avatar
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    Weighing one tire position at a time

    I know this has been discussed previously, but I am still trying to locate, in Northern Ohio, a scale that will allow me to weigh my truck and 5th wheel one tire position at a time. The CAT scales and a couple others I checked have barrier posts that prevent me from driving up on the scale off center on one side of my rig only - just to get the four right side weights and then left side. I want to weigh all 8 positions independently. Any suggestions anyone ?
    Hobo Bill
    From Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
    Traveling Full Time Across the US
    2019 Reflection 5th Wheel 337RLS
    2007 Dodge Ram 3500 DRW Cummins 6.7 Turbo Diesel
    Goodrich T/A KO2 All Terrain Tires
    Reese RP30081 20K
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  2. #2
    King Pin
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    Bill - I can't find anyone near you for obtaining individual wheel weights. I know it's a long way off, but if you attend the GDRV rally in Indiana next August, they usually have a company there that will provide individual wheel weights for a fee.

    This seems like a real business opportunity. I wonder why more people haven't purchased a set of wheel scales and offering a weighing service? A top notch set of four scales will run around $5K. If a person were to charge $50 per rig, it would pay for the scales after only 100 rigs were weighed.

    Jim

    Jim

  3. #3
    Seasoned Camper Hobo Bill's Avatar
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    Jim - Thanks for the reply. Yes, I was thinking the same thing and am actually considering this as a business venture. (I was thinking $45 per, so we are both thinking similarly). I guess I won't continue to worry about right versus left at the moment. GD gave me weight information for my actual fifth wheel. Not just average weights but actual weights. My left side is 4542 lbs and the right side 4030 lbs with pin weight at 2218 lbs. This is all empty of course, but I can just start from there knowing my left side is 512 pounds heavier. Knowing that, I can get my axle weighs using the CAT scales and then just adjust them accordingly. Not a perfect way, but without individual tire position weights at least I will keep from overloading the left side.

    ps: I have my eye on those Goodyear Endurance tires. I may give my Westlakes one season - and I may not.
    Hobo Bill
    From Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
    Traveling Full Time Across the US
    2019 Reflection 5th Wheel 337RLS
    2007 Dodge Ram 3500 DRW Cummins 6.7 Turbo Diesel
    Goodrich T/A KO2 All Terrain Tires
    Reese RP30081 20K
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

  4. #4
    Fireside Member Bill Davey's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Hobo Bill View Post
    Jim - Thanks for the reply. Yes, I was thinking the same thing and am actually considering this as a business venture. (I was thinking $45 per, so we are both thinking similarly). I guess I won't continue to worry about right versus left at the moment. GD gave me weight information for my actual fifth wheel. Not just average weights but actual weights. My left side is 4542 lbs and the right side 4030 lbs with pin weight at 2218 lbs. This is all empty of course, but I can just start from there knowing my left side is 512 pounds heavier. Knowing that, I can get my axle weighs using the CAT scales and then just adjust them accordingly. Not a perfect way, but without individual tire position weights at least I will keep from overloading the left side.

    ps: I have my eye on those Goodyear Endurance tires. I may give my Westlakes one season - and I may not.
    Hobo - Do you have any race tracks or race car builders in your area? I't very common for them to have to know exactly how much each wheel weighs. I'm not sure if their scales can measure in the 5-6000 pound range, but it's worth a try.
    2017 Grand Design Reflection 313RLTS, purchased April 2018. 2014 Ram 1500 Ecodiesel (I need a bigger truck!). Oswego NY in the summer, Ft. Myers Beach, Fl in the winter. GD is my summer home. Previously owned: 2015 Rockwood 2604WS; 2012 KZ Stoneridge 43' toy hauler; 2005 Titanium 39' toy hauler.

  5. #5
    Seasoned Camper
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    Quote Originally Posted by TucsonJim View Post
    This seems like a real business opportunity. I wonder why more people haven't purchased a set of wheel scales and offering a weighing service? A top notch set of four scales will run around $5K. If a person were to charge $50 per rig, it would pay for the scales after only 100 rigs were weighed.

    Jim

    Jim
    I thought about buying just one....


    https://www.ebay.com/itm/Portable-Tr...-/292705765572

  6. #6
    Site Sponsor Cate&Rob's Avatar
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    Maybe a “little more complicated” . . . but, you can measure each wheel weight with a Sherline scale. See this thread, particularly posts 32 and 34. https://www.mygrandrv.com/fo...-rubbing/page2

    Rob
    Cate & Rob
    2015 Reflection 303RLS

  7. #7
    Long Hauler howson's Avatar
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    Weigh One Wheel Position at a Time with a Sherline Scale

    Quote Originally Posted by Cate&Rob View Post
    Maybe a “little more complicated” . . . but, you can measure each wheel weight with a Sherline scale. See this thread, particularly posts 32 and 34. https://www.mygrandrv.com/fo...-rubbing/page2

    Rob
    This is too good to leave buried in that other thread! Rob's info from Post #32 from https://www.mygrandrv.com/fo...-tires-rubbing

    ...set your trailer parallel to the ground (equalizer centered) and measure the spring arch heights.
    See https://www.mygrandrv.com/fo...ng-Arch-Height for the process.
    This will give you spring compression numbers for each corner that are proportional to load.

    If you want to go one step further, a Sherline scale on a floor jack can be used to lift each wheel position to measure actual weight carried. I did this on a wooden block fitted to the bottom two lug bolts so that I would get weights right at the tire centreline.




    Post 34 (more detail on the process)
    I lift the corner to be tested with my combination bottle jack & axle stand. I measure the distance from the axle to the ground before I start the lift. Then, remove the wheel and lower the bottle jack back to where the axle is slightly below the distance above the ground that it was before you started. Now, using the floor jack, the Sherline scale and the wooden block (note that that is a close grained oak block) lift until the gauge stops increasing, which will be just as the weight comes off the axle stand. The Sherline scale is now holding the same weight that the wheel and tire normally carry. This is best done with the forward weight on the pin, not on the landing gear, using either the truck or a pin tripod. This is because the landing gear is closer to the trailer suspension and will carry more of the trailer weight than the pin would when towing.
    Last edited by howson; 11-26-2018 at 05:33 AM.
    2017 Ford F-350 DRW 6.7L Platinum
    2019 315RLTS (purchased 16 Jul 18 from Campers Inn RV in Byron, GA)

  8. #8
    Long Hauler howson's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Cate&Rob View Post
    Maybe a “little more complicated” . . . but, you can measure each wheel weight with a Sherline scale. See this thread, particularly posts 32 and 34. https://www.mygrandrv.com/fo...-rubbing/page2

    Rob
    Why is the wheel and tire (W&T) weight not factored in this process? I realize the W&T is unsprung weight and I'm guessing you were going for sprung weight, but when weighed at a rally the W&Ts are included in the measured weight, right? To get the actual weight of the trailer at wheel position, doesn't the W&T's weight have to be added to the Sherline's measurement?
    2017 Ford F-350 DRW 6.7L Platinum
    2019 315RLTS (purchased 16 Jul 18 from Campers Inn RV in Byron, GA)

  9. #9
    Site Sponsor Cate&Rob's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by howson View Post
    Why is the wheel and tire (W&T) weight not factored in this process? I realize the W&T is unsprung weight and I'm guessing you were going for sprung weight, but when weighed at a rally the W&Ts are included in the measured weight, right? To get the actual weight of the trailer at wheel position, doesn't the W&T's weight have to be added to the Sherline's measurement?
    Hi Howard,

    You are correct that the weight of the wheel and tire should be added to get the full weight at that location. You are also correct that I was focussed on sprung weight when I was doing this WRT the spring selection project. The weight of the tire and wheel would be a minor addition to the 1800 to 2200 lb weights that I was measuring at each wheel position.

    Rob
    Cate & Rob
    2015 Reflection 303RLS

  10. #10
    Seasoned Camper Hobo Bill's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Cate&Rob View Post
    Maybe a “little more complicated” . . . but, you can measure each wheel weight with a Sherline scale. See this thread, particularly posts 32 and 34. https://www.mygrandrv.com/fo...-rubbing/page2

    Rob
    Thanks, I will check into this.
    Hobo Bill
    From Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
    Traveling Full Time Across the US
    2019 Reflection 5th Wheel 337RLS
    2007 Dodge Ram 3500 DRW Cummins 6.7 Turbo Diesel
    Goodrich T/A KO2 All Terrain Tires
    Reese RP30081 20K
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

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