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  1. #1
    Seasoned Camper
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    Measuring 5th Wheel Pin Weight

    Hi All,

    Has anyone used a Sherline LM-5000 to measure the pin weight of a 5th wheel? If so then what is the setup you used to align the scale to the pin? Or is there some better device? After getting a scale reading for the entire setup I wanted to use this scale to check on different loading options for the pin.

    Thanks,
    Tim
    2016 GMC Denali 3500 SRW
    2016 GD Reflection 357BHS

  2. #2
    Site Sponsor Dave and Monica's Avatar
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    I heard of this being used measuring tongue weight on a travel trailer...haven't heard of anyone trying to do this on a 5th wheel. Most will just scale their set-up at a CAT scale and get everything they need to know by weighing the front/rear axles and trailer axles on the segmented scale then repeating the truck front/rear axle weighing without the camper.

    If you have a 5th wheel tripod you could perhaps adapt the top of it to hold the Sherline scale. I wouldn't be trying do this using the hitch in the truck which could pivot.

    Dave
    Dave and Monica - Gore Bay, Ontario
    Vitus the Hungarian Vizsla
    2014 Reflection 337 RLS #129
    2008 F250 V10 CC Lariat RWD

  3. #3
    Site Team Second Chance's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dave and Monica View Post
    I heard of this being used measuring tongue weight on a travel trailer...haven't heard of anyone trying to do this on a 5th wheel. Most will just scale their set-up at a CAT scale and get everything they need to know by weighing the front/rear axles and trailer axles on the segmented scale then repeating the truck front/rear axle weighing without the camper.

    If you have a 5th wheel tripod you could perhaps adapt the top of it to hold the Sherline scale. I wouldn't be trying do this using the hitch in the truck which could pivot.

    Dave
    I wouldn't try it with a stabilizing tripod, either. They're not made to take the whole pin weight - just enough to stabilize the front end.

    Rob
    U.S. Army Retired
    2012 F350 DRW CC LB Lariat PS 6.7
    2020 Solitude 310GK-R, MORryde IS, disc brakes,
    Sailun LRG tires, solar, DP windows, W/D
    (Previously in a Reflection 337RLS)
    Full time since 08/2015

  4. #4
    Seasoned Camper
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    I thought about just using the bed of the truck with some 4x4s to build a small platform for the scale. Then use the front legs as a safety backup

    Sent from my XT1575 using Tapatalk
    2016 GMC Denali 3500 SRW
    2016 GD Reflection 357BHS

  5. #5
    Setting Up Camp
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    Seems like a recipe for disaster. I would just weigh the truck loaded and then unloaded, the difference is the pin weight.

  6. #6
    Site Sponsor
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    I agree with using an axle weight scale at the truckstop, just weigh empty and loaded and some simple math and you have your answer. Hitched up you know you are safe, anything else may be a recipe for disaster...
    Steve & Diane -
    Home is where we park it now.
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  7. #7
    Seasoned Camper
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    Quote Originally Posted by Customer View Post
    Seems like a recipe for disaster. I would just weigh the truck loaded and then unloaded, the difference is the pin weight.
    What do you do when you don't have a scale near by. The closest one to my house is over an hour away so not really useful for a loading experiment.

    Anyways I found the manual for the Sherline - http://sherline.com/Wordpress/wp-con...1/lm_book2.pdf where they listed the following for a 5th wheel:


    For 5th wheel trailers, the Sherline™ scale can be blocked to
    the proper height directly behind the hitch on the bed of the
    truck. With the trailer supported by the trailer jack, move the
    truck forward until the kingpin is directly over the scale. Lower
    it into position with the trailer jack until the full weight of the
    trailer is on the scale.

    Note: Because of the large variety of available 5th wheel hitch
    designs, some ingenuity may be required on your part to safely
    support the kingpin on the scale.


    I am using an Anderson hitch so it should not be a problem to align the scale with the kingpin coupler and use the bed of the truck as noted above. I'll keep you updated.
    2016 GMC Denali 3500 SRW
    2016 GD Reflection 357BHS

  8. #8
    Seasoned Camper
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    I got this setup over the weekend and it worked great. Below are some pics. I weighed the 357BHS and it showed 2450 lbs which is right in line with the documentation for UVW trailer with water. In the final setup I cleaned up the 2x6s to make them more overlapped.

    Click image for larger version. 

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ID:	4375Click image for larger version. 

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    2016 GMC Denali 3500 SRW
    2016 GD Reflection 357BHS

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