CAT scales

[awellis3]

I went to their website but they didn't have what I'm looking for so, naturally, I'm asking here 'cause there's always an answer here.

How does the whole weigh-the-TT-TV thing work? Can someone walk me through it? I don't want to show up towing the TajWeHaul and do OTJ training from scratch.
Can I get all my weights, i.e. TV front-to-rear, side-to-side, hitched and unhitched? TT tongue weight, gross weight and side-to-side?
How much does it cost?

Sock it to me,
Teach

[henryj]

Here's a Canadian example, but we also have CAT scales--it's a big company. The scale has 3 platforms or segments that are long enough to cover a semi as well as a tt combination. The segments are positioned for a semi so you have to watch your axles as you drive on to be sure tv front and rear axles and tt tandems are on their respective segments. There should be a call box on the scale to contact the operator or he may call you if he's watching. Have a 3 digit "truck ID number", like some numbers off your license plate, ready to give him because when you go in you ask for your weight by that number.

There are no side to side weights--you get front axle, rear axle and tandem tt axle as 3 separate numbers plus total weight added up on a computer printout. Around here it's $10-$12 last time I weighed.

Semis can adjust their trailer axles or 5th wheels to move weight around so most scales allow a driver to re-weigh at no charge. Ask if you can go across again. This way you can get the tv weight and the combination weight--that allows you to approximate the tongue weight. If you're at a busy scale you shouldn't play with your toys while other people are working so it's pretty hard to get the tongue weight. Otherwise you could drop the tongue jack on the middle segment, drive the tv rear axle off that segment and then the middle platform will give the tw. I've never done that, but JohnB weighed the tongue at Buttonwood with his tongue scale.

Henry

[PTHutch]

Hi Teach,

Check out this post Tow Vehicle and Trailer Measured Weight Results and see if it helps. This explains the method I used for weighing our TV & TT at a CAT Scale. It's in-line with what Henry explained, just with some real world examples.

I hope to re-weight our setup again this year (more toys have been added). But I'll probably do just a quick weighing, getting the TV Frt Axle; TV Rr Axle, & TT Axle weights and not unhitching. This will give me weights to compare against the TV’s GCWR, GVWR, GAWRs and TT GAWRs.

I’ve done weighing at CAT scales twice. Both times the people were very helpful and before I drove onto the scales, I went in to talk to the people first to see if they had any specific directions for me. Both times there was no one else at the scales, so they said I could take as many weights as I wanted – they just charged me for each weighing.
I think Henry’s correct, you probably can expect to pay $10-$12 / weighing. Last time I did a weighing, in 2005, it cost $8.

You can PM me if you have any questions.
Hutch

[JohnB]

Hi Teach


Also see this post, complete with pics of the scale Henry is talking about

http://www.sunlineclub.com/forums/f7...-tt-10154.html

You actually want 3 sets of weight readings to get all the numbers if you can, all axle by axle.

1. TV and TT hitched with WD engaged. Front TV axle on 1st scale, rear TV axle on 2nd scale and both TT axles on 3rd scale. Take a weight.

2. TV and TT hitch "without" WD bars on. Don't move the rig yet from 1st weight. Just walk around, crank up tongue jack, unhook the WD bars or let the chains down, let jack back down. Truck then holding the dead weight of the camper. Take a weight. Then hook WD bars back up, drive off scale.

3. TV only. Go unhook the TT in the yard. Drive TV onto scale, front axle on the 1st scale, rear axle on the 2nd scale and nothing on the 3rd scale. Take a weight.

Then drive off and go hook back up and go inside and get your weight slips. From those 3 weight slips you can sort out just about everything as far as WD, tongue weight, axle loads, towing numbers. If you do the 3 weights, we can walk you thru how to add and subtract all those numbers to do a towing axle and WD health check. If you do not get all 3, you will not know your camper loaded tongue weight.

If you think you want to check more WD settings, do a 4th weight and take up one more link and this would be like the 1st set of weight. This allows you to figure out what 1 more chain links give you with regards to moving weight to the front axle.

If you want to check the front and rear TT axle weight split, you can drive slow and split the TT axles between 2 scales.

Some pointers that help.

1. When arriving go inside and talk to the manager that you want to weigh your camper and explain you need 3 or 4 weights and need to make adjustments and "not" leave the yard. Around here at Flying J re-weighs are free and at Pilot they are $1.

2. At Pilot they forced me to come in every time between weighing to pay. It was $8.50 the 1st set and $1.00 for each re-weigh. They made me come back in to pay that $1.00.... Maybe ask if you can just give them the full money in cash before you go to the scale so they do not force you to come in each time. At Flying J they trust ya and $7.50 for all 4 weight sets..... Most truck stops have no clue on weighing a camper like this

3. If you have set of walkie talkies, take them. Give the scale attendant inside one and you have one. Then you can talk driect to them and to make sure it is OK to drive on the scale (they reset it) and when to take the weight.

4. Be courteous to fellow truckers. Let them go first. Go during off hours if possible. May have to ask what are off hours.

5. Fill truck and camper with all gear and full gas when you hit the scales.

6. Plan on you are going to be there a good 1.5 to 2 hours. Make sure DW has a good book to read.... Ask me how I know this.... (Aren't you done yet!, Oh no we are not going there again...)

7. Have both your truck and TT license plate numbers handy. When they ask for "Truck Number" give then the truck plate number. And when they ask for "Trailer Number" give them the TT plate number. This way you have a certified weight slip of your TV and TT together. Put a copy in the glove box in the truck. If you are ever stopped and questioned you have a weight slip handy. Granted in the private sector they are not after us RV'ers but that certified weight slip with your plate numbers on it may come in handy some day to show you are at or under the manufacture ratings.

Good luck and hope this helps

John

[awellis3]

Thanks guys - that is what I needed to know. We are leaving for Tybee Is. June 1 so I think I'll try to get this done the Wed. before Memorial Day.
The trick is to be fully loaded with bikes and groceries and such. We'll be pulling out around 7a.m. and getting home around 6p.m. so it may be smarter to do this after we return. Just leave the rig hooked up, loaded and go to the scales the next day when I have all day to devote to the project.

Thanks,
Teach