Well we've sold some of our furniture and replaced it with less and lighter/smaller furniture, completed another round of purging and think we finally have everything we want to keep in either the F450 or the 5'ver. I'm sure the campgrounds we've been through were wondering why we kept filling up their dumpsters, LOL! We were patting ourselves on the back last night, we managed to do this in the first 6 weeks of full-timing while we were both working full-time. In our first 2 weeks of FT we decided we don't want to drive separately so we were motivated to empty my car and now we feel it's time to get rid of my car. However, we also want to make sure we're continuing to lose weight and make sure we're within the weight ratings on the axles, etc.
While I would love to have Howard & Linda or other RVSEF team members do the RV weighing that we need to have done, looking at our travel schedule and their scheduled weighing locations, it doesn't appear that is going to work out any time in the next 6-8 months. In that time we'll be crossing both the Rockies and the Sierras, going from Colorado to California, to AZ and then eventually to Texas next spring.
I've checked the Escapees Smart Weigh program and it appears we would have to wait until we're in AZ in November before we could arrange something there which I'm willing to do if that's our only option. Obviously we'll have a bit of driving to do before that including crossing the Rockies next week and dealing with Donner Pass.
Any other options that anyone has discovered? We've used the commercial truck scales and while that will give us the weight of the truck / trailer combined and then we can weigh the truck by itself, that method doesn't give us quite all the detail an RVSEF weighing would give.
Jack Mayer said
07:52 PM Aug 27, 2013
Just hit the truck scales. That will not give you side to side weights (typically), but it will give you total trailer, pin, and truck weights. You will have to air tires based on those weights but it is better than nothing. In my opinion this is REQUIRED to do at a minimum. Otherwise you have no idea what you have, or how to air your tires. Or if you have a critical truck rear axle issue (which is doubtful with an F450).
Any certified scale will work for you. Your first weigh will be with the truck/trailer. Then go back with just the truck for a re-weigh. The reweigh will be either free, or a nominal charge (like $1) if it is within their time period -typically 24 hours, but ask. The original weigh will be on the order of $9 or so.
NWescapee said
08:29 PM Aug 27, 2013
Jack - this is going to sound like a dumb question, but when you say to air the tires based on those weights, can you clarify? If, for example our trailer tires indicate a PSI of 125, isn't that what we should have them aired to?
Terry and Jo said
12:47 AM Aug 28, 2013
Ruth,
I'm not sure where you are, but if you are still in the South Dakota area (or similar Western state), see if you can find a feed store that has a set of truck scales. If you can find one, and if they aren't busy at the time, they may allow you to weigh each axle. You would do that by starting with both the truck and trailer on the scale, then pull up to get the truck's steering wheels off the scales and weigh again. Subtract the one weight and you would have the weight for that steering axle. Then pull the truck clear off, with the trailer still on and weigh again and subtract. Then, pull up with the front trailer axle off the scales and you would have your weight for that one, plus the weight for the rear axle. Then, if you want, and they will allow it, put the trailer back on and unhook the truck with the trailer's axles and landing gear on the scales and you will have the trailer's gross vehicular weight.
When we were moving from out stix and brix, I went by a local feed store in Tuttle, OK and did all that. Jo was really worried that she was over on the trailer's weight, but when it was all said and done, she had 600 or 700 lbs of leeway. She did good. It helps to be a country girl.
Terry
NWescapee said
12:53 AM Aug 28, 2013
Hi Terry- will see what we can do, but we're now in Colorado, a Denver suburb so we'll see if we can locate a feed store.
NaNa1968 said
05:46 AM Oct 27, 2013
Like another poster said you can go to any truck stop and weigh
First weight cost anywhere from $10-$12 and reweighs are usually $2
Most all truck stops have CAT Scales and are certified, meaning they are calibrated daily
My husband and I are both OTR truck drivers
Hope this helps you
Also a feed mill place works just as good
lindy said
01:49 PM Oct 27, 2013
You will find that you can get side to side weights at a commercial truck stop CAT Scale. First weight the whole trk/trl as normal. Then do a re-weight, but this time when you drive on the scale keep the right side of the trk/trl OFF the scale on the right side. Every CAT scale I've seen are set with a flat level area to the right of the scale so you can get an accurate weigh. Then just do the math to get the side to side weights of each axle.
Well we've sold some of our furniture and replaced it with less and lighter/smaller furniture, completed another round of purging and think we finally have everything we want to keep in either the F450 or the 5'ver. I'm sure the campgrounds we've been through were wondering why we kept filling up their dumpsters, LOL! We were patting ourselves on the back last night, we managed to do this in the first 6 weeks of full-timing while we were both working full-time. In our first 2 weeks of FT we decided we don't want to drive separately so we were motivated to empty my car and now we feel it's time to get rid of my car. However, we also want to make sure we're continuing to lose weight and make sure we're within the weight ratings on the axles, etc.
While I would love to have Howard & Linda or other RVSEF team members do the RV weighing that we need to have done, looking at our travel schedule and their scheduled weighing locations, it doesn't appear that is going to work out any time in the next 6-8 months. In that time we'll be crossing both the Rockies and the Sierras, going from Colorado to California, to AZ and then eventually to Texas next spring.
I've checked the Escapees Smart Weigh program and it appears we would have to wait until we're in AZ in November before we could arrange something there which I'm willing to do if that's our only option. Obviously we'll have a bit of driving to do before that including crossing the Rockies next week and dealing with Donner Pass.
Any other options that anyone has discovered? We've used the commercial truck scales and while that will give us the weight of the truck / trailer combined and then we can weigh the truck by itself, that method doesn't give us quite all the detail an RVSEF weighing would give.
Any certified scale will work for you. Your first weigh will be with the truck/trailer. Then go back with just the truck for a re-weigh. The reweigh will be either free, or a nominal charge (like $1) if it is within their time period -typically 24 hours, but ask. The original weigh will be on the order of $9 or so.
Ruth,
I'm not sure where you are, but if you are still in the South Dakota area (or similar Western state), see if you can find a feed store that has a set of truck scales. If you can find one, and if they aren't busy at the time, they may allow you to weigh each axle. You would do that by starting with both the truck and trailer on the scale, then pull up to get the truck's steering wheels off the scales and weigh again. Subtract the one weight and you would have the weight for that steering axle. Then pull the truck clear off, with the trailer still on and weigh again and subtract. Then, pull up with the front trailer axle off the scales and you would have your weight for that one, plus the weight for the rear axle. Then, if you want, and they will allow it, put the trailer back on and unhook the truck with the trailer's axles and landing gear on the scales and you will have the trailer's gross vehicular weight.
When we were moving from out stix and brix, I went by a local feed store in Tuttle, OK and did all that. Jo was really worried that she was over on the trailer's weight, but when it was all said and done, she had 600 or 700 lbs of leeway. She did good. It helps to be a country girl.
Terry
First weight cost anywhere from $10-$12 and reweighs are usually $2
Most all truck stops have CAT Scales and are certified, meaning they are calibrated daily
My husband and I are both OTR truck drivers
Hope this helps you
Also a feed mill place works just as good