Community Forums

cstar5634 · 09-25-2014, 11:53 AM

Could anyone please share where you can go get your motorhome weighed per the four point and six point methods? Only places I see around me are the Cat scales at Flying J or other truck stops and they don't really seem set up for weighing of each axle or each wheel in order to properly inflate each tire or tire set...?

Thanks in advance for all responses and feedback.

SuperSteer · 09-25-2014, 11:58 AM

Depending on where you live, there are several RV suspension and steering shops with portable scales, or at a rally.

Mr_D · 09-25-2014, 12:07 PM

Her in WA and OR the highway weigh stations have flat areas around them. When the stations are closed the scales are left on so all we have to do is drive in and weigh using what ever method we need.
Some years ago we took the rig to Hendersons in Grants Pass OR for an evaluation and they used a closed OR state weight station to weigh the rig.

countrypair · 09-25-2014, 03:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cstar5634

Could anyone please share where you can go get your motorhome weighed per the four point and six point methods? Only places I see around me are the Cat scales at Flying J or other truck stops and they don't really seem set up for weighing of each axle or each wheel in order to properly inflate each tire or tire set...?

Thanks in advance for all responses and feedback.

Ask around & see if anyone offers weighing where you store it. We had ours weighed at our site in TGO by a gentleman with portable scales. It was quite easy & only cost $25./axle. He provided us with an official document of the weights & recommended pressures for the tires. He was involved in scale installations prior to retiring & does this for pocket money.

Dutch Star Don · 09-25-2014, 07:33 PM

It's very difficult to find a place to do that type of weighing. About the only place that I've seen it, is at an RV rally. I always thought it would be a neat little side business to do weighing, until I saw the price of the scales......way to long to recoup your costs.

I've weighed both my DP's, but was satisfied with a front and back only. To me, that's close enough unless you have a specific issue.

millerj · 09-25-2014, 08:46 PM

If you have a Freightliner chassis and live close to Gaffney South Carolina you can take it to the Freightliner factory service center and they will weigh each wheel position and give you the recommended tire inflation values based on that weight.

Mr_D · 09-25-2014, 08:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dutch Star Don

It's very difficult to find a place to do that type of weighing. About the only place that I've seen it, is at an RV rally. I always thought it would be a neat little side business to do weighing, until I saw the price of the scales......way to long to recoup your costs.

I've weighed both my DP's, but was satisfied with a front and back only. To me, that's close enough unless you have a specific issue.

Newmar weighs each rig before it leaves the factory, but that doesn't help at all after you load it!
The factory weights corroborated my weighing as our rig was overweight on the front axle as it left the factory, before ever loading a thing aboard and discounting driver and passenger weights. That's why Newmar had Spartan replace the 12,000# front axle with a 14,600# unit.

osok · 09-26-2014, 07:05 AM

This is who I use to get weighed Escapees RV Club Looks like the nearest one to you is in FL. They weigh each tire location. Do not need to be a member.

FLSteve · 09-26-2014, 07:18 AM

We just had our coach weighed at the Newmar Hoots II Rally in Sevierville, TN. A team from the Recreation Safety Education Foundation (RVSEF) came to the park and did the 4-point and 6-point weighing. They have teams traveling all the time and here is a link to their schedule. Maybe they will be coming to a location near you and you can drop by and get weighed. Was very pleased with their services.

Weighing Schedule | RVSEF

Steve

ahicks · 09-26-2014, 07:21 AM

With a little imagination those Cat scales will work fine. Check this out -

How To Weigh | CAT Scale

Then, most scales I've seen are elevated, with a safety pad on either side of them that's 4-5' wide. So the plan is to pull up on the scales and get your first weight slip. That will have your axle weights showing on it and cost you about 9.00 if I remember right. Then, ask for a re-weigh. That'll set you back another 2.00.

When you do this weight though, pull the motorhome up as you did before, but pull the driver's side wheels over on to that safety zone so just one side of the motor home is on the scales. That second weight slip will have your right hand corner weights showing. To get the left hand corner weights, subtract the right hand weights from the axle weights you got when going across the first time.

Most truck stops are pretty busy places most of the time - but those scales are generally just sitting there unused. If that's the case when/where you're visiting, go ahead and feel free to use them!

danleininger · 09-26-2014, 03:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ahicks

With a little imagination those Cat scales will work fine. Check this out -

How To Weigh | CAT Scale

Then, most scales I've seen are elevated, with a safety pad on either side of them that's 4-5' wide. So the plan is to pull up on the scales and get your first weight slip. That will have your axle weights showing on it and cost you about 9.00 if I remember right. Then, ask for a re-weigh. That'll set you back another 2.00.

When you do this weight though, pull the motorhome up as you did before, but pull the driver's side wheels over on to that safety zone so just one side of the motor home is on the scales. That second weight slip will have your right hand corner weights showing. To get the left hand corner weights, subtract the right hand weights from the axle weights you got when going across the first time.

Most truck stops are pretty busy places most of the time - but those scales are generally just sitting there unused. If that's the case when/where you're visiting, go ahead and feel free to use them!

2X on the above!!! He's right on the money!

Gordon Dewald · 09-26-2014, 03:28 PM

Most states and provinces have weigh scales at various locations on the highways. Generally when closed the scale display is left on so you can drive across and weigh to your hearts content.

If they are open and not too busy you can ask them to get the weights. The fellows I talked to were only too happy to do the weighing. And they provided a scale ticket.

slabman · 09-26-2014, 08:24 PM

I had occasion to weigh my old coach in Red Bay, at the dog food factory which all Tiffinites seem to use. After the initial weigh, I did a second weigh, placing wheels off the scale. Then, just for kicks, I placed the other side off the scale, figuring that, by addition, I could check my side-to-side weights with total weights. I never could get them to match up, no matter how many times I tried. Figured it was simply a matter of inaccurate scales?....or more possibly, weight shifting from side to side as the coach was leading. Bottom line...be sure the ground next to the scale is level with the scale, so there is no lean. Probably difficult to do in most cases, I'm thinking.

Pigman1 · 09-26-2014, 08:57 PM

Some places where you may be able to find level scales.

Garbage dumps/land fills
Concrete plants
Moving companies
Farm and fertilizer suppliers
Grain storage facilities/elevators
State Police unscheduled weight check locations
Dog food plants (as previously discussed at Red Bay Al)

Call ahead and ask but you may be pleasantly surprised.

Inherent inaccuracies in the scales, slight ground slopes, or even brakes on vs off may cause things to not add up exactly, but a 20 - 50 pound variance is no reason to say the scale is no good. You'll carry that much dirt on the bottom of the chassis.