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09-16-2009, 02:53 AM
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#1
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2 Rivet Member
1979 30' Argosy
saint augustine
, Florida
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 31
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weighing the trailer ?
just a general question on weighing the trailer from a newbie. i plan to tow my argosy to a public weigh station, and from the manual, to achieve the true trailer weight i need to disconnect from my tow vehicle and weigh the trailer seperately. is there any other way? it seems going thru the hassle of un-hitching and re-hitching at a busy scale might get a little hairy?
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09-16-2009, 05:17 AM
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#2
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Moderator
2015 25' FB Flying Cloud
2012 23' FB Flying Cloud
2005 25' Safari
Santa Rosa Beach
, Florida
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 13,159
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Greetings from the Florida Panhandle
To get an accurate weight for your trailer, you really need to unhook and weight the trailer independently. Just find a quiet time at the scales. It's not that big a hassle.
The last time that I weighed, I unhooked and hooked-up twice, once to weight the trailer and tow vehicle independently and again to weigh the trailer's tongue weight. I also weight the whole rig together.
The last time I weighed out along I-10 near Tallahassee, the first weigh was $8, and each additional weigh in the series was $2.
Brian
__________________
SuEllyn & Brian McCabe
WBCCI #3628 -- AIR #14872 -- TAC #FL-7
2015 FC 25' FB (Lucy) with ProPride
2020 Silverado 2500 (Vivian)
2023 Rivian R1T (Opal)
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09-16-2009, 07:10 AM
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#3
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Rivet Master
1971 25' Tradewind
1993 34' Excella
Currently Looking...
Estancia
, New Mexico
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 7,743
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It might be easier to weigh trailer and TV together. Then unhook weigh the TV and subtract.
__________________
Sail on silver girl. Sail on by. Your time has come to shine.
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09-16-2009, 07:47 AM
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#4
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Rivet Master
2011 34' Classic
Westchester Cty.NY
, / Miami FL
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 3,122
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or you could just weigh both and weigh the tow v. at a different time you pass by.
__________________
Ricky
2012 F150 Super Crew 5-1/2' bed Ecoboost 4x4 3.73 elec. lock diff. Propride hitch
give life. kidney & pancreas transplant 9/9/06
Ingrid-my unofficial '"World's Oldest Streamer" 1909-2008 R.I.P.
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09-16-2009, 07:56 AM
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#5
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Rivet Master
1971 25' Tradewind
1993 34' Excella
Currently Looking...
Estancia
, New Mexico
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 7,743
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The weigh station I have used charges $6 for the first weight and $1 for any additional weights.
__________________
Sail on silver girl. Sail on by. Your time has come to shine.
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09-16-2009, 08:14 AM
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#6
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Rivet Master
1973 27' Overlander
Tucson
, AZ
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 1,480
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I don't think there is a better way. I was totally intimidated by the process too - a total newbie. And I had to re-enter the scales for each separate weight because the scales I used could not be manually *zero'ed out*. I started to freak out when I noticed a couple truckers line up behind me but they were very understanding. I also had gone inside to talk to the weigh master ahead of time to explain what I wanted to do - and though he was a little surprised at my process (4 separate weights he asked??) he was unbelievably helpful.
I made passes similar to Brian/Moosetags - with one additional pass with my WD hitch set differently to determine the ultimate WD set-up.
It took me a couple hours to make the 4 passes - because I let the truckers go in-between my passes. It cost me $10/weight. But, it gave me the confidence to know all my axle weights and how to tweek my WD hitch so that the axles are loaded best. And to find that I don't have much capacity for more *stuff* Gof for it and don't worry too much about the time it takes to unhitch/rehitch (at least with regard to the truckers).
Laura
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09-16-2009, 08:29 AM
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#7
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Rivet Master
1967 24' Tradewind
Wickenburg
, Arizona
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 547
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I'll throw my 3 cents in. You need to unhook with the tongue on a different weigh pad than the axles. You need to know your tongue weight! Adios, John
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09-16-2009, 08:48 AM
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#8
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Rivet Master
1977 27' Overlander
Trotwood
, Ohio
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 2,153
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I didn't worry about my tongue weight with my TV, but if you think you are close then by all means unhook with the tongue one the scale.
I just weighted the steering and then the whole tv and then the trailer axles. Then I did the math. You can get within a few lbs.
Make sure the trailer axles are setting level with the tongue when you drop. Trailer can't be on an incline.
I had weighed the steering and drive of my TV prior to taking the whole rig across.
I guess I am luckier than most, I have access to a STATE CERTIFIED SCALE FREE. As many passes as I might need.
All this weighing is kinda essential to know just exactly where the weight is and what adjustments in your Weight Distribution System might be needed. It takes all the guess work out of it .Good Luck with your weigh in.
Roger
__________________
Roger & MaryLou
___________________
F350 CREWCAB SW LONG BED
7.3 liter Power Stroke Diesel
1977 27ft OVERLANDER
KA8LMQ
AIR # 22336 TAC- OH-7
May your roads be straight and smooth and may you always have a tailwind!
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09-17-2009, 03:50 AM
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#9
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2 Rivet Member
1979 30' Argosy
saint augustine
, Florida
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 31
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thank you everyone for the support, and laura. thank you for the confidence that i am not alone in thinking this to be a hassle. tomorrow morningi'll go and do the weigh in. as far as the distribution hitch adjustments, i'm a little foggy with that. when i got mine, i simply hooked it up, it doesn't seem to have a lot of "adjusting" except maybe the position of the hitch and the torque i put on the chains. any clues would help. so far you have all being very helpful and i like all your ideas. airstream forum folks ROCK
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09-17-2009, 07:42 AM
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#10
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Rivet Master
1973 27' Overlander
Tucson
, AZ
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 1,480
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Quote:
Originally Posted by happypill
thank you everyone for the support, and laura. thank you for the confidence that i am not alone in thinking this to be a hassle. tomorrow morningi'll go and do the weigh in. as far as the distribution hitch adjustments, i'm a little foggy with that. when i got mine, i simply hooked it up, it doesn't seem to have a lot of "adjusting" except maybe the position of the hitch and the torque i put on the chains. any clues would help. so far you have all being very helpful and i like all your ideas. airstream forum folks ROCK
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My first pass at the scales was with the rig hitched to the best of my abilites. For my second pass, I pulled the chains one link tighter - which was a stretch for my physical abilites. By comparing the weigh measured at my TV drive, TV steering and Trailer axles, there wasn't a significant change. The tighter chain was a bit better - but the difficulty in me getting that extra link is - well, not all that exciting to me.
Here's my log about my process at the scales and my results. Hope it helps. You can see some of the adjustments I made and how I determined where to set my hitch.
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f238...nts-53304.html
The scales trip wasn't nearly as bad as I anticipated. When I got home I felt really good that I accomplished that job! Both that I was capable of doing it and that I took the time - so that I could be as safe as possible on my journeys. I don't think many people actually take this step - either thinking it unnecessary or because of the time factor. Because I am such a novice at towing, I figure that I'll do whatever I can to improved my factor of safety. Besides the other motorists, I have myself and other precious cargo on board - my two fur-kids!
Laura
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09-17-2009, 07:47 AM
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#11
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Moderator
2015 25' FB Flying Cloud
2012 23' FB Flying Cloud
2005 25' Safari
Santa Rosa Beach
, Florida
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 13,159
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Quote:
Originally Posted by happypill
thank you everyone for the support, and laura. thank you for the confidence that i am not alone in thinking this to be a hassle. tomorrow morningi'll go and do the weigh in. as far as the distribution hitch adjustments, i'm a little foggy with that. when i got mine, i simply hooked it up, it doesn't seem to have a lot of "adjusting" except maybe the position of the hitch and the torque i put on the chains. any clues would help. so far you have all being very helpful and i like all your ideas. airstream forum folks ROCK
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What type of hitch system are you using, and how are you adjusting it? The only bearing on weight that the weight distribution function of the hitch system has is on the separate weight on the front and rear axles of the tow vehicle.
Brian
__________________
SuEllyn & Brian McCabe
WBCCI #3628 -- AIR #14872 -- TAC #FL-7
2015 FC 25' FB (Lucy) with ProPride
2020 Silverado 2500 (Vivian)
2023 Rivian R1T (Opal)
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09-17-2009, 07:49 AM
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#12
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3 Rivet Member
1978 31' Sovereign
Madison
, Mississippi
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 120
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I did all of my weighing at the local dump. They were very accommodating and didn't charge anything.
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09-17-2009, 08:28 AM
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#13
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"Cloudsplitter"
2003 25' Classic
Houstatlantavegas
, Malebolgia
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 20,000
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Quote:
Originally Posted by funkill
The tighter chain was a bit better - but the difficulty in me getting that extra link is - well, not all that exciting to me.
Laura
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Laura,
You can make your chain adjustment easier by raising the tongue jack/rear TV,(no need to unhook), the higher you go the easier the adjustment will be.
Bob
__________________
I’m done with ‘adulting’…Let’s go find Bigfoot.
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09-17-2009, 10:21 AM
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#14
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Rivet Master
1973 27' Overlander
Tucson
, AZ
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 1,480
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ROBERT CROSS
Laura,
You can make your chain adjustment easier by raising the tongue jack/rear TV,(no need to unhook), the higher you go the easier the adjustment will be.
Bob
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Man, I 'bout had the truck bumper to my waist already Thankfully, the TT bumper held everthing tight as it rested on the ground.
Actually - it's the removing of the chains that scares the bee-jee-bies out of me. I do the process exactly the same, but opposite and the chain carrier comes down with so much force that my breaker bar (or whatever the pipe is called) gets slung into the ground a couple inches. I've had to dig that bar out a couple times. Seems like the bars get loaded more as I travel. I'm afraid someone is going to get hurt taking the bars off. It about flipped my Aunt to the ground - scared us both. Now removing the bars is a job for moi only!
Laura
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