Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 07-17-2016, 09:35 AM   #1
Rivet Master
 
FCStreamer's Avatar
 
2014 30' Flying Cloud
Tampa , Florida
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 1,364
Blog Entries: 1
How Do You Weigh Your Airstream?

I realized that this is not something most people do often, so I figured I'd share my method.

I downloaded two apps to my iPhone. CAT Scale and Weigh My Truck (also from CAT Scale).

CAT Scale is an app that shows all the locations of CAT Scales. I used it to find my nearest CAT Scale.

Weigh My Truck is the app you use once you get to the scale to order and pay for the weigh service. It costs $10.50 to weigh your truck.

The Weigh My Truck app let me sign in to PayPal so I could pay the $10.50 fee. I did this before I got to the scale so I wouldn't waste time signing up there. If you do not use PayPal I assume you can pay at the cashier.

What you do is you drive to the scale. Watch carefully as there is one entrance and one exit. The entrance will be the one that when you drive up to the scale, the call box will be on you drivers side window.

These scales are meant for 18 wheeler trucks, so the call box will be a little too high for a regular truck. No worry, since you won't be using the call box. The app uses your GPS and knows you are at a scale. Run the app, hit the accept button, and your done.

That's it?

That is it.

A buzzer will alert the attendant your are waiting to be weighed, and they will activate the scale and print out the results. You need to walk into the cashier to pick up the printed ticket if you want it. They will email you a PDF so you don't need to pick up the hard copy if you don't want to.

The ticket will show four weights. The overall gross weight is what everything weighs. Then you will get one weight for your front tow vehicle axle, one for your tow vehicle rear axle, and one for your trailer axle(s).

Compare the weights of you tow vehicle axles to the weight ratings of the axles shown in a sticker on the front door jamb of your tow vehicle. As long as you don't exceed them, you're ok. If you exceed them, well, time to go on a diet or buy a new truck with higher ratings.

Hope this helps someone else who wants to weigh their truck and trailer.



__________________
2014 Airstream Flying Cloud 30 Recliner - WBCCI #4850 - AIR #110821
2018 Nissan Armada SL Tow Vehicle, Equal-i-zer Hitch
Visit Our Flying Cloud blog for my latest adventure!
FCStreamer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-17-2016, 09:44 AM   #2
Rivet Master
 
Al and Missy's Avatar
 
2002 30' Classic S/O
Fleming Island , Florida
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 4,668
That's worthwhile. Have you used it for re-weighs? Initially at least I like to weigh just the truck, then the combo without WD, and finally the combo with WD.

I have been to a CAT scale, but my nearest one is over 40 miles away. I have used a local moving company. Their weights compare favorably with my CAT scale weights. The only problem is they have a single platform so I weigh the TV front, the whole TV, and then the trailer. I do this three times as above. All I have to do is subtract reading 1 from reading 2 in each of the three sets to get the rear axle.

It's about the same price and saves me an hour and a half drive and about $10 worth of fuel.

Al
__________________
“You cannot reason someone out of a position they have not been reasoned into"
Al, K5TAN and Missy, N4RGO WBCCI 1322
2002 Classic 30 Slideout -S/OS #004
2013 Dodge 2500 Laramie 4x4 Megacab Cummins
Al and Missy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-17-2016, 09:54 AM   #3
Rivet Master
 
FCStreamer's Avatar
 
2014 30' Flying Cloud
Tampa , Florida
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 1,364
Blog Entries: 1
This was my first time. I've only had the trailer 2 months. This CAT scale is 20 miles from me, but just about anything is 20 miles from me. I keep the trailer at a fairly secluded RV resort.

My plan is to weigh when I got out to kill two birds with one stone. I'm pretty happy with what I got so I don't have plans to weigh it differently.
__________________
2014 Airstream Flying Cloud 30 Recliner - WBCCI #4850 - AIR #110821
2018 Nissan Armada SL Tow Vehicle, Equal-i-zer Hitch
Visit Our Flying Cloud blog for my latest adventure!
FCStreamer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-17-2016, 09:57 AM   #4
Sbb
begorragirl
 
Sbb's Avatar
 
2017 25' Flying Cloud
Denville , New Jersey
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 1,029
Images: 2
I go on e a year. Since my suburban is loaded for festivals( i have removed two rows of seats) i want to make sure I come in nder magic numbers.
__________________
2006 Bambi CCD ("EireStream!!")
2010 Funfinder
2005 T@B
2001 Teardrop, Mountain Hardware Tent
For some perfection takes a little longer...
Sbb is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-17-2016, 10:44 AM   #5
Rivet Master
 
John&Vicki's Avatar
 
1990 25' Excella
Sisters , Oregon
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 1,195
Images: 4
In Oregon there are a lot of weigh stations that are often unmanned - or never manned - that are always on. It's just a matter of pulling over and weighing one axle at a time. Very convenient.

John
__________________
John Audette
Air Cooled Porsche Specialist -

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I took the one less traveled. ~ Robert Frost
John&Vicki is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-17-2016, 03:00 PM   #6
3 Rivet Member
 
harryk's Avatar
 
2005 31' Classic
Venice , Florida
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 187
I have weighed my rig too. But I weighed both axles on the AS. They were quite different, and I had to rethink how I loaded the interior. The back axle was light compared to the front, so I moved supplies to the rear....your thoughts ?
harryk is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-17-2016, 03:26 PM   #7
Rivet Master
 
FCStreamer's Avatar
 
2014 30' Flying Cloud
Tampa , Florida
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 1,364
Blog Entries: 1
I'm not certain why two axles that are so close to each other can have significantly different weights. If they do, that's a problem I'm blissfully ignorant about, and will remain so. As far as I'm concerned, one weight for both should be enough.
__________________
2014 Airstream Flying Cloud 30 Recliner - WBCCI #4850 - AIR #110821
2018 Nissan Armada SL Tow Vehicle, Equal-i-zer Hitch
Visit Our Flying Cloud blog for my latest adventure!
FCStreamer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-17-2016, 05:57 PM   #8
"Cloudsplitter"

 
2003 25' Classic
Houstatlantavegas , Malebolgia
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 20,000
Images: 1
Thumbs up How I do it....

Three weights.

TV alone, loaded for camping...


AS & TV, loaded, no WD................AS & TV with WD set.


With WD set the rig is LEVEL and all but 100lbs has been returned the the steering axle.

?????.... your Str axle w/o the trailer is, ?

Bob
__________________
I’m done with ‘adulting’…Let’s go find Bigfoot.
ROBERT CROSS is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-17-2016, 09:19 PM   #9
Rivet Master
 
2019 25' Flying Cloud
Sequim , Washington
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 525
Blog Entries: 2
Quote:
Originally Posted by FCStreamer View Post
I'm not certain why two axles that are so close to each other can have significantly different weights. If they do, that's a problem I'm blissfully ignorant about, and will remain so. As far as I'm concerned, one weight for both should be enough.
I'm not an engineer or mathemetician, but my reading concerning tandem axle trailers tells me that it IS important that neither axle be overloaded. Overloading beyond axle, tire, or wheel rating can cause failure.

Can this happen? Yes, if the weight distribution is way off in either direction. Keeping tongue weight within the optimal 12-15% range takes care of the problem.

I welcome elaborations, corrections, or contradictions if someone has other experience or knowledge. I sure learn a lot on this forum!
WestieHouse is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-17-2016, 09:59 PM   #10
4 Rivet Member
 
1991 25' Excella
Stanfield , Oregon
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 317
If you live near a state border there well be DOT scales. Ive been using them for years its free and very accurate.
SpletKay06 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-18-2016, 12:04 AM   #11
Rivet Master
 
2019 25' Flying Cloud
Sequim , Washington
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 525
Blog Entries: 2
Quote:
Originally Posted by SpletKay06 View Post
If you live near a state border there well be DOT scales. Ive been using them for years its free and very accurate.
"Very accurate." Most likely true. "Free" most likely false.

Money well spent IMHO, but nevertheless someone's money built and maintains the DOT scales.

Few of us like the two certainties in life noted by Ben Franklin. But it does help us to use our time (life) and money (taxes) more thoughtfully if we take note of things we value in life and sometimes take for granted.
WestieHouse is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-18-2016, 05:25 AM   #12
Rivet Master
 
A W Warn's Avatar
 
2000 25' Safari
Davidson County , NC Highlands County, FL
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 4,493
My first thought about the trailer axles having substantially different weights:
Is the trailer level when hitched up? If the tongue is high, there will be more weight on the rear axle. If the tongue is low, there will be more weight on the front axle.

Different weights on left to right sides of the trailer would be caused by the way items are loaded within the trailer.
__________________
Alan
2014 Silverado LTZ 1500 Crew Cab 5.3L maximum trailering package
A W Warn is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-18-2016, 08:22 AM   #13
Rivet Master
 
KJRitchie's Avatar
 
2008 25' Classic
Full Time , Texas
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 4,309
Quote:
Originally Posted by SpletKay06 View Post
If you live near a state border there well be DOT scales. Ive been using them for years its free and very accurate.
Are these the scales that all the trucks pull off the interstate when crossing state lines? They allow RVs? I guess its best to go during slow periods?
I guess you only get to weigh tow+trailer with WD?

Kelvin
__________________
2008 Classic 25fb "Silver Mistress"
2015 Ram 2500 6.7L Cummins. Crew Cab, 4x4, Silver
KJRitchie is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-18-2016, 12:16 PM   #14
4 Rivet Member
 
1991 25' Excella
Stanfield , Oregon
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 317
Quote:
Originally Posted by KJRitchie View Post
Are these the scales that all the trucks pull off the interstate when crossing state lines? They allow RVs? I guess its best to go during slow periods?
I guess you only get to weigh tow+trailer with WD?

Kelvin
Yes that the scales im referring too Ive never had an issue using them. Most of them have a route to reweigh built in and an area to park and make hitch adjustments. One thing to note is you dont get a print out like a cat scale and weight in motion aka under 3mph. So have a pen and paper handy as you roll across.
SpletKay06 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-18-2016, 01:21 PM   #15
3 Rivet Member
 
Waco , Texas
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 111
Images: 1
We pulled off a freeway in Oregon and weighed our 2012 27 foot in one of the "closed" weigh stations.

We had water tanks full(ish) and came in at 6100 pounds. And, we are full-timers. Clearly, we have very little personal belongings in the trailer....
bambibooth is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Would you like to weigh your trailer? jcanavera Tires 4 11-03-2013 09:22 PM
How Much Do You Weigh? GlenCoombe Classic Motorhomes 8 08-20-2009 02:19 PM
What does your 1970s Airstream weigh when it's all loaded up? 72Blazerod Our Community 2 10-09-2006 08:26 PM
What does your Ambassador weigh when you have it loaded up? 72Blazerod 1974 - 1979 Ambassador 3 10-07-2006 07:23 PM
OK- what does your A/S weigh & what's your tow vehicle John Our Community 17 03-19-2003 10:38 AM


Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Airstream, Inc. or any of its affiliates. Airstream is a registered trademark of Airstream Inc. All rights reserved. Airstream trademark used under license to Social Knowledge LLC.



All times are GMT -6. The time now is 06:06 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.