CAT scale and stabilizers...

[twiceblessed....nacole 433]

Two questions:

 

1.  How do we best weigh our trailer?  There is a CAT scale about 10 minutes away from CW.  Our thought was we'd stop by on the way up and weight just the truck... then we would come back and weigh the trailer.  The lot attendant showed me the breaks in the scales, so I know where to separate the truck from the trailer, but I thought I had remembered seeing somewhere that it was important to try and weigh the weight on each axle.  My question is, I can drive the trailer over the scales so that the two axles on an separate scales however, I think the first axle will also have the weight of the truck so I imagine that I could just deduct the (truck only) weight from the total on that scale???

 

2.  Stabilizers:  A couple of our trips, we may do a short overnight on the way to our destination.  We will NOT unhook.. but can you still put down the stabilizers?  I'm thinking yes, but wanted to ask.  I don't know that we'll put the slide out, but my thought was that the stabilizers will help with everyone moving from point a to b and getting comfy in bed.

 

 

Advice Fiends??

 

 

[Specularius 102]

If you do use the Cat scale, then remember to tell them that the second time is a "Re-Weigh" and it will be cheaper. They will need the ticket number from the first weigh.

I would not worry too much about each axle. If you do it the way you describe, the front axle will also have the tongue weight. Weigh it the second time and the difference between the truck weights will be the tongue weight. To get the axles you would have to weigh a third time.

[CCIntrigue...aka Gwen 547]

 

2.  Stabilizers:  A couple of our trips, we may do a short overnight on the way to our destination.  We will NOT unhook.. but can you still put down the stabilizers?  I'm thinking yes, but wanted to ask.  I don't know that we'll put the slide out, but my thought was that the stabilizers will help with everyone moving from point a to b and getting comfy in bed.

 

 

If you put the slide out, absolutely use the stabilizers.  Otherwise, I wouldn't bother with them.

[jmaul 65]

Stabilizers yes, but be sure to drop the tongue jack to make contact with the ground. If not, the front stabilizers would bear extra weight when the truck suspension compresses. I hope that made sense.

 

No idea about scales. Never used 'em.

[ependydad...Doug 176]

When you weigh, you'll do a series of 3 weighing a for a travel trailer.

Read this:

http://www.learntorv.com/2013/05/how-to-weigh-travel-trailer.html

If you want to split your trailer axles on different scales, it should work out that you can have then span two of the scales. When I did it, my truck's rear wheels were on the first scale, my front axle on the next scale, and my rear axle on the third scale.

If you're not long enough, the first scale is usually much shorter than the other two. I'd drive completely off of it with the truck and have your camper split the axles between the first and second scales (with nothing on the 3rd).

I can draw pictures if it helps you visualize it.

[dblr....Rennie 224]

Overnight yes tongue jack down to take weight off the truck, slides out jacks down plus I unplug the electrical cord from trailer to truck if plugged into power, just incase. I was told once it could back feed to the truck, not sure if this in true or not.

[TN22.....Brady 22]

Overnight yes tongue jack down to take weight off the truck, slides out jacks down plus I unplug the electrical cord from trailer to truck if plugged into power, just incase. I was told once it could back feed to the truck, not sure if this in true or not.

X2....I Never have my trailer plugged into the truck and shore power at the same time. Even when setting up or breaking down, trailer to truck plug is the first thing disconnected and last thing connected when leaving.

We always use stabilizers and tongue jack when doing an overnight stop, just to help with movement while walking around inside.

[twiceblessed....nacole 433]

Overnight yes tongue jack down to take weight off the truck, slides out jacks down plus I unplug the electrical cord from trailer to truck if plugged into power, just incase. I was told once it could back feed to the truck, not sure if this in true or not.

 

X2....I Never have my trailer plugged into the truck and shore power at the same time. Even when setting up or breaking down, trailer to truck plug is the first thing disconnected and last thing connected when leaving.

We always use stabilizers and tongue jack when doing an overnight stop, just to help with movement while walking around inside.

 

Okay.. it's early and my coffee has not kicked in, but I'm not understanding... If we stop overnight (it would only be for 8-9 hours), our plan was to plug in but do nothing else (leave the camper attached, maybe on the stabilizers)... but it sounds like that is NOT a good/safe idea?

 

 

When you weigh, you'll do a series of 3 weighing a for a travel trailer.

Read this:

http://www.learntorv.com/2013/05/how-to-weigh-travel-trailer.html

If you want to split your trailer axles on different scales, it should work out that you can have then span two of the scales. When I did it, my truck's rear wheels were on the first scale, my front axle on the next scale, and my rear axle on the third scale.

If you're not long enough, the first scale is usually much shorter than the other two. I'd drive completely off of it with the truck and have your camper split the axles between the first and second scales (with nothing on the 3rd).

I can draw pictures if it helps you visualize it.

Sent you a PM

[dblr....Rennie 224]

It's fine to plug the camper into electric just pull the plug from truck to camper

[twiceblessed....nacole 433]

It's fine to plug the camper into electric just pull the plug from truck to camper

 

What plug?  The only thing we "plug" into the truck.. is the plug for the breaks.  Is that what you mean?

[parrothead7368 aka Norm 101]

Yes, that 7 pin plug is your brakes, lights and there is also a charge line, just unplug from your truck.

 

Best Regards,

Norm

[twiceblessed....nacole 433]

Yes, that 7 pin plug is your brakes, lights and there is also a charge line, just unplug from your truck.

 

Best Regards,

Norm

 

Thank you.

 

Can I ask why?  I'm guessing it would damage something... but how does that work?

[dblr....Rennie 224]

What plug?  The only thing we "plug" into the truck.. is the plug for the breaks.  Is that what you mean?

 

Yes, that plug( cord) actually works your lights for the camper brakes and also charges the camper battery as you roll down the road. The thin cable is your emergency brake cable that stops the camper should you somehow become disconnected. :panic:

[twiceblessed....nacole 433]

Yes, that plug( cord) actually works your lights for the camper brakes and also charges the camper battery as you roll down the road. The thin cable is your emergency brake cable that stops the camper should you somehow become disconnected. :panic:

 

Okay... making a note:  UNPLUG before plugging in.

 

Thank you!!

[keith_h 420]

Unplugging is also a mandatory if you are going to be sitting with the engine off for any length of time and you do not have a disconnect relay on your tow vehicle (like us). By disconnecting you reduce the potential trailer draw on your car battery and the risk of having a dead battery next time you go to start up. 

[twiceblessed....nacole 433]

Unplugging is also a mandatory if you are going to be sitting with the engine off for any length of time and you do not have a disconnect relay on your tow vehicle (like us). By disconnecting you reduce the potential trailer draw on your car battery and the risk of having a dead battery next time you go to start up. 

 

Hmmm.... so if we stop for dinner (usually it's quick stuff, but every once in while it's an hour or so), we should unplug?

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

Check to see if you have an isolation relay. Easy way to check. Disconnect your camper battery. Hook camper to tow vehicle. Crank engine. Turn on trailer light. If the light comes on, you have a charge line. Turn off tow vehicle. If the light goes off you have an isolation relay. If it stays on, you do not

[keith_h 420]

Hmmm.... so if we stop for dinner (usually it's quick stuff, but every once in while it's an hour or so), we should unplug?

 

I don't unplug to eat and we typically take about an hour. I do unplug when we do things like stop at museums or other places where we will be parked a couple of hours or more. With the fridge on 12V when we travel and the electrical vampires in the trailer I rather not risk my car battery. Especially when it is so easy to plug and unplug. 

 

As far as to having a relay or not my understanding is many factory installed tow packages include them. After purchase upgrades like mine are iffy.

[keith_h 420]

2.  Stabilizers:  A couple of our trips, we may do a short overnight on the way to our destination.  We will NOT unhook.. but can you still put down the stabilizers?  I'm thinking yes, but wanted to ask.  I don't know that we'll put the slide out, but my thought was that the stabilizers will help with everyone moving from point a to b and getting comfy in bed.

I thought you had electric stabilizers. To put those down shouldn't be more than pushing a button.

 

We have our first trip with a quick overnighter in a few weeks. My intent is to level the trailer and disconnect the hitch ball but leave the chains and safety brake hooked up. I am going to hookup to the electric but not worry about water or sewer. We will just use a gallon jug for us brush teeth and let the wife make her coffee in the morning. I also plan to put down stabilizers on at least one side just to help keep the bouncing down.

[twiceblessed....nacole 433]

Thanks for the tips!

 

 

I thought you had electric stabilizers. To put those down shouldn't be more than pushing a button.

 

We have our first trip with a quick overnighter in a few weeks. My intent is to level the trailer and disconnect the hitch ball but leave the chains and safety brake hooked up. I am going to hookup to the electric but not worry about water or sewer. We will just use a gallon jug for us brush teeth and let the wife make her coffee in the morning. I also plan to put down stabilizers on at least one side just to help keep the bouncing down.

Yes... electric stabilizers; we may not even bother as we'd just be stopping to sleep.  Honestly... if we had a generator, a Walmart pkg lot would work.

[twiceblessed....nacole 433]

When you weigh, you'll do a series of 3 weighing a for a travel trailer.

Read this:

http://www.learntorv.com/2013/05/how-to-weigh-travel-trailer.html

If you want to split your trailer axles on different scales, it should work out that you can have then span two of the scales. When I did it, my truck's rear wheels were on the first scale, my front axle on the next scale, and my rear axle on the third scale.

If you're not long enough, the first scale is usually much shorter than the other two. I'd drive completely off of it with the truck and have your camper split the axles between the first and second scales (with nothing on the 3rd).

I can draw pictures if it helps you visualize it.

 

I've played around with this in my mind and googled till my eyes/brain hurt.... thing is, I don't think there is enough room between my truck's back wheels and the first axle to get the truck off and split the two axles between the scales.  Gosh, I'm honestly not sure.  If there is, I'll follow your suggestion.  If there is NOT... should I just pull my truck off the scales so that I am weight the trailer by itself?  Is it (super) important to know how much weight is on each axle?  

 

 

If you do use the Cat scale, then remember to tell them that the second time is a "Re-Weigh" and it will be cheaper. They will need the ticket number from the first weigh.

I would not worry too much about each axle. If you do it the way you describe, the front axle will also have the tongue weight. Weigh it the second time and the difference between the truck weights will be the tongue weight. To get the axles you would have to weigh a third time.

Man... I hate not knowing this stuff and it's probably just because I haven't done it before so I'm having a tough time picturing it (and the diagrams/pictures I've found online....none have a truck pulling a camper with a separated double axle).    

 

Okay... so if I do this (even though our camper has a double axle... I'll just put both axles on the same scale):  

 

Is #2 the tongue weight and #3 the camper weight??

[ependydad...Doug 176]

Nacole -

 

(Firstly, apologies for making the gross assumption that your husband is driving and you're navigating. If it's the other way around- you go girl. :) )

 

I took the image that you posted above from the CAT Scale website and have modified it to show 2 axles and the different positions for the various weighings that you want to do.

 

First, to calculate tongue weight and camper weight, you need to do 3 total weightings. It's very important to do all 3 at one time and with no changes in passengers or gear (don't let someone run in to pee or have hubby do the second or third weighing while you're in paying). It's paramount that everything stays the same- otherwise, you'll see surprises in your numbers that don't add up.

 

The first weighing will cost you $10-$15 and subsequent weightings will cost you $2-3 each. In each case, get weighed and pull off of the scale. My wife would run in and pay for each weighing after we did one. I'm not sure if you can do multiple without going inside each time.

 

Weighing tip: take a broom handle or painter's pole or something. I'm 5' 11" and have long monkey arms - standing on the running boards of my truck is each to reach the button to call the weigh master. Standing on the ground, it's a stretch. A pole of some sort would let you push the call button if you're height challenge or don't have freakishly long arms. OR- I've read that people go inside and get the telephone number of the weigh master's desk and call from your cell phone when you are ready for the weight to be captured.

 

 

#1 - Truck and Camper together with your WDH like it normally is in travel-mode

 

- In this case, you want your truck to be split between scales 1 and 2 and both of your camper's axles on scale 3. You cannot tell tongue + camper weights by this weighing alone. You have to do more to figure this out. I'll explain what you can find from this below.

 

 

#4 - Truck and Camper - Splitting Camper's Axles on Scales (optional!)

No, I'm not actually this terrible at math and yes this says #4 between #1 and #2. :) This step is optional but good to do now because you're WDH is still engaged and your camper is still connected to the truck - both of which we'll undo in the next weightings.

 

You have 3 options here. Note, the graphics are misleading: scale #1 is significantly shorter than scales #2 and #3, so you'll have to play around and see how you can split the scales with your axles. Your goal is to have your camper's axles split between 2 scales and have nothing else on them.

 

Here's 3 configurations that may work. I did the first, but I hear your length concerns and you may need to do the second or even third:

 

#4a - Split the Camper Axles between Scales #2 and #3

 

You'll want to be outside the vehicle while he drives forward. From the driver's seat, you can't see well enough to see what is where for this weighing. My wife stood off to the side to get me lined up. She then got into the passenger seat where she normally is (remember, everything the same for every weighing).

 

#4b - Split the Camper Axles between Scales #1 and #2

 

As I said, these graphics are misleading as they imply that scale #1 is the same size as #2 and #3. That's just not the case. See if this works if #4a doesn't work for you.

 

#4c - Put the camper axles on scale #1 and weigh twice

 

First time, put both axles on scale #1:

 

Second time, pull a little forward and put just the 2nd axle on scale #1:

 

Then, to figure out the weight of each axle is just:

- Second axle is the weight shown on the 2nd weigh slip

- First axle is the weight of both axles (1st weigh slip) minus the 2nd weigh slip

 

 

#2 - Truck and Camper together but with the WDH bars/chains not connected

Basically, this is just the camper on the ball and nothing else. You typically don't travel like this, but you need it for weight calculations later. Just throw the WDH bars into the truck bed.

 

 

- Again, you're going to split the truck between scales 1 and 2 and both camper axles are on scale 3. You still can't tell any actual numbers from this, but we'll get there.

 

 

#3 - Truck only

This is the most nerve wracking as you need to park the camper in a truck spot or off to the side somewhere. I find this stressful because I'm still terrible at parking. (But truthfully- I've never had a bad interaction with a trucker- I think I just stress myself out more than they're bothered.) Some places I have to back into a truck spot and others I was able to pull off to a curb. Make sure you properly chock wheels before you unhitch!

 

 

- In this, you're still splitting the truck between scales 1 and 2.

 

 

Now You've Been Weighed - Reading the Tea Leaves (err.. numbers)

 

Each weighing will give you a "weigh slip" that looks something like this:

 

The Steer Axle is scale #1 in all of the above graphics; the Drive Axles is scale #2, and; the Trailer Axle is scale #3.

 

Basically, you're going to want to plug all of those numbers into this site:

Towing Planner - Actual Travel Trailer Weights

 

It'll break things down for you such as:

• Gross combined weight = adding steer, drive, and trailer axle weights together
  • You want to compare this against your tow vehicle's "gross combined weight rating" (GCWR)
• Truck weight = steer + drive weights added together with the WDH engaged (e.g. weighing #1)
  • You want to compare this against your tow vehicle's "gross vehicle weight rating" (GVWR)
• Truck weight without the WDH engaged = steer + drive weights added together without the WDH (e.g. weighing #2)
  • This is used for information below.
• Truck only weight = steer + drive weights added together with the truck only (e.g. weighing #3)
  • This is used for information below.
  • This is also good to know how much actual payload you have before you add the travel trailer. You'd be surprised what this number really is when you're loaded for bear.
• Tongue weight = truck weight without WDH - truck only weight
  • This tells you the actual weight of the tongue
• Camper weight = tongue weight + camper axle weight without WDH (e.g. weighing #2)
  • You want to make sure that this doesn't exceed your camper's gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR)
• Tongue weight percentage = tongue weight / camper weight
  • Typically you want this to be between 10% and 15% to minimize sway

From a WDH perspective, you want to see that the steer axle weights don't change much between weighing #1 and #2. Refer to your WDH or tow vehicle's owners manual to find out their instructions for what you want to see here. I have read that you want varying amounts of weight transferred back to the front axle. I have never actually pulled a travel trailer with a WDH, so I don't have my own opinion.

 

 

And finally, the split axle weights. Your goal is to see that the axles are carrying similar load. This isn't required and is more of a "nice to have" weighing. If one or the other is significantly carrying more than the other- it could be indicative of an out of level towing experience or improper loading of the camper.

 

If you ever end up somewhere that one of the RV Safety sites is doing individual wheel weights. Pay the $60-70 for the report. I've heard nothing but good from them.

[Mtnmanky...aka Leon 72]

Fnally an explaination I understand! 

and it was not even my question!

Thanks, Doug!

[ependydad...Doug 176]

The specific procedure for weighing isn't bad. You'll pull up and get yourself situated on the scales. Then, there is a very tall callbox with a button on it to call the weigh master. You'll tell them you're doing a "private weigh" the first time. They may ask a name or not- usually not, but it did happen once. Almost immediately they'll tell you, "got it, come inside and pay".

 

You'll move the truck and camper off of the scale and park it out of the way. My wife usually runs in and pays and gets the weight slip.

 

If we're weighing again (usually are), I'll do whatever we need to get ready for that- dropping the camper in a parking spot or in your case, futzing with the WDH.

 

Once she's back, we go back onto the scale and get situated. Once everything is in position, you'll call the weigh master again from the callbox. This time you'll tell them it's a private re-weigh. They'll ask for the slip number - it's in a corner. You'll tell them that and almost immediately they'll tell you, "got it". You'll move the camper, go inside, and pay again. Repeat as needed.

 

For dialing in a WDH, you may do this a handful of times until your weights look proper. For a simple weight check, travel trails have to do 3 weightings; fifth wheels do 2.

[ependydad...Doug 176]

Fnally an explaination I understand! 

and it was not even my question!

Thanks, Doug!

That means a lot to me, thank you!