Happened by one one of those rural pull out scales today and I had the travel trailer hooked up so decided to drive across. Accuracy seems iffy, the scale was already reading 150 lbs before I drove onto it (pretty sure it wasn't in the negative.)

I've not gone to the CAT scales so I'm unsure of how things are weighed there, meaning only one axle on the scale at a time or all etc. I guess my question in part is wondering if that how it's done at the CAT scales anyway; one axle at a time? Also how accurate these off the highway scales are?

Numbers were (without subtracting the 150 lbs already reading on the scale:

TT Axle: 5700
TV Rear: 3650
TV Front: 3400

I know to be fully useful I'd need to disconnect the bars from the WDH get a weight and also drive just the truck over to get both axles.

 

It's good you got weighed but the numbers are meaningless if they aren't compared to anything. Whats the GAWR of each truck and trailer axle? Also, what's the GVWR of the truck? That will at least tell you if something is within spec or overloaded.

 

That's a good point. It shows my trucks front GAWR as 3600 and rear as 3850. I would think my GVWR would be those two numbers added?

Trailer is definitely within its max weight of 7k.

 

I found a scale like you did in Montana along US 2. Nice of them to leave the display on even when closed. Your numbers are close to mine both truck and trailer. I hit some stiff cross winds and was very happy how the trailer stayed behind me. Little wiggle at times but calmed right down. How was your tow?

Your trucks GVWR won't be the sum of the two axles but something a bit less likely 7000 or 7050.
Cat scale will weigh steer, drive, and trailer axles all at once and give you seperate numbers.

 

It tows fine, I haven't had any major problems. Some porposing which I think might be from a lighter tongue weight; trailer has a rear kitchen and bathroom which is where most of the stuff is stored. In the passthrough up front I have maybe 150 lbs of stuff; trailer gear these days is all plastic and lightweight it seems.

Excellent info on the CAT scales. Around here the one I know of is always busy because it's next to the gas and trucks back up so far you can't gain access.

Now that you say that about the axle sums it's sounding familiar. I've wondered how each axle can handle that weight, but not the sum of them together.

 

It's because the truck will never be perfectly loaded front to back. More so, the GAWR's combined are intentionally higher than the GVWR. This holds true for the tires as well. The 2 tires on either axle will safely carry more than the axle is rated to carry. That way, no single component is overloaded in the mix.

Example #'s: Each tire can carry 2,000 lbs safely or for a 4,000 lbs total per axle or 8,000 lbs truck. The axles are rated at 3,600 and 3,850 for a total of 7,450. The tires will then never be overloaded. If the GVWR of the truck is only 7,100 lbs, it leaves a 350 lbs buffer to not overload the axles.

It's a built in, unappreciated safety factor.

 

Appreciate that explanation, it makes sense. I hope to get to an actual CAT scale where I'll trust the numbers a bit more. Though it was nice to get a ballpark figure, even if off by 150 lbs.