Now that our 5ver is crammed solid with "stuff", I'd like to find out where I'm at with respect to the truck & RV weight capacities.

Can someone tell me what to expect when going through a weigh station?

Specifically, does it cost anything? If I do happen to be overloaded, are the 'weight czars' going to check my ratings and give me a ticket? Worse yet, will they make me unload weight on the spot so as to be within capacity? Is there someone to direct me on what to do during the weighing process?

Anything else I should know?

Thanks again!

(P.S. had some health problems keeping me away from this forum - its nice to be back home)

Why would you go through a weight station that is run by weight czars ? G

-- Edited by GENECOP on Thursday 6th of May 2010 08:55:12 PM

Go to a large truck stop and pay for weighing . They don't care what you weigh as long as you pay the fee. Last time I weighed at a Loves truck stop cost me $ 9.50 I think.

-- Edited by Racerguy on Thursday 6th of May 2010 09:11:59 PM

DreamerBob wrote:

---

Now that our 5ver is crammed solid with "stuff", I'd like to find out where I'm at with respect to the truck & RV weight capacities.

Can someone tell me what to expect when going through a weigh station?

Specifically, does it cost anything? If I do happen to be overloaded, are the 'weight czars' going to check my ratings and give me a ticket? Worse yet, will they make me unload weight on the spot so as to be within capacity? Is there someone to direct me on what to do during the weighing process?

Anything else I should know?

Thanks again!

(P.S. had some health problems keeping me away from this forum - its nice to be back home)

---

Try to go when they are not busy at a truck stop.  Stop away from the scale and go talk to the weighmaster.  Explain you will want to weigh twice, once without the trailer.  Go over the scale with the attached rig.  Then go off to the side and disconnect the trailer, go back to the scale with only the TV.  Get your tickets, pay the fee (hopefully only one), go home and do all the math.  Be sure to figure your hitch weight.
The truck stop scales could care less about your weight, just the fees ma'm, just the fees.  (Did I sound like Jack Webb there?)

 

To get the most meaningful truck weight, do it with a full fuel tank and all passengers aboard. Deduct the truck alone weight from the gross weight of the combined rig and the result is the gross weight of the trailer. The pin weight is the difference between the original truck and the front and middle weights of the combined rig.

We took our truck and trailer to a farmer's co-op. We don't remember what we paid, but think it was less than $5.00. We weighed with truck, without the truck, and then just the rear axles (with the pin supported by the truck, but off the scales), and finally just the rear axle of the tandems supporting the rear of the 5th wheel. All of this was to have documentation when we were having springs replaced on the rig. We were pleased to find that we were below the recommendations - both for the warranty work and our own peace of mind. In hindsight, it probably would have been a good idea to have this documentation ahead of time. As far as ticketing goes, we have yet to see a weigh station open along the many highways we've travelled. Of the weigh stations, we've not seen one that required RV's to get in line with the trucks?

Some excellent advice from others.  I am not sure if you were inquiring about the state run weigh stations along the routes you travel or just weighing your rig.  If you are talking about the state run weigh stations for commercial trucks, you do not have to stop at them with your RV.  There might be a rare instance of some state requiring you to stop but I am not aware of any.

As always, great advice. Thanks everybody. I think that I'll seek out one at a truck stop as opposed to the state-run one in the Keys close to where we live.

Go to http://catscale.findlocation.comand and you can find the nearest Cat Scale. There are several in south Florida.  Their scales are divided into 3 sections so when you pull onto it, put the truck front axle on the forward most section, the truck rear axle on the middle section and the trailer axles on the last section. Push the button to talk to the person in the office who takes the weight. They will ask for your truck number so just say you're private and make up a number. Then pull-off, park and go into the office to pay. For $9 to $11 dollars, you'll get the weight for all three axles. Good luck and think light thoughts.

Lance