Maintenance & Restoration

Karalyn · 06-20-2006, 10:13 PM

I know some of you weigh your eggs at the weigh scales. I have never been to one, but need to know how it is done.
Will the person at the weigh scale weigh it for you or do you have to do it yourself? Do you weigh the tongue wt there also, or do you just go buy a bathroom scale and rest the tongue of the trailer on the bathroom scale?
Can I weigh my camper on the scale if the weigh scale is closed??
How do I tell the difference between what the trailer weighs or what the car weighs (would I have to unhook the egg??
I go by a weigh scale and it is usually closed. just wondering what I really need to know to weigh my little "Egge"
Thanks!

Pete Dumbleton · 06-20-2006, 11:02 PM

Generally, you have to do it yourself -- If you feel you will be stressed for time, don't go a truck stop because it will be busy -- See if there is a sand/gravel place nearby (or the town trash transfer point) -- Call and ask about weighing.

What you want to do is have the tow vehicle and the trailer loaded as if for a trip, because that's going to be the Reality on the Road -- Weigh each axle in turn, and then either unhitch the trailer on the scale (so both the egg axle and tongue jack are on it), or unhitch the egg off the scale and reweigh the tow vehicle axles. Some easy math will reveal the tongue weight.

The tongue weight should be between 10-15% of the total of the tongue weight plus the egg axle weight. If you have to adjust the tongue weight, you should be able to reweigh it with a bath scale.

**Frederick L. Simson** · 06-20-2006, 11:05 PM

A lot depends on the juristiction of the owner of the scales in question. Apparently, in Oregon, the government owned scales are left on when unattended, and people there are free to use them unsupervised.

Here in California, the government scales are only for the Big Rigs to use, and are usually manned 24/7. Private campers are discouraged from approaching them.

Here, certain private/for profit companies operate "Public Scales" and are listed as Scales, Public Weighers th the yellow pages. They charge a nominal fee ($5 - $10) to print you out a weight ticket. They are usually side businesses of Moving & Storage companies, or Recycling Buy-back companies.

The best way to weigh your egg is to park it, with the tires AND hitch jack on the scale, and completely unhitch it from your tow vehicle, which is off the scale. That will be your Gross trailer weight. Then, re-hitch your tow vehicle, and park with the tow vehicle's wheels off the scale and the trailer's wheels on the scale. That will be your Axle trailer weight. Subtract your Axle weight from your Gross weight to get your Hitch weight.

My gross weight was 2620 pounds, and my axle weight was 2420 pounds, which made my hitch weight 200 pounds.

Gina D. · 06-20-2006, 11:21 PM

Go to Oregon.. scales are free! Off the interstates, usually left on, but unmanned, and not in use.

I have weighed at California scales before, but in very rural areas where the chp officer manning them was glad to see another human.