New Years Resolution and Tongue Weight - Fiberglass RV
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Old 01-01-2007, 09:14 AM   #1
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It's that time of year, time to try to unload the weight I gained in 2006! Since I'm a double-duty kind of person and don't have a clue as to the tongue weight on my Scamp, I'm going work on both issues this year

I've received the extra savings coupons from Costco and see there is a Weight Watchers Glass Scale by Conair on sale Jan 15-Jan 21. Warehouse price is $28.99, but with coupon $18.99! I cannot find this particular scale on either the Weight Watchers or Conair website so don't know what the regular price would be However, most scales with these features run in excess of $50.

The feature I'm most interested in, is the 400 pound capacity....NOT that I weigh that much....but I want to weight the tongue weight on my trailer! Most scales run 250-350 lb capacity. Since I don't currently own a scale, figured I'd go for the gold, especially at this price. I know there's been discussion on how to use a lower capacity scale to figure the tongue weight using chucks of wood and a tape measure, but I'm not a mathematician and want to do the easy way out. I tried to find the post that showed the how to do all the measuring, but after 15 pages I gave up. I did find out that the tongue weight on our trailers varies from about 145 lbs to 380 lbs! How accurately folks are able to figure the tongue weight may be a concern for some. I know Gina mentioned it in one of her posts.

Happy New Year and may all your resolutions not weigh you down
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Old 01-01-2007, 10:39 AM   #2
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Donna, Not sure what scale you are looking at but if it is anything like this

http://www.ebazillions.com/i-B0000AHSA8.html

I sure wouldn't want it. If that link doesn't come up I just did a search on weight watchers scale and found a glass thing that is digital. I tried to use my digital scale to weigh our tongue and it was very awkward as we couldn't lower the scamp all at one time (cranking down the handle). In the house one puts weight on the scale at one time when they step on. So I think you need to look for a scale that isn't battery, digital.

Hope others chime in regarding digital scales because I would like to know how to use one for the Scamp. It just was rather strange for us.

Also I assume when one puts that weight down it needs to be about the same distance from the scale that the tongue needs to be from the ground when we are towing? Dumb sentence, we need to be level?

Nancy in Northern MN
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Old 01-01-2007, 10:49 AM   #3
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It's all relavant cause.........

When the propane tank is empty
And the fresh water tank is full
Then I can lift the tongue with ease.
But when the water tank's empty
And the propanes full
It'll put me on my knees.
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Old 01-01-2007, 10:53 AM   #4
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Nancy, I know nothing about scales...threw the one I had out years ago. I don't understand why a digital wouldn't work tho. When one steps onto a scale, it's not all at once, it's one foot/leg at a time. Frederick works with scales, maybe he can give us some more information

In order to get an accurate tongue weight, to me it's only important when the trailer is being towed, the last time I had the trailer hitched up, I measured from level ground to the top of the coupler. I figured I'd lower/raise the jack until I was at that same measurement when the tongue was weighed.

Stay tuned for some more answers
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Old 01-01-2007, 11:15 AM   #5
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Pete posted this link on the Yahoo Scamp site. The picture of how to use a regular scale.

http://www.rverscorner.com/articles/tongueweight.html

Haven't checked this other link yet but will type it in and hope I don't make errors.

http://www.rvtowingtips.com/How_to_weigh.htm

Hope that is still a valid url.

Nancy in Northern MN where we don't have winter or snow, what is happening out there?
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Old 01-01-2007, 11:28 AM   #6
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Donna:

After we threw out our aging mechanical scale which worked so well we got a digital one which is close to unusable for tongue measurements, for this reason: You have to tap the surface with your foot to activate it, and then let it zero itself. Then, all at once you have to apply the weight, within a few seconds, to get a reading. Miss it and you get nothing. Wish I had kept the old one. Be careful out there.
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Old 01-01-2007, 12:23 PM   #7
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dang it, thought I'd found a cheap solution. Thanks to Nancy and Per for the heads up on digital. I won't purchase the scale, even a $18.99 one. Don't really care what I weight, I judge my weight by how my clothes fit. Right now, the Christmas Fudge has settled into my Bee You Tee Tee

Guess I'll ask the Birthday Bunnie to bring me a Sherline Tongue Scale
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Old 01-01-2007, 12:47 PM   #8
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Quote:
dang it, thought I'd found a cheap solution. Thanks to Nancy and Per for the heads up on digital. I won't purchase the scale, even a $18.99 one. Don't really care what [b]I weight, I judge my weight by how my clothes fit. Right now, the Christmas Fudge has settled into my Bee You Tee Tee

Guess I'll ask the Birthday Bunnie to bring me a Sherline Tongue Scale
Hi: On a scale of 1 to 10 you're probably better off not knowing If the belt line fits wear it and skip the tongue lashing Just thought I would weigh in with my New Years Revelation..."Whatever"... Alf S. North shore of Lake Erie
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Old 01-01-2007, 12:54 PM   #9
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Here is a company selling scales for measuring tongue weight (thank you, Google!) Scroll down the long page of useful info and you will eventually come to a pic of the scale. At $110 it's not really cheap, but might be a handy thing to have. The more tech-attuned members of the forum may wish to critique the scale for us.

http://www.sherline.com/lmbook.htm
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Old 01-01-2007, 01:54 PM   #10
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Here is a company selling scales for measuring tongue weight (thank you, Google!) Scroll down the long page of useful info and you will eventually come to a pic of the scale. At $110 it's not really cheap, but might be a handy thing to have. The more tech-attuned members of the forum may wish to critique the scale for us.

http://www.sherline.com/lmbook.htm
Good link. Jim & Carol Upton has one of these.

Here is another link with cost. [b]Sherline Trailer Tongue Weight Scale
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Old 01-01-2007, 02:32 PM   #11
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Quote:
I don't understand why a digital wouldn't work tho. [b]Frederick works with scales, maybe he can give us some more information
Digital weighing 101:
Digital scales are made up of 2 parts: a sensor platform ([b]input) and a digital weight indicator ([b]processor and output). The key to the question at hand is the fact that the physical force on the sensor platform must be converted to an electric signal before it can be displayed on the readout. In order to display a meaningful number, the processor must discriminate between ambient environmental fluxuations always present on the platform (wind, temperature, snow load, etc...) and the actual application of a mass. Therefore, a s-l-o-w-l-y applied force is most probably an ambient environmental fluxuation, while a rapidly applied force is most probably an actual mass.

Unfortunately, safely loading a trailer tongue onto a scale sensor dictates that it be done s-l-o-w-l-y! Slow enough for a standard digital processor to decide that it is an ambient environmental fluxuation, and cancel it before it reaches the display (output).

While a processor can be provided to selectively discriminate ("dribble feed" programming), the market for scales that weigh tongue weights of trailers does not support the [b]$cost[b]$ of this feature.

However, a mechanical scale, with a [b]pointer-on-dial-chart for a display (output) needs no conversion from physical force to electric signal. In a mechanical scale, all functions (input, processing, and output) are done with physical force, and can economically produce a meaningful number, without having to compensate for ambient environment instabilities.

There will be a pop quiz at the next rally.
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Old 01-01-2007, 04:58 PM   #12
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Quote:
Digital weighing 101:
Digital scales are made up of 2 parts: a sensor platform ([b]input) and a digital weight indicator ([b]processor and output). The key to the question at hand is the fact that the physical force on the sensor platform must be converted to an electric signal before it can be displayed on the readout. In order to display a meaningful number, the processor must discriminate between ambient environmental fluxuations always present on the platform (wind, temperature, snow load, etc..................................................... ...........

There will be a pop quiz at the next rally.
Frederick..........I hate pop quiz.....can we study our notes first. ........

Realy very good information ..........Thank You for clearing things up for us( or at least me)...........Oh and Happy New Year to everyone... ...........Lynn
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Old 01-01-2007, 05:06 PM   #13
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I use a digital/electronic bathroom scale, and it does have the usual operating method: tap-to-zero / apply quickly to get reading. I find that understandable, but annoying; it takes more than one try sometimes, but I find I usually can crank the load down onto the scale quickly enough to get a reading. A mechanical scale, or an electronic scale with a manual zero control, would likely be easier.

Scales used to weigh race cars are now normally electronic, and cars don't step nicely onto the scales; clearly, this issue is managable with a scale intended for the purpose. Those race car scales make the $110 Sherline look cheap. The Sherline or a homebuilt equivalent is probably the sensible way to go.

One advantage of a scale intended for vehicles, compared to a bathroom scale, is that it would be more likely to safely handle the high side loads which might be encountered.
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Old 01-01-2007, 05:28 PM   #14
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I tried the bathroom scale method (with levers and proportions), about 325#. Now I want to try trailer weight (un-hitched) minus axle weight = tongue weight. No urgency, as I have an Equal-i-zer WDH. Resolution: weigh the Casita in 2007!
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Old 01-01-2007, 06:39 PM   #15
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The Sherline or a homebuilt equivalent is probably the sensible way to go.
Not at my home!
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Old 01-01-2007, 07:31 PM   #16
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Thanks for the primer Frederick! So, you're saying I have to "drop" the tongue on the scale to get it to work? JUST KIDDING! Sigh, I'll continue my cheap quest for a scale that goes to 400# and doesn't cost an arm and a leg...until that Birthday Bunny comes through. I'm really not into using wood and bricks and tape measures....
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Old 01-01-2007, 07:46 PM   #17
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Donna, Not sure what scale you are looking at but if it is anything like this

http://www.ebazillions.com/i-B0000AHSA8.html

I sure wouldn't want it. If that link doesn't come up I just did a search on weight watchers scale and found [b]a glass thing that is digital.
Quote:
So, you're saying I have to "drop" the tongue on the scale to get it to work?
You don't realize how much I'd really like to see that, Donna!
We have one of those in our show room.
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Old 01-01-2007, 09:16 PM   #18
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I tried the bathroom scale method (with levers and proportions), about 325#. Now I want to try trailer weight (un-hitched) minus axle weight = tongue weight. No urgency, as I have an Equal-i-zer WDH. Resolution: weigh the Casita in 2007!
I tried the using a bathroom scale. It worked perfectly. I have a tongue weight with freshwater/blackwater tanks empty, battery and full propane came out to 255lbs. Mine is a 13ft scamp with the front bathroom. I've always wondered why the trailer towed heavy.
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Old 01-01-2007, 09:49 PM   #19
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Not at my home!
You might be surprised. I'm not minimizing the value of the commercial product, but all you need is a hydraulic cylinder and a pressure gauge - it could be done without welding, machining, or anything requiring exceptional skills.

Hmm... now do I have to make one to confirm this?
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Old 01-01-2007, 10:09 PM   #20
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Hmm... now do I have to make one to confirm this?
Yes, but you have to have one hand tied behind your back while doing so.
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