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RV & Ambulances Weighing In
Where To Find scales
You should be able to find certified scales by looking in your Yellow Pages for
moving & storage companies, farm suppliers, gravel pits, recycling companies
or commercial truck stops. Be sure to call in advance to determine whether the
facility offers public weighing services, their hours of operation & any fees
that might be involved.
How To Use Scales
There are several different kinds of scales, including single platforms,
segmented platforms (that can make several measurements at the same time) &
single axle scales. Ask the scale operators for help. Show them this booklet,
& explain that you need to know the weight on each axle end – with the vehicle
as level as possible. Regardless of scale type, you must be able to determine
the overall weight, the right- & left-side weights for each axle, & the
weight on each individual axle – from front to rear.
Weigh Everything
For accurate weights, you must weigh the vehicle with all of your passengers,
food, clothing, fuel, water, propane & supplies. Any towed vehicle (car /
pickup, boat or trailer) or item loaded onto the vehicle (dirt bike, motorcycle,
etc.) must be included in the weighing.
It may take half an hour or more to weigh your vehicle. Be sure to take a copy of this booklet with you, so you will have a place to record all the weights you’ll need. And, bear in mind that depending on what you learn, it may be necessary to remove or redistribute part of the load, then weigh the vehicle again.
Look for scales at moving & storage companies, farm suppliers, gravel pits, recycling companies or truckstops
How Much Should It Weigh?
The maximum weights for your vehicle will appear on a vehicle placard like those
pictured here. Notice that the placard should tell you the Gross Axle Weight
Rating (GAWR) for each axle, the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) for the
whole vehicle, along with information about the correct tire & rim sizes &
recommended cold tire inflation pressures. If you exceed the GVWR, you must
remove part of the load until you are within the legal limits.
How Do We Know The Correct Axle End Loads?
The maximum load on each axle end is half the GAWR for that axle. You must not
exceed the total GAWR for any axle, or the maximum for any axle end. Even if the
vehicle as a whole does not exceed the GVWR, a given axle end might be
overloaded. In that case, you must redistribute the load.
Choosing Correct Tire Inflation Pressure Measure
the Load If an axle end has dual tires, the load on each tire is half the load on the axle end. Never exceed the maximum tire load rating that is molded into the tire’s sidewall (along with the inflation pressure for that load). Never exceed maximum load or inflation pressure rating of your wheels.
Find the Recommended Inflation
Pressure
Always determine correct tire inflation pressure based on
actual loads on the tires. Use the
tiremakers’ recommendations (which you will find in load & inflation tables).
Never use inflation pressures lower than those
printed on the vehicle placard.
All tires on both ends of an axle must have the same
inflation pressure. If the load on each axle end is so different that
different inflation pressures are recommended, use the higher pressure on both
ends – or – redistribute load so that the same inflation pressure is recommended
for both axle ends.
