Not sure where to post this, We purchased a nice Class C last August and are still figgering things out. One big item on my list is getting tire pressure correct. I've read the info on the cab door panel and my best guess from that was 80 PSI cold. The guessing part is not knowing the fully loaded weight of the RV. Hence, Weigh Station Protocol questions:- Can any vehicle use the scales?- They often seem to be closed, does that mean you can't weigh or just that they won't record/report on commercial traffic?- If they are open, do you just drive up and get in line? - Does it cost to weigh?And, finally, do the truckers get pissed at sharing the line with a silly little RV?Perhaps I'm not the only Newbie who is wondering about this so, thanks in advance, -Grouchy

GrouchyOldMan wrote:Not sure where to post this, We purchased a nice Class C last August and are still figgering things out. One big item on my list is getting tire pressure correct. I've read the info on the cab door panel and my best guess from that was 80 PSI cold. The guessing part is not knowing the fully loaded weight of the RV. Hence, Weigh Station Protocol questions:- Can any vehicle use the scales?No. for commercial vehicles only. Having said that, if closed you can use it (and look through the window at the weight because they never shut off the scale sensors as a rule), done that many times..- They often seem to be closed, does that mean you can't weigh or just that they won't record/report on commercial traffic?- If they are open, do you just drive up and get in line? You are non-commercial. You don't ever need to weigh- Does it cost to weigh?Don't go in. You might get inspected and you don't want that...And, finally, do the truckers get pissed at sharing the line with a silly little RV?Why should they? Truckers don't like Chickenhouses anyway.Perhaps I'm not the only Newbie who is wondering about this so, thanks in advance, -GrouchyNo problem

Don't know where you live, but they don't want you in the weigh stations around here. Many truck stops have CAT scales for you to weigh. Costs about $10 to weigh. The link to find the closest CAT scale is HERE.

X2^^. Stay out of the state operated weigh stations with your RV. If you want a good weight with numbers for steer and drive axles, go to a CAT scale at a truck stop and pay $11 (we did this just yesterday and do it a couple of times a year).Rob

When you go to the local CAT scale try to do it loaded as close to your normal traveling weights as possible. Go online and get the load/inflation tables for the tires on your coach and inflate accordingly. Do not blindly just use the numbers on the door sticker as they are rarely correct for your particular load.Over inflating the front tires is very dangerous as it reduces the contact patch and causes your steering to be loose. Passing trucks will reek havoc and windy days will not be much fun. If your coach is properly loaded you will have approximately one-third of your weight on the front axle but this varies from coach to coach. Check your coaches max front and rear axle loads as it is important to never overload either axle and a trip to the scale is the only way to know for sure.Good luck.:C

When the weigh station is open, you're best to stay away. Neither the truckers nor the DOT employees would particularly appreciate you being there, generally speaking.Some states/locations leave the scales running with the display visible on the outside when the weigh station is closed. If that's the case where you are, you should be able to drive up at that point and check the weight for free without causing any ire.As was mentioned, CAT scales or the equivalent are also an option. While they're not too hard to find in most areas, there are some places (like where I am) where the nearest one is quite some distance away.The door sticker is usually for the maximum axle loadings. Often on an E-450 the rears would be at 80 psi and the fronts a little lower, the exact amount varying somewhat from year to year as the chassis ratings have changed. It's often a good bet that a typical class C is close enough to the chassis load limit that these are not terrible numbers to go with, at least initially.

Weigh Station Protocol | Good Sam Community

Second_Chance
Explorer II
Dec 15, 2017
X2^^. Stay out of the state operated weigh stations with your RV. If you want a good weight with numbers for steer and drive axles, go to a CAT scale at a truck stop and pay $11 (we did this just yesterday and do it a couple of times a year).

Rob
kzspree320
Explorer
Dec 15, 2017
Don't know where you live, but they don't want you in the weigh stations around here. Many truck stops have CAT scales for you to weigh. Costs about $10 to weigh. The link to find the closest CAT scale is HERE.
SidecarFlip
Explorer III
Dec 15, 2017
GrouchyOldMan wrote:
Not sure where to post this,

We purchased a nice Class C last August and are still figgering things out. One big item on my list is getting tire pressure correct. I've read the info on the cab door panel and my best guess from that was 80 PSI cold. The guessing part is not knowing the fully loaded weight of the RV.

Hence, Weigh Station Protocol questions:

- Can any vehicle use the scales?

No. for commercial vehicles only. Having said that, if closed you can use it (and look through the window at the weight because they never shut off the scale sensors as a rule), done that many times..

- They often seem to be closed, does that mean you can't weigh or just that they won't record/report on commercial traffic?

- If they are open, do you just drive up and get in line?

You are non-commercial. You don't ever need to weigh

- Does it cost to weigh?

Don't go in. You might get inspected and you don't want that...

And, finally, do the truckers get pissed at sharing the line with a silly little RV?

Why should they? Truckers don't like Chickenhouses anyway.

Perhaps I'm not the only Newbie who is wondering about this so, thanks in advance,

-Grouchy

No problem

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