checking tongue weight with Sherline Scale
I am planning to check tongue weight on a few trailers at the dealer. If I use a Sherline scale and measure at the tongue jack, about what percentage will it be off from actual tongue weight at the h...
Forum Discussion
mosseater, I do it your way. It takes an inch or less of up/down trailer jack movement to get the weight.
Earlier it was suggested to jump on the tongue to get a good reading. I disagree with this technique. I do, however, raise and lower the trailer onto the scale several times while moving the scale to slightly different positions each time to assure it is evenly balancing the load and thus not in a bind. If the scale is put in a bind by having the load lowered onto it at an angle, it will read lower-than-actual weight values. This can happen because an off-center load will put side-load stress on the scale's hydraulic ram and thus produce erroneous hydraulic pressure to the meter.
Earlier it was suggested to jump on the tongue to get a good reading. I disagree with this technique. I do, however, raise and lower the trailer onto the scale several times while moving the scale to slightly different positions each time to assure it is evenly balancing the load and thus not in a bind. If the scale is put in a bind by having the load lowered onto it at an angle, it will read lower-than-actual weight values. This can happen because an off-center load will put side-load stress on the scale's hydraulic ram and thus produce erroneous hydraulic pressure to the meter.
