How to use scales at Pilot

All of what has been mentioned. I prefer weighing all at once, but generally try to time my weighs for when the truck stops aren't as crowded. My last truck stop weighing was perfect- we parked in a pull-through spot, dropped the camper, and then weighed the truck. While my wife went inside to pay and get the slip, I hitched back up and picked her up on my way to the scale. Did the combined weighing, and drove off into the sunset.

10 minutes, tops.

In pictures and words:
http://www.learntorv.com/2013/05/how-to-weigh-fifth-wheel-camper.html

If you have a smartphone you can use the Weigh My Truck application at most CAT scale locations. It lets you pre-enter your info, then the location where you are (if the GPS doesn't figure it out) and you can pay via PayPal or a credit card that you have pre-entered. It makes the process a little faster - but sometimes it does not work for some reason or another.

joanw2947 wrote:
I agree that weighing the Rv plus truck and truck only on different legs of the trip is the way to go. Truck stops are way too busy for me to feel comfortable unhooking the rv. I just need to make sure the truck is full of diesel and packed with travel stuff. Right?

Correct. Which for us was easy when traveling. I just waited for a day when we were camped fairly close to a truck stop with a Cat scale. Many times after unhooking and setting up camp we jump in the truck to go fill up, grab some groceries, or dine out. If it is a regular travel day nothing comes out or off the truck. So after filling up the weight ticket will reflect the correct weight of your truck.

If you are comfortable going through the unhooking and weighing twice instead like others then by all means do that. I just didn't want to drop my fiver, go to the scales and weigh, and when I came back and someone had blocked me in because the fiver looked abandoned sitting there without a truck hooked to it.

It could be a week or more before I get my second weight in. Who cares, my truck doesn't drop weight the older it gets! I mean if you think about it nothing changes, unless me and the DW gains 15 or 20 pounds that week.

rhagfo wrote:

Walaby wrote:

C-Bears wrote:
If you want a pretty complete picture of your total weights, then I would weigh once while hooked up and once with just the truck. However, when you weigh each time make sure you are loaded for travel/camping.

I don't believe in spending 45 minutes behind a truck stop getting both my weigh-ins done at once. When towing, I will run across their scales after getting fuel, go in and get my printed ticket, and pay the $10.00.

Then within the next week or so when I am camped close to another Pilot or truck stop with Cat scales, I will fuel up the truck and run across the scales solo, go inside and get my ticket, and pay another $10.00.

I may end up spending $20.00 total but I just don't believe in messing around with unhooking and hooking up in some truck stop parking lot. Seems like a waste of time to me in order to save $10.00.

Prezactly. Not worth going through the unhook, reweigh, rehook procedure to save $8 (10 minus reweigh price).

Mike

joanw2947 wrote:
I agree that weighing the Rv plus truck and truck only on different legs of the trip is the way to go. Truck stops are way too busy for me to feel comfortable unhooking the rv. I just need to make sure the truck is full of diesel and packed with travel stuff. Right?

Well maybe with a TT, but the effort to drop a 5er, makes doing it at the same time way to easy. This is a far more accurate method, fuel, and supply's consumed during the trip can have an affect on the weights. In some cases a big affect.
I don't think is is so much the cost, it is the accuracy.

When FTng we weighed each year.

Run across with 5vr...then park and run across with truck only
Spent more time standing in line then unhitching/hitch.
Besides gave GF time to walk the dog, stretch her long legs and browse

Walaby wrote:

C-Bears wrote:
If you want a pretty complete picture of your total weights, then I would weigh once while hooked up and once with just the truck. However, when you weigh each time make sure you are loaded for travel/camping.

I don't believe in spending 45 minutes behind a truck stop getting both my weigh-ins done at once. When towing, I will run across their scales after getting fuel, go in and get my printed ticket, and pay the $10.00.

Then within the next week or so when I am camped close to another Pilot or truck stop with Cat scales, I will fuel up the truck and run across the scales solo, go inside and get my ticket, and pay another $10.00.

I may end up spending $20.00 total but I just don't believe in messing around with unhooking and hooking up in some truck stop parking lot. Seems like a waste of time to me in order to save $10.00.

Prezactly. Not worth going through the unhook, reweigh, rehook procedure to save $8 (10 minus reweigh price).

Mike

joanw2947 wrote:
I agree that weighing the Rv plus truck and truck only on different legs of the trip is the way to go. Truck stops are way too busy for me to feel comfortable unhooking the rv. I just need to make sure the truck is full of diesel and packed with travel stuff. Right?

Well maybe with a TT, but the effort to drop a 5er, makes doing it at the same time way to easy. This is a far more accurate method, fuel, and supply's consumed during the trip can have an affect on the weights. In some cases a big affect.
I don't think is is so much the cost, it is the accuracy.

I agree that weighing the Rv plus truck and truck only on different legs of the trip is the way to go. Truck stops are way too busy for me to feel comfortable unhooking the rv. I just need to make sure the truck is full of diesel and packed with travel stuff. Right?

C-Bears wrote:
If you want a pretty complete picture of your total weights, then I would weigh once while hooked up and once with just the truck. However, when you weigh each time make sure you are loaded for travel/camping.

I don't believe in spending 45 minutes behind a truck stop getting both my weigh-ins done at once. When towing, I will run across their scales after getting fuel, go in and get my printed ticket, and pay the $10.00.

Then within the next week or so when I am camped close to another Pilot or truck stop with Cat scales, I will fuel up the truck and run across the scales solo, go inside and get my ticket, and pay another $10.00.

I may end up spending $20.00 total but I just don't believe in messing around with unhooking and hooking up in some truck stop parking lot. Seems like a waste of time to me in order to save $10.00.

Prezactly. Not worth going through the unhook, reweigh, rehook procedure to save $8 (10 minus reweigh price).

Mike

If you want a pretty complete picture of your total weights, then I would weigh once while hooked up and once with just the truck. However, when you weigh each time make sure you are loaded for travel/camping.

I don't believe in spending 45 minutes behind a truck stop getting both my weigh-ins done at once. When towing, I will run across their scales after getting fuel, go in and get my printed ticket, and pay the $10.00.

Then within the next week or so when I am camped close to another Pilot or truck stop with Cat scales, I will fuel up the truck and run across the scales solo, go inside and get my ticket, and pay another $10.00.

I may end up spending $20.00 total but I just don't believe in messing around with unhooking and hooking up in some truck stop parking lot. Seems like a waste of time to me in order to save $10.00.

IIRC 20# on most scales.

What is the graduation on Cat Scales? When I weigh at an Oregon State weigh station it appears to be 50#. Meaning it weighs to the nearest 50#.