When I was President of an RV manufacturing company, I weighed many trailers. I've always subscribed to a simple method of weighing our 5th wheels. I was often met with resistance and engaged in several debates about my method being wrong, but no one could ever explain why.
I never felt that weighing the truck & trailer, then weighing the truck empty, then weighing the trailer.... blah blah blah was an inefficient way to weigh, not to mention being a real hassle.
When I weigh a 5th wheel, I pull the unit across the scales until the rear truck tires are off the scales, but not the jacks of the 5th wheel. Then I let the jacks down on the unit, just BARELY taking the weight off the hitch. (Not enough to actually lift the hitch.. Like maybe 1/8" to where I could barely see daylight between the hitch plate and the pin box)
Then I get a weight stamp. This would be the total weight of the unit. I would raise the jacks back up and have them stamp the weight with only the axles on the scales (I haven't moved a thing).
Example = Total weight 14,500
weight on axles 11,600
leaves only the pin weight. 2,900
I'm not talking about weighing each axle or each wheel. To me, this method saves time and effort and hassle.
What say you?
