Using Closed Weigh Stations?

[Herk7769]

Since nearly everyone has "weighed in" on this; here is my two copper washed Zincs.

Since these scales are almost universally single platform, if all you are interested in is total combined weight, hammer down. It is an almost useless number (for us) unless you are getting paid by the pound (or fined by the overload).

A CAT scale will give you individual axle weights allowing you to find out pin/tongue load, truck weight unloaded and loaded, remaining payload, and weight distribution hitch settings.

Pay the 10 bucks and be done with it.

[Blackrock]

There are a lot of smaller state owned truck scales and when not manned truckers can pull across and check their weights to prevent a ticket on down the road. A truly closed scale will be coned off or barricaded. Also if the screen is live then that is another indication that it is good to use.

The State of Arizona only has scales at the ports of entry and use flying squads of MVD enforcement officers with portable scales.

Other states have scales near every major city and are not manned 24/7

[Still Kickin]

Originally Posted by f1100turbo

Not entirely true.
Weight scales and enforcement is paid by several entities which are not funded by your CAR OR TRUCK GAS.
Ifta is the major funding source along with permit sales and violation tickets.

The DOT receives federal funding from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) for vehicle size and weight enforcement.

"sabre owners united!"


turbs

Ok, how about this. You already paid for it, and heres why; bet you didn't know that when you travel ANY toll road in the United States of America, the fuel burned while on that toll road, is exempt from certain fuel taxes you already paid at purchase. Therefore, all those unrefunded taxes paid offsets any "Weight scales and enforcement is paid by several entities which are not funded by your CAR OR TRUCK GAS". It's in the millions of dollars each year. So, that "double taxation" is funding spent by various state governments, that of course go into scales, etc.,

Use the scale, you paid for it, and now you know how!

[Cypressloser]

Originally Posted by Herk7769

Since nearly everyone has "weighed in" on this; here is my two copper washed Zincs.

Since these scales are almost universally single platform, if all you are interested in is total combined weight, hammer down. It is an almost useless number (for us) unless you are getting paid by the pound (or fined by the overload).

A CAT scale will give you individual axle weights allowing you to find out pin/tongue load, truck weight unloaded and loaded, remaining payload, and weight distribution hitch settings.

Pay the 10 bucks and be done with it.

Interesting, all the DOT scales I'm aware of, at least in this part of the world, are 10' axle scales bec. as you say everything else is useless. It would take 130' long scales to weigh some of the rigs passing through like tractor pulling two 53' trailers with ten axles total weighing over 142000#.

[rattleNsmoke]

Originally Posted by Teamfour

Interesting thought. I should have clarified my post by saying a state-owned (taxpayer-owned) weigh station that does not have any barricades and does not have no trespassing signs.

A weigh-station here in CT USED to let me weigh in when they were closed, but now the A-Holes put up a gate at the entrance and exits...Ughhhhh

It's a freakin' conspiracy I tell ya'...

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by f1100turbo

...The DOT receives federal funding from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) for vehicle size and weight enforcement. turbs

Where the heck do you imagine the "Federal funding from the Federal Highway Administration" comes from? DUH, all the US TAXPAYERS one way or the other.

[Cypressloser]

Originally Posted by rattleNsmoke

A weigh-station here in CT USED to let me weigh in when they were closed, but now the A-Holes put up a gate at the entrance and exits...Ughhhhh

It's a freakin' conspiracy I tell ya'...

Maybe more like because of vandalism?

[TURBS]

Fine show me printed proof its ok and legal to use a dot weigh station when closed.

Nuff said

"sabre owners united!"


turbs

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by Cypressloser

Interesting, all the DOT scales I'm aware of, at least in this part of the world, are 10' axle scales bec. as you say everything else is useless. It would take 130' long scales to weigh some of the rigs passing through like tractor pulling two 53' trailers with ten axles total weighing over 142000#.

"Useless" to the typical RV'er who needs axle weights and not combined weight. Please at least read the entire post before posting a flame.

[dcheatwood]

Originally Posted by OldCoot

Where the heck do you imagine the "Federal funding from the Federal Highway Administration" comes from? DUH, all the US TAXPAYERS one way or the other.

I was thinking the same thing.

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by f1100turbo

Fine show me printed proof its ok and legal to use a dot weigh station when closed...turbs

Likewise, show me printed proof where it says we can't use them! If they're barricaded, fine, if not, use them if they're functioning. Haven't seen any signs saying "For Commercial Vehicles Only". For folks wanting total wt, they are just fine for that, but if you want individual wts, not any good.

[TURBS]

There's a sign before and at the entrance of scale.


"sabre owners united!"


turbs

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by f1100turbo

There's a sign before and at the entrance of scale.
Attachment 58699 turbs

That's for the building, not the scales themselves. If they barricade the scales, that's different!

[dave961]

Originally Posted by dcheatwood

I was thinking the same thing.

Ah but DC, could you have said it as eloquently as OC does? LOL

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by Herk7769

"Useless" to the typical RV'er who needs axle weights and not combined weight. Please at least read the entire post before posting a flame.

I should take my own advice about reading the full post and understand what was posted. After re-reading this several times I figured out what Cypressloser was trying to say. CAT scales have 10 foot span platforms and a shorter one for the front truck axle.

The Weigh Stations I see around here (PA) look like the long single platform type. Tandems (recently legal in PA) are weighted by pulling forward, I guess.

Apologies to Cypressloser.

[Cypressloser]

Originally Posted by Herk7769

"Useless" to the typical RV'er who needs axle weights and not combined weight. Please at least read the entire post before posting a flame.

I apologize if I said something wrong, I did not mean to insult you or anybody.
When I drive on a DOT scale I get my front axle weight, my rear axle weight and my trailer axle weight, when not busy I can unhitch the trailer and get the weight of the front and rear of the truck again and then calculate the pin weight. I could even get my corner weights if I wanted because all axles are weighed separately.

[Cypressloser]

Originally Posted by Herk7769

I should take my own advice about reading the full post and understand what was posted. After re-reading this several times I figured out what Cypressloser was trying to say. CAT scales have 10 foot span platforms and a shorter one for the front truck axle.

The Weigh Stations I see around here (PA) look like the long single platform type. Tandems (recently legal in PA) are weighted by pulling forward, I guess.

Apologies to Cypressloser.

You almost gave me a heart attack

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by Cypressloser

You almost gave me a heart attack

I made an assumption that all DoT scales were like the ones around here (single platform about the length of a tractor trailer) and "glossed" over the 10 foot platform part of your post.

Hate when that happens. Plead "old age waiver."

They must be upgrading the ones here because the tandems are all over the place now. Where is Ralph Nader when you need him? Talk about "Unsafe at any speed"

[rattleNsmoke]

I still say it's a conspiracy. Just as I start to use them, they gate them off.....

[Kaboom]

I guess I'm lucky that the State allows the public to use the local highway scale. There is only one other scale that I'm aware of at a local truck stop. I paid $25.00 for a total gross weight since it is just one long old tore up platform. It left me wondering if it was even accurate. I wish there was a "CAT" scale close by. I would gladly pay the money to use it.

At least the Highway scale is a 10' X 10' platform so I could weight each axle. I know it is most likely accurate and that by law must be certified every 12 months.

I called the local agency that runs the scale to make sure it was legal to use. They told me that yes it was, just to be careful entering and exiting. So I guess that could be considered a "Free Public Scale". At least for now.

Before using any highway scale I would do some checking first.