Towing Howto: Weighing with Weigh My Truck app at CAT Scale (pics + screenshots)

**ependydad** · 07-25-2019, 01:05 PM

I'm a huge proponent of staying with truck and trailer ratings. Never had truck issues, but I did buckle the frame of a trailer once. I'd like that to not happen again.

So, weigh early. And weigh often. Especially when there are big changes made. For us, that was the replacement of the crappy RV sofa with one that is super comfortable but also has 3 electric motors for the recliners.

For this weighing, I was carrying some black water, some gray water, water heater full, and less than 1/3 of my 100g freshwater tank.

So first- download the Weigh My Truck app to your smart device. Run it and configure it with credit card information.

When you get to the truck stop, fill up with fuel.

**ependydad** · 07-25-2019, 01:05 PM

Everything's ready. Let's do it!

Weighing Truck + Camper

Now, you're ready to pull the truck and camper onto the scale. Pull up so that your driver's window about aligns with the call button/pole.

I put the truck into park and take my foot off of the brake.

This will ends up with your truck’s front wheels on one pad, truck’s rear wheels on the next pad, and trailer axles on the 3rd pad.

In the app, click Accept to confirm your location.

You’re then presented with details about the truck since this app is for commercial haulers. For you, “Private” and tractor/trailer of 1 are fine. These are printed on the weigh slips.

Click Accept.

Verify the price. This tends to run $10-12 from what I’ve seen.

Click Accept.

It’ll show a message that it’s communicating with the weighmaster and will quickly show your weights. It also emails you AND if you like paper, you can go inside where they’ll give you a copy (in pressed triplicate form).

**ependydad** · 07-25-2019, 01:06 PM

Weighing Just the Truck

Now here’s the tough part. Go park your trailer in a truck spot. I tend to weigh when I know there are easy pull-thru spots. I suck at backing in between trucks.

Unhitch the trailer. If you feel the need, lock the kingpin. Do not leave anyone behind. Make sure all of your passengers stay in the same spots.

Drive back onto the scale with just your truck. Line up about the same place. Again, I put the truck into park and take my foot off of the brake.

This time the app asks you if you’re doing an initial weigh or a re-weigh. Pick “Reweigh”.

Confirm your truck info and touch Accept.

Confirm the fee and touch Accept. $2 seems pretty standard for what I’ve seen.

It’ll communicate with the weighmaster and grab your weights.

Again, it emails you and prints a slip inside. I just do screen captures.

**ependydad** · 07-25-2019, 01:06 PM

Analyzing the Results

Take the 2 slips and plug them into the Fifth Wheel / Actual Weights calculator on TowingPlanner.com.

It’ll spit out the calculations. Now the fun of comparing this against all of the ratings for the truck and camper.

You want to check the truck’s gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR), gross axle weight rating (GAWR), tire load capacity, and gross combined weight rating (GCWR).

On the trailer, you want to check it’s gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR), it’s sum of the gross axle weight ratings (GAWR), and the sum of its tire load capacity.

You also want to mind the pin weight percentage. For a 2-axle trailer, you really don’t want this much under 17%. For a 3-axle trailer, it can be as low as 15%.

clarkbre · 07-25-2019, 11:15 PM

This is hands-down an absolute "Sticky-worthy" thread!

Great information! Someone should add to this for a bumper pull trailer.

I encourage anyone to use this Travel Trailer Weights (from CAT scales) to help calculate the effectiveness of their WDH on their conventional trailer.

Bill and Margo · 07-26-2019, 05:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by clarkbre

This is hands-down an absolute "Sticky-worthy" thread!

Great information! Someone should add to this for a bumper pull trailer.

I encourage anyone to use this Travel Trailer Weights (from CAT scales) to help calculate the effectiveness of their WDH on their conventional trailer.

Very clear and love the pics. Now anyone can weigh their trailer without any worries.

SquiggyFreud · 07-26-2019, 07:29 AM

Great post, I use the app myself!!

lswartz · 07-26-2019, 07:41 AM

Thanks much. I’ll check my TT this weekend on the way to the beach. It will be a worst case as my truck will be loaded. I hope I don’t need to put it on a diet.

DreiHunde · 07-26-2019, 08:25 AM

Great job explaining the process! I love that App and use it often!!!

ross0547 · 07-26-2019, 08:40 AM

Hi! Very useful information!
I weighed our 5th wheel which has a GVWR of 12000 lbs. The dry weight is 10300 lbs. The cargo capacity is 1140 lbs. including 400 lbs if on-board water tank is full. So I took it to a weigh scale with water tank empty, with pots and pans, some clothing and a few groceries in, and got a reading for the RV of 9300 lbs. which is less than the dry weight. How can that be?

**ependydad** · 07-26-2019, 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lswartz

Thanks much. I’ll check my TT this weekend on the way to the beach. It will be a worst case as my truck will be loaded. I hope I don’t need to put it on a diet.

For TT's, you need to do 3 weights:

1, truck + trailer w/ WDH engaged (like regular travel)
2, truck + trailer w/ WDH disengaged (throw the bars in the truck bed)
3, truck only

Make sure to pull off of the scale in between weighings to make all adjustments.

And then, like shared above- use this calculator with the resulting 3 weigh slips:
Actual Weights - Travel Trailer/Bumper Pull Weights from CAT Scales - Towing Planner

**ependydad** · 07-26-2019, 09:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ross0547

Hi! Very useful information!
I weighed our 5th wheel which has a GVWR of 12000 lbs. The dry weight is 10300 lbs. The cargo capacity is 1140 lbs. including 400 lbs if on-board water tank is full. So I took it to a weigh scale with water tank empty, with pots and pans, some clothing and a few groceries in, and got a reading for the RV of 9300 lbs. which is less than the dry weight. How can that be?

Can you post your weigh slips?

The 9,300 sounds like the truck + camper weight and just what is carried by the trailer axles. If that's the case, you're missing the pin weight that gets added to that.

ross0547 · 07-26-2019, 12:02 PM

Thanks for the quick response..
Thanks everyone!

Mrs.Shockley · 07-26-2019, 01:10 PM

Thanks so much for this thread! It's very informative and useful!

rockfordroo · 07-26-2019, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ependydad

For TT's, you need to do 3 weights:

1, truck + trailer w/ WDH engaged (like regular travel)
2, truck + trailer w/ WDH disengaged (throw the bars in the truck bed)
3, truck only

Make sure to pull off of the scale in between weighings to make all adjustments.

And then, like shared above- use this calculator with the resulting 3 weigh slips:
Actual Weights - Travel Trailer/Bumper Pull Weights from CAT Scales - Towing Planner

Two questions:

Why can't I just leave the bars in the shank, just not hooked to the TT?

Why can't I stay on the scale between #1 and #2?

**ependydad** · 07-26-2019, 01:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rockfordroo

Two questions:

Why can't I just leave the bars in the shank, just not hooked to the TT?

Why can't I stay on the scale between #1 and #2?

I think the idea for the bars going into the truck bed so that they get counted in the truck weight and not tongue weight. But honestly, ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. I imagine it's all close enough.

For #1 and #2 - doing it on the scale should be fine so long as it's quick and no one is waiting. I've just read a lot of suggestions to literally unhitch and make adjustments while on the scale. If you practice the idea of pulling off every time, you don't run the risk of being in the way.

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