A Trip to the CAT Scales

Go West · 10-25-2018, 10:34 PM

Tow Vehicle: 2017 Nissan Titan SV
Trailer: 2017 Grey Wolf 25RL
Hitch: Husky Centerline TS

Weigh tickets results (with Nissan GAWR's annotated):

Truck Steer Axle: UNHITCHED: 3,560 // HITCHED: 3,560 // GAWR 3,800
Truck Drive Axle: UNHITCHED: 2,500 // HITCHED: 3,280 // GAWR: 4,012 lbs
Gross Weight (With Trailer): 11,280 // Titan GCWR: 15,300

I weighed my truck alone, and then with the trailer hitched. CAT Scale tickets showed that my weight distribution hitch transferred sufficient weight to bring the front axle back to its unhitched weight (to the exact pound). By subtracting the two tickets, I learned that the Grey Wolf 25RL trailer weighs 5,220 lbs “on the road.” With sufficient load equalization, the truck - trailer profile is almost perfectly level for towing.

P.S. - CAT Scales only charge $2 for the second weigh, if conducted within 24 hours of the first weigh ticket.

dalford · 10-25-2018, 10:56 PM

Good job.. you are good to Go West.... enjoy.

VernDiesel · 10-26-2018, 01:41 AM

Yeah you are inside the zone so to speak. 6840 less 6060 is 780 IE actual seen tongue weight thanks to WDH. 780 divided by 5,220 equals 14.9% tongue weight.

If anything tweaking for the fun of it I might adjust the trailer loading to take 100 off the TW to get it down to 13%ish. Then depending on how that looks I might adjust the WDH to take a lil off the steer & back onto the drive to keep the steer to say 3,400 and bring the drive up to perhaps just over 3,400.

But thats just me if I have the time energy and plan to take her across the country.

Ejs4029 · 10-26-2018, 06:34 AM

When your getting the unloaded weight of your TV at the CAT scales should it be ready to camp with a full load and a full load of fuel ? and your hitch on ?

When I weighted in at the CAT scales my unloaded truck vs loaded and ready to camp was about a 700lb difference between both weigh in's I had a full load of fuel for both.

So that difference was my wife, Dogs, Hitch and stuff I was hauling in the bed.

VernDiesel · 10-26-2018, 10:48 AM

His unloaded to loaded was 780 about the same as your 700ish. He also looks level with both the truck and trailer. Happy travels.

elchilero53 · 10-26-2018, 01:26 PM

Nicely done! Happy trails!

BigRockr · 10-26-2018, 05:01 PM

I love this thread. Folks used facts and no one referred to the "fact users" as weight police. And we are all safer.

lewisra · 10-27-2018, 05:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigRockr

I love this thread. Folks used facts and no one referred to the "fact users" as weight police.

It’s only been a couple days.

Boomerweps · 10-27-2018, 01:36 PM

I'm confused.
When hooked up to the TT with a WDH, I would expect the steering axle to have some of the weight levered forward onto it, so the steering axle would be heavier than when not connected to the TT.
When I CAT scaled my TT, with and without my WDH load bars, 220# was added to my front wheels with the bars installed. Unfortunately, I did not weigh the TV by itself (;

Whatever the weights measured, if the rig rides fairly level and tows well, it is setup right

VernDiesel · 10-29-2018, 10:12 PM

The 220 likely roughly replaced your unloaded steer weight. If you had not skipped weighing your unloaded truck you likely would have seen that and understood. But this is the stuff these forums are for.

If the axle weights were too far off from poor loading & or hitch setup it would not tow with available stability and would have to try to stop with compromised traction.

The three scales see what your eyeballs cannot. Ever see some of the YouTube dash cam videos of trailer sway accidents? See if you can quickly eyeball what proves out to be an unsafe setup. Often you cannot.

Setting your WDH & load by scale results IE primarily replacing your unloaded steer weight and getting your tongue weight in the 10 to 15 range is the only way to assure stability legality & Mfg designed safely for your family. Especially important with a larger TT & a lighter TV.

dalford · 10-29-2018, 11:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boomerweps

I'm confused.
When hooked up to the TT with a WDH, I would expect the steering axle to have some of the weight levered forward onto it, so the steering axle would be heavier than when not connected to the TT.
When I CAT scaled my TT, with and without my WDH load bars, 220# was added to my front wheels with the bars installed. Unfortunately, I did not weigh the TV by itself (;

Whatever the weights measured, if the rig rides fairly level and tows well, it is setup right

Yes, if you are pretty level, not nose high or sagging and you tow well then your setup is good. A good check is to measure your wheel well height on you TV front wheels with out the travel trailer attached. Then attach the travel trailer and the wheel well should be about 1” higher with it attached and bars on. You don’t t want the wheel well height to be less than your unattached height. In other word you do not want to force the front of your TV nose lower than when no travel trailer is attached.

elchilero53 · 10-29-2018, 11:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VernDiesel

The 220 likely roughly replaced your unloaded steer weight. If you had not skipped weighing your unloaded truck you likely would have seen that and understood. But this is the stuff these forums are for.

If the axle weights were too far off from poor loading & or hitch setup it would not tow with available stability and would have to try to stop with compromised traction.

The three scales see what your eyeballs cannot. Ever see some of the YouTube dash cam videos of trailer sway accidents? See if you can quickly eyeball what proves out to be an unsafe setup. Often you cannot.

Setting your WDH & load by scale results IE primarily replacing your unloaded steer weight and getting your tongue weight in the 10 to 15 range is the only way to assure stability legality & Mfg designed safely for your family. Especially important with a larger TT & a lighter TV.

Couldn't agree more. I learned that weighing the TV with the hitch and bars and the cargo you intend to carry (passengers, etc.) really helps seeing what CCC you have remaining. Once you have those it makes adjustments a breeze. Weighing also helped me confirm that measuring the height of the fender well is a really good estimate of the weight shift from the hitch to the drive axle. As long as you have restored the height to its unloaded position, you should be set to go.

Years ago, I didn't know this and we wound up with the "tail wagging the dog", so to speak. All because my hitch was improperly adjusted and the weight in the trailer was poorly distributed causing low tongue weight. My attempts to reduce the sway by tightening the spring bars only made it worse. A CAT Scale would helped me solve the weight problem. As on old German gentleman once quipped: "Yah, too soon oldt, too late schmart."

You may also like: