What is the proper method to weight a fifth wheel trailer and a pickup truck to determine if it is overweight?

Question

What is the proper method to weight a fifth wheel trailer and a pickup truck to determine if it is overweight?

Answer 1

I wasn't aware that RV's had weight limits. It's good to see someone actually concerned about it though, I have seen my share of overloaded RV trailers upside down due to high speed and lack of control.

As far as answering your question, the above answers are really good. HOWEVER! Do not take your rig to a weighstation run by D.O.T.  With weight issues there is absolutley no warning ticket. You are fined regardless of your situation. I know this from 10 years LongHauling. You can find a local truck stop with a scale, the platform (one large scale) is not the scale you want. A CAT scale would be your best bet because you can put each set of axles on different scales and get the individual weight per axle as well as the gross weight of the combination your in. Follow this link to find one in your area-  http://www.catscale.com/ -

Answer 2

Go down to the truck scales down at the freeway.

Answer 3

Weigh the truck without being hooked to the trailer. Have a full tank of fuel and you in it. Subtract this weight from your GVWR. The answer you get is your payload capacity. Your payload is extra stuff (kids, tools) and remember that the trailer's tongue weight will also be a payload so when you connect the trailer, your available capacity will go down.

Next weigh the truck and trailer together to find the GCW of the rig. Subtract this weight from your trucks GCWR, if it is negative, your overweight. Your answer is how much remaining weight you have to play with (water, food, clothes, bike, ect)

What you should really do is weigh each axle independently, so that you can see if your over your max axle rating. Weigh your truck front and rear axle one at a time with the trailer connected and loaded. Compare the weight to your max axle ratings. If one is over, adjust load so that your no longer overweight (move weight in trailer rearward, or if you have the ability adjust the location of the 5th-wheel).

Weigh your trailer axles as well to make sure they are not overloaded.

Hope this helps and makes sense.

Answer 4

The proper manner in which to weigh a motor vehicle, regardless of its design/size, is to weigh each axle at the same time.

For pick-up trucks, that means, having all 4 wheels on portable scales, or on top of stationary scales at the same time. This will give a true weight reading of the vehicle.

For tractor-trailers, the same method applies, however, if a police officer doesn't have access to stationary scales capable of weighing the vehicle as a whole, then he/she may do so with portable scales.

It would help if the portable scales aren't so elevated that they create an apparent distortion of weight, but that they are closer to the ground (example: Haenni 100's).

Answer 5

To get a certified weight without guessing, just go to your local weigh station, better safe than sorry when stopped.