CAT Scales Certified Weight of Our Rig

May 29, 2010.
I mentioned in the previous post that we stopped and had our rig weighed before arriving at Davis Monthan A.F.B. Well, in fact, we stopped at a CAT Scales in a truck stop off the interstate. The scales are located throughout our country. Operation is simple and there is a "how to" video on the CAT Scales website. Basically all you do is drive onto the scales ramp noting the segmented slabs on the ramp. You want to stop with your axles on the separate segments in order to get the various axle weights. Now unfortunately it doesn't weigh side to side, just whole axle weights.


There's a speaker box and a call button. Hit the call button and ask for a private weigh. They then tell you to come on in with your tag number. After parking and going inside you pay $9 for your weigh ticket that has the weights for your Steer Axle (front), Drive Axle (dually axle on my truck) and the Trailer Axles. The ticket also gives you the combined axle weights as the Gross Weight. After weighing the rig, I opted to come back within 24 hours with just my truck to weigh it separately for an additional $1.


Okay, let's get to the numbers! On my first weigh with the rig (truck and trailer) and a 1/2 tank of diesel, my Certified weigh ticket reported:
Steer Axle 4760 lbs.  (Rated for 5200 lbs.)
Drive Axle 6800 lbs. (Dually rated for 9350 lbs.)
Trailer Axles 12380 lbs. (combined axles rated for 14000 lbs.)
Gross Weight 23940 lbs. (Truck GCVW rated for 24000 lbs.)

My 2009 Dodge Quad Cab Longbed 4x4 dually diesel with a 4:10 axle is rated at the following:
Steer Axle 5200 lbs.
Drive Axle 9350 lbs.
GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight) 12200 lbs.
GCVW (Gross Combined Vehicle Weight) 24000 lbs. with 4:10 axle
Max Trailer Weight 16900 lbs.


So, with all of those numbers in mind, I'm within the manufacturer's rated weights on my truck. With the trailer my GVW on the truck is 11560 lbs., well under the rated 12200 lbs. However, I'm only 60 lbs. under the manufacturer's GCVW of 24000 lbs. Now I should note that the GCVW is considerably less with a 3.73 rear axle at 21000 lbs.


I went back to the scales later in the evening after unhitching from our Cameo fifth wheel to weigh the truck separately. The truck only had a 1/2 tank of diesel but was loaded just as if traveling to include the dogs, storage box, hitch, inflatable kayak, satellite tripod, gray tote tank etc.  However, Joyce also came along and normally she doesn't ride with me as she drives her own car. Anyway, she seemed to have no affect on the weight.  The results of the truck weights were as follows:
Steer Axle:  4980
Drive Axle:  3740
Gross Weight: 8720

Now it's interesting to note that with the fifth wheel hitched it transfers 220 lbs. of truck weight off the steer axle and onto the drive axle.


The numbers for our 2010 Cameo F35SB3 are not as impressive!
Our hitch weight:  2820 lbs.
Axles weight:  12380
total weight: 15220 lbs.
The manufacturer's GVW rating is 14999 lbs.
So, we are over the GVW on the fifth wheel by 221 lbs. That's with about 20 gallons of water in the storage tank and empty grey and black tanks. I guess Joyce will have to get rid of some clothes!


Overall, I'm happy with our weights.  I knew we were heavy and I always guessed that our fifth wheel was at its rated max of 14999 lbs. so I'm not surprised. We will need to keep a watch on our rig's weight and try to slim down!