I'm not a ''drive on scale'' virgin any longer!

Heee!!

So today I thought I'd give it a try at a new yard. I was sweating bullets thinking ''omg, how do they weigh your steel with all the other stuff in the truck? omg omg, how will I get paid for my AL and copper, etc.''

Pshaw, was no big deal I found out - you offload all your non ferrous first and drive on with the steel only. Was pretty cool actually!!

the only downside for me was trusting what happened with my dolly while I was offloading the steel, I really didn't like leaving it out of my sight!

This reminds me of my last haul to the yard. Turns out the scale was only 20' so the truck and trailer had to be weighed each. Drive on - truck weighs whatever. Pull ahead - trailer weighs whatever. Unload. DO THE SAME FOR WEIGHOUT!!
I got screwed by the yard because they said my truck weighs the same both times. I didn't take anything off the truck because that's where my non ferrous was.
Did a little research on here after and that's the way it's done. Trailer tongue weight will change thereby lightening truck weight = more steel delivered = $.
Don't let it happen to you so weigh both in and out and both weights will be different numbers

Keith, thanks for that, now I'll now if I ever take the trailer up there.

Lol, I had to climb on the cab of my truck and pull some SS out that was right behind my window under the steel. I was like, you won't let me keep it in and re-weigh and then pull it off?

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Originally Posted by thekeith

This reminds me of my last haul to the yard. Turns out the scale was only 20' so the truck and trailer had to be weighed each. Drive on - truck weighs whatever. Pull ahead - trailer weighs whatever. Unload. DO THE SAME FOR WEIGHOUT!!
I got screwed by the yard because they said my truck weighs the same both times. I didn't take anything off the truck because that's where my non ferrous was.
Did a little research on here after and that's the way it's done. Trailer tongue weight will change thereby lightening truck weight = more steel delivered = $.
Don't let it happen to you so weigh both in and out and both weights will be different numbers

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That doesn't seem to work out in your favor. I would not weight the trailer on the truck the weight is wrong. It may come out close but not right. I weighed my trailer in the hitch to get a plate it was stamped right on it it weight 1200# from the manufacturer. The weight ticket they gave me said 900#. now they didn't weigh the truck but the weight of your truck should have changed since the tongue weight changed.

A 20' scale is small for shred how do they weigh semi trucks?

Eric

Next time drive on the scale putting the trailer on it. Unhook and pull off scale to weight the trailer only then do the same thing going out. It would be the only way to gets good weight. Good luck next time.

I lost my virginity when I was 14. And I haven't been able to find it. - David Duchovny

Way to go NA!

Sirscrapalot - Wondering how you avoided driving a scale this whole time..

I don't trust short scales. 2 of the 6 yards I have been to have short scales. Took in a dump trailer full of appliances and they tallied it at around 300 lbs. I said no way, this was full of heavy freezers and what not.

What could I do? I already dumped it. I went back and forth, he looked at his slips, trying to figure out where he weighed wrong. Finally decided he would give me 1,000 lbs. I said fine, and never went back.

2nd yard that has a short scale, sometimes it doesn't seem right, but I usually go there if their price is higher, which is rarely. Main yard has a huge semi truck scale. Seems spot on for the most part, although I have noticed weights seem higher if I bring bins and have them weighed on the inside scale. Just basing this on eyeballing the material from load to load.

I've never been to a yard that I couldn't drive on their scales completely with my 3/4 ton and car carrier and see the scale weights from the driver's seat. Reading these stories makes me wonder how these yards stay in business. First rule for anything is having the right tool for the job. Seems the scale would be the first thing any yard would invest in.

I know it is frustrating to use short scales, but they can be just as accurate as a full length one as long as they are certified. I weigh on all lengths of scales because of delivery to several grain elevators, farmers' cooperatives, peanut buying points, cotton gins, etc. Some scales are shorter than my semi loads, so I have to weigh the front axle and then the rest of the load. If done correctly, they will add up to the correct weight. In fact, the Florida DOT weighs each axle on semis to check for proper loading for bridge laws.

If you have a 4 wheel trailer and only have the load on the trailer, you don't have to worry about a tongue weight and you can just weigh the trailer both times. Most of us have 2 wheel (or dual axle together) trailers that can put a tongue weight on the truck. In that case, you must weigh the truck and the trailer both times to get the weight accurate. Some yards will try to tell you that you can just weigh the trailer, but thekeith is right, it doesn't work that way. If a yard insists on weighing the trailer only, Tincankieth's suggestion will work, you just have to work harder to get it done.

With a 2 wheel trailer it is possible have a load that is balanced so that it puts all the weight on the trailer's axle and no tongue weight on the truck. Usually, the axles are a bit toward the rear of the trailer so the load is spread between the truck and trailer. I have actually had a few loads that had negative tongue weight due to the rear of the trailer being heavily loaded so the tongue was picking up on the truck. This is not recommended as it is dangerous. This situation can cause the rear tires of the truck to lose their grip on the road when the trailer sways and can put you in the ditch quick.

If done properly, you can weigh on short scales. If the yard doesn't know how to do it right, or if they know how to get you and do it on purpose; you might have to go somewhere else.

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Originally Posted by newattitude

Pshaw, was no big deal I found out - you offload all your non ferrous first and drive on with the steel only. Was pretty cool actually!!

the only downside for me was trusting what happened with my dolly while I was offloading the steel, I really didn't like leaving it out of my sight!

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I don't know if you're able to, but if you go to the steel first, you don't have to worry about finding your goodies mixed around your steel.

I know at my yard, you pretty much have to hit the shred pile first. They prefer it that way. Go out, re-weigh, come back, unload all the really good stuff.

I still want to know how you managed to avoid driving on a scale long as you been doing this NA!

Sirscrapalot - Kek kek kek - Only one of you will get it, if more do..I'm over joyed. ;)

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Originally Posted by Sirscrapalot

Sirscrapalot - Kek kek kek - Only one of you will get it, if more do..I'm over joyed. ;)

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lol lol lol

:winner:

You were the one I'd knew would get it. lol

Sirscrapalot - Don't judge, you got an inner nerd to.