Weighing my boat and trailer

[lckstckn2smknbrls]

I have a small boat and trailer 14" jon and 25hp motor. Is there a way to to get the weight using a bathroom scale?

 

[bowman316]

Re: Weighing my boat and trailer

many local landfills have scales to weight what you dump there, they can weigh you. Also, scrap metal places have scales too.

Also try a truck stop, but they may just tell you to f- off.

I weighted mine at the county dump. Wait after you get both your truck axles on, look at the weight, then look at how much it goes up when the trailer axle gets on. Buy you have to add a few hundred for the tounge weight on your truck wheels.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Weighing my boat and trailer

Is there a way to to get the weight using a bathroom scale?

Ayuh,...

Keeping it reasonably Level,...
Weight each wheel,+ the jack or neape,...
Then add up the 3 #s to find the Total...

 

[lckstckn2smknbrls]

Re: Weighing my boat and trailer

Ayuh,...

Keeping it reasonably Level,...
Weight each wheel,+ the jack or neape,...
Then add up the 3 #s to find the Total...

Will this be fairly accurate?
Thanks

 

[redone4x4]

Re: Weighing my boat and trailer

Just find a recycle yard or truck stop. they will weigh it. out here the recycle yard does it for free, and the truck stop charges $8. weigh the whole setup at once, then next time ur driving by without the trailer pull back on the scale again. Or, look at the weight on the doorjam, but it wont be exact. oh, metal shop yards have large inground scales sometimes too.

 

[NYBo]

Re: Weighing my boat and trailer

Will this be fairly accurate?
Thanks

Sure, as long as none of the weights exceeds the capacity of the scale (usually 300#). If you want to be even more accurate, prop up the other two weighing points with something of equal thickness to the scale as you weigh each point. That will mostly eliminate any errors from weight transfer away from the point you're weighing.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Weighing my boat and trailer

If you want to be even more accurate, prop up the other two weighing points with something of equal thickness to the scale as you weigh each point. That will mostly eliminate any errors from weight transfer away from the point you're weighing.

Ayuh,... If done Dead Level,.. It's Accurate....

 

[dave11]

Re: Weighing my boat and trailer

Go to a truck stop when they are not busy. Tell them at the fuel desk what you want to do. Take your trailer and place the wheels on one platform and the tongue on another one. Pull your truck off the scale and have them weigh it. Make sure your tongue is at the same level as when hooked to the truck.

 

[redone4x4]

Re: Weighing my boat and trailer

Go to a truck stop when they are not busy. Tell them at the fuel desk what you want to do. Take your trailer and place the wheels on one platform and the tongue on another one. Pull your truck off the scale and have them weigh it. Make sure your tongue is at the same level as when hooked to the truck.

why not just weigh the whole setup, and then drop the trailer at home and go back and weigh the truck? thats what i do, its the most accurate. theres no way ur going to get 0 tongue weight and know exactly what the boat/trailer weigh while its still hooked up.

 

[boat1010]

Re: Weighing my boat and trailer

I have done it at truck scales in the past. Just like others have said do the whole thing then pull off the scale drop the trailer and do it again. I think it was $5.00 or $6.00. I just went in first and let them know what I was doing and they were happy to do it.

 

[jlinder]

Re: Weighing my boat and trailer

I would add that you want to remember the weight of all the things you add when you travel - fuel, coolers, PFDs, etc.

You want to know the weight with everything added.

 

[Chewey]

Re: Weighing my boat and trailer

The most accuaret will be to take it to a truck stop cause their scales are really 3 in one. There are 3 different "pads" or sections to the scale that give individual read outs. They are set up for big rigs to give Steer axle, Drive axle and Trailer axle weights. The printout they give you will also list the total of the 3 weights.

You want to space the setup out along the 3 different pads. Put your trailer wheels on the rear pad; disconnect the boat and make sure the jack is resting on the middle pad and have your truck sitting on the front pad. This will give you your trailer axle weight, trailer tongue weight and truck weight, respectively. If you add your trailer tongue weight and trailer axle weight together you get your total trailer (& boat) weight. The advantage to this is that you can see what your tongue weight is, and verify it is set up so it's 10-15% of your total trailer weight for best trailering.

It cost me $8.50 the last time I did it. I've also used the recycling/salvage center scale that is just one large pad. I drove forward until my front wheels were off of the scale and I disconnected the boat from the hitch with the trailer wheels and trailer jack on the pad and that gave me the total trailer weight...I just couldn't figure my tongue weight from that experience.