Hello All. I would like to share some information with those who had their rigs weighed this year at the rally. After hearing about adjusting the air pressure on the trailer tires based on the weight on that tire to achieve a better ride Nancy and I decided to have our rig weighed. Also in April we had the MorRyde IS suspension and disc brakes installed on the trailer and we weren’t sure how much difference that made in the trailer weight. We also, like most, went to the 8k suspension. I anticipated being on the edge of our weight limit and of course, we were over, but I didn’t get a chance to look at all of the numbers until our first stop on the way home. After seeing the numbers I was a little more concerned about the overall weight of the coach more than the individual wheel weights. So I added up the four trailer wheel weights and they totaled 17,640 lbs. on the axles alone. Like I said, I felt we were over some but not that much. On the way home I decided to stop at the local Loves and weight at the CAT scales the trucker’s use which is what I normally do. For those not familiar with the CAT scales there are three individual scales. The front wheels (steers) are on the first scale, the rear truck wheels (drive) are on the second scale and the trailer axles are on the third scale. It costs $11.50 for the first weigh. Then I pull around to the semi parking, drop the trailer and pull back around and weigh the truck alone. The reweigh is only $2.00. The trailer axles came in at 14,560 lbs. A significant difference from the prior weight. The truck weight was very close to the same as what we weighed at the rally and the calculated pin weight was 540 lbs lighter with the CAT scale numbers. I’m not sure why the trailer weights were so different. Possible something to do with the IS suspension and portable scales. The CAT scale company guarantees that their scales will give an accurate weight and will back up the guarantee with cash by reimbursing you for an overweight fine if their scales are wrong. Just wanted to share this with others that may have been way over on the trailer. You may want to stop by a CAT scale and see how your numbers compare.

We went thru the same thing a couple of years ago at the Rally. Our numbers from the Rally were quite different than those of the CAT Scales on our way home.
I think for those Portable Scales to be correct, they need to be setup on a nice level parking lot and the best way if with scales under each and every wheel at the same time. I didn't see how they were doing it at the Rally, but when we had it done several years ago, they only had two scales so they were only weighing two wheels/one axle then add them together, which you have seen doesn't seem to add up.

Thank you for your most informative post. We had ours weighed at the 2017 Rally and I must admit the rally weights were significantly more than our scales back home. I'm going to weigh it next trip out at a CAT scale to be sure. Thanks, got me thinking.

for those of you that own trailers that have 7000 lb axles and have a gross weight rating less then 17,000 lb I will make a blanket statement your trailer is over weight . These trailers did not come out of the factory with enough " cargo weight compacity" to leave home with gear ,water ,batteries, propane, food and all the chit you can fit in the basement. our 2015 RL38 has a almost empty closit and many draws and cabinets empty in the living room, the last time I scaled it coming back from Morryde I was at 16,800 with almost no food and traveling by myself! I know the Morryde IS added a fair amount of steel but its was still over weight. Set up to full time I could see these trailers running down the road at 18,000 lbs very easy . Leson learned here , know your weights and have enough truck to handle it. In my case single rear wheel truck is NOT enough because of pin weight putting the rear axle over the trucks rating of 7000lbs ( tires are the limiting factor). travel safe and have fun!

My '13 had a GVWR of 16.5k with 7k axles, after several different weigh ins we were always just 25-50 lbs over that gross. We fulltimed 5+ years, the 1st year I upgraded to the MorRyde heavy shackles, bronze bushings & wet bolts & never had a suspension issue in 50-60k miles towing it.
Had the axles aligned & had to replace all 4 brake drums due to cheap seals the 1st few months of ownership, but both were under warranty.
Not sure but maybe they cheapened up the last few years, but mine had very few minor issues of any kind.

Hello this is Jeff with My RV School and I would like to comment on this thread. This conversation happens from time to time after RV weighing from different companies after a rally. The difference between CAT scales and RV wheel weighing has always been a "hot topic" and will most likely continue to be so.
Speaking for my company and the scales, they are checked for calibration annually as well as a six month check for 30,000 lbs with a tolerance of +/- 10 lbs. You mentioned that CAT scales do offer money back if the trucker is fined after weighing on their scales. With that being said, not every trucker uses their scales and if their scales have become out of calibration, being that most CAT scales have an annual, or longer check for calibration, it may be some time before it is checked.

Now with all of that being said, I have contacts in the control and weighing industry that I rely on heavily. According to Fairchild Scales, the platforms that CAT scales use are more susceptible for errors being that: they are longer platform than individual wheel scales, they are not set up for RV weighing, go out of calibration if not approached slowly by a semi truck and trailer. Any "off center or speed can send the platform out of calibration."

There is no control on the CAT scales to monitor this other than an operator telling you over a speaker to drive on the scales. No one monitors you to ensure that you are actually on the platforms correctly, remember they are set up for Tractor trailers, not RVs. It has also been said that since they are calibrated for 80,000 max load, any weights much less than that, can show errors. There is a mixed panel of experts that agree and the rest disagree. What they all agree on is that while a CAT scale can give a "ball park" number, they are not as accurate as individual wheel weighing for the above mentioned reasons.

I would give a lot of pause to our scales if everyone weighed at the rally were over weight. Since the majority of the attendees were well under weight, I do not feel that the error is with our scales. Now with all things being equal and our scales never being out of calibration more than 20 lbs up to the 30,000 lbs calibration, I would say that the issue may be with the CAT scale. I would like to discuss this directly with any one that may have questions or comments.

Please direct all questions or comments to: jeff@myrvschool.com

Thank you all for your time.

The truck scales where I work are essentially the same as CAT scales. I feel there was misinformation given in the last post. Truck scales for commercial use are generally within 20# either way. Light weights are measured as accurately as 80,000#. I generally weigh about 205-208 dressed. The scales will read 200# every time I cross them. Those scales are designed for trucks, and the designers and manufacturers know that truck drivers are not always going to be creeping up on the scales, and make the scales to hold accuracy. Our scales are certified once a month, and are cross checked between four different scales daily. If there is a 60# difference, we're out there finding the problem. I'm not sure who gave you that info, but they are wrong. I would trust our scales over portables anytime.

First, regardless of the GVWR of a particular model, say a 38RL, they are all on the same frame design. So, the factor determining the GVWR is the suspension, i.e. axles, springs, brakes, wheels and tires. We have a '17 38RL. It was built with 7k axles, 16' wheels with G rated tires, 2 1/2" drum brakes, with a build weight of 14,474 and GVWR of 16.5k. We added slide toppers and a few other minor accessories. Just prior to the '17 rally we had the MorRyde IS 8k w/electric over hydraulic disc brakes installed. At the rally we were weighed by Smart Weigh. 18,200 lbs. Holy Obesity Batman!! How did we get from 14,474 to 18,200, 3,726 lbs? I started thinking about it. An identical 38RL built with 8k axles had a GVWR of 17,900 lbs. I learned from MorRyde that the IS weighs ~600 Lbs more than the 8k axles. Considering I technically raised our GVWR with the addition of the 8k system (I also upgraded to 17.5 wheels and H rated tires), to 17,900 lbs, and that the extra 600 lbs is a stronger support platform, I feel comfortable overall. But I am, by law, overweight.

Same as BobJudy71 on our 17 39MB. As we knew we were over the original GVWR we provided the upgrade info to our Texas county DMV and asked they upgrade the GVWR on our Title/Registration. They agreed with no problem, registration did go up a few dollars per year but well worth it if we are ever in an accident etc... or weighed by LE.

Thanks for that comment Randy. I am going to check with Florida DVR and see if I can do the same thing.

Guess I'll have to check my Reg on the RW, but I don't recall any weights on it. I know there is for the TV. and I have already upped that to give a little wiggle room.

OK, up date: Went and looked at my FL Reg for the RW, only one place for Net Weight and my reg has 42' in that spot. No GVWR like on the TV Reg.

Okie dokie. You need to translate that for me Michelle.

It means there is no Weight what so ever on my FL Reg for the RW, have no idea why they put the length in the weight spot.
Now in ref to the TV I did increase it from the GM 13025 to 14999. Was going to go to 15000, but the Clerk said it would be cheaper at 14999. Must be the break point on the pricing chart. That way even if I'm a little over GMs numbers I'm covered for DOT.

Okay. Got it. Speaking to the trailer, I am now wondering if FL Registration weight overrides the Mfg GVWR? Guess that is a question for either DMV or DOT.

I don't know, since there is no weight entered on the Reg. The only place where there is weight is on the sticker on the Left Front corner of the RW. In my case the original was wrong as I had ordered 8K Axles and 17.5 H rated tires, but they put on a standard sticker with the weight limits for 7K axles.
Plus after a period of time that sticker may become unreadable, so what would DOT do??