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• earlyagain Posts: 7,928 Senior Member

  March 2019 #2

  I don't even remember the last time I had to get a weight. 10 pounds sounds reasonable. The scale I used to use been tore down probly 25 years ago. Google Cat scales and see what they advertise.

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• knitepoet Senior Member Posts: 22,633 Senior Member

  March 2019 edited March 2019 #3

  I've weighed on scales all over the country when I was driving and I don't remember any giving less than a 10 pound range.
  Keep in mind, 18 wheelers have a max gross of 80,000 pounds, so within 10 pounds is a mighty low percentage
  
  edited because I found an article about it that might help
  https://fifthwheelst.com/commercial-truck-scales-vs-portable-scales-for-weighing-rvs.html
  
  

  Seven Habits of Highly Effective Pirates, Rule #37: There is no “overkill”. There is only “open fire” and “I need to reload”.
  
  
  

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• Michakav Senior Member Posts: 2,877 Senior Member

  March 2019 edited March 2019 #4

  As knite stated, if you get into the tens range, that is very low. Would be extremely expensive to have a scale calibrated and stay accurate with single pounds given those weights. Guessing most weigh stations would be lucky to get into the 100# mark unless they are really on top of calibration and cleanliness.

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• Diver43 Senior Member Posts: 11,851 Senior Member

  March 2019 #5

  I've never been a trucker, but I look at weight tickets for Household Goods moves daily at work.
  The closest I have seen is 10 pounds.

  Logistics cannot win a war, but its absence or inadequacy can cause defeat. FM100-5

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• jbp-ohio Senior Member Posts: 10,454 Senior Member

  March 2019 #6

  To show how ODOT  can do anything they want............
  
  My Dad drove a coal bucket for years. He weighed at the tipple and was smack on 80,000#. The tipples scale were Ohio state certified and sealed 2 weeks before.
  
  He gets stopped by the notoriously inaccurate ODOT portable scales. They weight him at 88,000# and write him up. They were individual scales that go under each axle. The truckers were known to pop the clutch a little too hard and send them flying......
  
  He gets to the power plant and their day old state of Ohio certified and sealed scales were 79,900#....
  
  He took it to court and lost
  
  
  
  
  

  "The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not." Thomas Jefferson

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• Teach Senior Member Posts: 18,428 Senior Member

  March 2019 #7

  When I was managing a truck repair shop in Cairo Illinois in the 1970's, there was a state-run truck scale just north of town.  The term "chicken coop" was coined to describe that type of scale- - - -an open-air affair with a small  operator's shack just a bit bigger than an outhouse.  Those scale men were notorious for recording an inaccurate weight (always too heavy), and demanding bribes to avoid writing tickets.  One trucker had finally had enough- - - -he paid the scale operator his hush money, then as he pulled off the scale he lined up on the scale house, put the rig in reverse, and backed over it!  The operator barely had time to run for cover.  That scale stayed out of commission for months afterwards!     
  

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• Johnny reb Member Posts: 700 Senior Member

  March 2019 #8

  I don’t know exactly how how much deviation they have on the CAT scales but it isn’t much. I know if you weigh on CAT scales and then are weighed on mobile scales or at any weigh station and are overweight CAT will pay the ticket. So they must be pretty accurate.

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• kansashunter Senior Member Posts: 1,899 Senior Member

  March 2019 #9

  Scales in this state at a grain elevator can be not more than a 20 lb. break so any I have ever seen that's what they are on. If you go watch the indicator on a windy day and they will vary 200 lbs. 

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• earlyagain Posts: 7,928 Senior Member

  March 2019 edited March 2019 #10

  Mentioning an elevator makes me wonder how accurate rail road scales are???
  
  Maybe more critical than a truck scale???

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• Spk Senior Member Posts: 4,580 Senior Member

  March 2019 #11

  From knites link above:

  
  

  CAT Scale
  (Digital)
  Fairbanks Scales
  Capacity: 200,000 pounds,
  Division: 20 pounds Accuracy: HB 44, Class III L
  ±20 lb (2,500 lb)
  ±20 lb (10,000 lb)
  ±40 lb (20,000 lb)

  
  

  Compared to a mobile scale:

  
  

  LCD Ultraslim Wheel Load Scale
  (Digital)
  Massload
  Capacity: 20,000 pounds,
  Division: 20 pounds Static Accuracy: 0.5% Full Scale
  ±12.5 lb (2,500 lb)
  ±50 lb (10,000 lb)
  ±100 lb (20,000 lb)

  
  

  With increasing weight those little ones start getting inaccurate much quicker.
  

  
  

  So if a CAT says your good but on the line. You'll probably measure overweight on a portable.
  

  
  
  

  Never argue with stupid people, they will drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience -- Mark Twain
  How easy it is to make people believe a lie, and [how] hard it is to undo that work again! -- Mark Twain
  
  

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• coolgunguy Senior Member Posts: 6,626 Senior Member

  March 2019 #12

  Isn't the SOP to go directly to a stationary scale if there is any question?  

  "Bipartisan" usually means that a bigger than normal deception is happening.
  George Carlin

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