cheap scale?
- Thread starter carl
- Start date
Dr.Jeff
True Classic
Funny, while looking for images to illustrate various platform designs (in my last post), I came across a race car scale set for sale that looks VERY similar to the livestock scale, particularly the four sensors:
The race car version...
Notice the sensors, spacers, and mounting bolts...
Now look at the same components with the cattle version (circled)...
But the rac car one was priced more than ten times what the livestock scale goes for.
The race car version...
Notice the sensors, spacers, and mounting bolts...
Now look at the same components with the cattle version (circled)...
But the rac car one was priced more than ten times what the livestock scale goes for.
Last edited:
dllubin
Don
When I was a teenager, we used to weigh cars for free at the municipal garbage incinerator. They used to weigh the incoming garbage trucks there before they dumped their load. It did not smell to great so we usually did not hang around very long.
Dr.Jeff
True Classic
After looking closer at the components for the cattle scale I've realized one neat feature. The four adjustable feet (yellow circle) are intended to go on TOP of the four sensors. That allows leveling of each corner with a single adjustment, unlike the aftermarket platforms that have four feet per corner platform. In the picture the sensors are laying on their sides. The green arrow is where these adjustment feet go, and the blue arrow is where the holes are for the mounting bolts. Look back at the race car version picture to envision it assembled.
Your platform for each corner of the car goes on top of the adjustment foot to level that corner. But being a swivel type adjustment foot it would require a little more engineering to keep the car platforms flat (the cattle application uses one large platform).
Your platform for each corner of the car goes on top of the adjustment foot to level that corner. But being a swivel type adjustment foot it would require a little more engineering to keep the car platforms flat (the cattle application uses one large platform).
Steve Hoelscher
True Classic
I have weight literally hundreds of cars over the years. Back when I first started racing and needed to weigh a car I learned to use a bathroom scale and a fixture consisting of a pad the height of the scale and a length of 2x10 between the scale and the pad. Put that under the car's wheel and position it so the scale only carries a percentage of the corner weight. Then do the math to determine the actual weight. Then repeat for each corner. You will need three pads that are the same height as the 2x10 atop the scale to maintain a level ride height.
The downside here is you loose resolution. If you are only wanting a total weight its a reasonable substitute for proper scales.
Another good option is to find a truck stop close by with a set of Cat Scales.
The downside here is you loose resolution. If you are only wanting a total weight its a reasonable substitute for proper scales.
Another good option is to find a truck stop close by with a set of Cat Scales.
carl
True Classic
As I mentioned originally, there is the county recycle center not far from me that does have a truck scale with outside reading. I can use it for free but have to find a time that that there aren't a ton of trucks lined up to use it. A cheap scale in my garage is nice alternative. I'll probably spring for that cheap one on Amazon and see what happens.
Dr.Jeff
True Classic
Steve Hoelscher
True Classic
Well, that's a different method but the same idea. Use a cheap bathroom scale to weigh the car. Perhaps more accurate as you are not estimating the load distribution between the scale and the pad. I had but a single shipping scale and little in the way of funds I could put toward buying additional scales. I had the wood already.
Dr.Jeff
True Classic
Steve, I just wanted to share that one because it was similar to what you had described. I noticed it when I was looking for images to use in my earlier post.
Frankly for the cost of all of those bathroom scales (in the video version) you could purchase the cattle scale referenced previously, and it would be more accurate and easier to use. For the money it seems difficult to beat it, but that's going off what I see in the listing. Wouldn't know until it was tried, especially the possibility for it to give individual corner weights in addition to total weight.
Fortunately I can use my brother's race car scales, although getting him to stop long enough to did it out and loan it to me my be another story. Probably why I've never bothered to weigh any of my cars. But I will be very curious to see the difference in weight between my fully equipped "street turbo" X1/9 project and my stripped down "outlaw" track style X1/9 project. I'm also curious how corner weights are affected by a air bag suspension (like currently on my VW) vs a coilover setup (like was previously on it).
Steve Hoelscher
True Classic
Jeff, Yeah, when I saw the link I thought 'yeah, you can find everything on youtube now'. But then I realized the way he did it wasn't the same. Perhaps more accurate. You could do it via his method with two or three scales and pads for the other three corners. That would be cheaper.
If you're not racing going to a public scale or a cat scale is adequate to determine the weight of a car and its weight distribution.
Racecar scales are nice as its much easier to get an accurate number if that's what you want. For a racecar, getting accurate corner weights is a much more involved task than most people think. You have to get the pads all level, and then level with each other, to ensure a good data set. Simply setting the scales on your garage floor and dropping the car on it is not going to get you the same result. That's why you see the expensive scale pads and fixtures. That makes the job a lot easier. Then you need to be able to roll the car on/off to ensure the suspension has fully settled and is not bound up when lowering it off the jack. Note that the front springs on my racecar are 800 lbs/in. So if one scale pad is off by 1/8th of an inch that's 100 lbs of error in corner weights. That's a major setup problem or a highly developed car.
If you are simply wanting to determine a street car's weight or F/R weight distribution the bathroom scale method, or a public scale is more than adequate.
If you're not racing going to a public scale or a cat scale is adequate to determine the weight of a car and its weight distribution.
Racecar scales are nice as its much easier to get an accurate number if that's what you want. For a racecar, getting accurate corner weights is a much more involved task than most people think. You have to get the pads all level, and then level with each other, to ensure a good data set. Simply setting the scales on your garage floor and dropping the car on it is not going to get you the same result. That's why you see the expensive scale pads and fixtures. That makes the job a lot easier. Then you need to be able to roll the car on/off to ensure the suspension has fully settled and is not bound up when lowering it off the jack. Note that the front springs on my racecar are 800 lbs/in. So if one scale pad is off by 1/8th of an inch that's 100 lbs of error in corner weights. That's a major setup problem or a highly developed car.
If you are simply wanting to determine a street car's weight or F/R weight distribution the bathroom scale method, or a public scale is more than adequate.