weighing a trailer load

I recently bought a 16' trailer. The scale at my yard is only 20' over all. When I weighed they would only weigh the trailer. I am a truck driver by day, so I know this would probably be inaccurate. The weight is spanned over all the axels. I will demand getting two sperate weights from now on. I weighed in at 2980 lbs. I thought I had more like 2 tons. For those with trailers my question is this: how does your yard weigh you? I know I got jipped. Does your trailer and power unit fit on the scale, or do you weigh them seperate? I will fill the back of the truck and trailer and demand two seperate weights next time.

My yard has a 40' scale. If they only had a short one, I would demand all axles be weighed in and out or I would go to another yard.

Weight is always transferred to the fifth wheel or hitch of the truck, van, car depending upon what vehicle you used to bring your scrap in with. All axles should be weighed.

I know their dirty there. I just get away with so much that makes up for it. I had a freind/ New partner with me. I didn't want to cause a scene. He is also a truck driver. We talked about it later and he said he was going to say something to me. He also didn't want to cause a scene. It was his explorer we used, I payed him a %

Next time load the trailer tail heavy and get paid for part of the explorer!

My yard has only a 30 foot scale. I pull on with only the truck, wait for the signal, then pull on with only the trailer. This has proven very close to accurate (within 100 pounds), as I often weigh at full length farm or elevator scales in order to immediately pay my clients. Much tongue weight is tranferred to the truck. I have also spent my fair share of time in a rig. As a trucker, you know that.....your 5th wheel slide is there for a reason....to get your axle weight right....to transfer more or less weight from the trailer axles to the truck axles or vice versa.

One of 2 things needs to be happening:

1. Your truck and trailer get weighed in and out

OR

2. Your trailer gets dollied down onto the scale to get weighed in and out.

If one of those 2 things are not happening, you are getting jacked in a HUGE way.

I have a dually and gooseneck and live 60 miles from the yard, so I don't take in less than 4-5 tons at a time. With my whole load being on the trailer only, I have noticed as much as 5000 pounds difference in the weight of just my truck when weighing in and out.

Here is an example.. My scale is only a 60' scale and a guy brought me a flatbed trailer. He wanted to just drop it on the scale so it would be more accurate, When he unhooked and pulled the truck ahead the trailer gained 3000LB (big peterbuilt not a half ton). Split weighing would do the same thing, We usually check the truck then the trailer if it is over length but it doesn't happen often.

I borrowed a friends car trailer one time to haul a truck in. My buddies truck and the trailer were too long for the scale, so they had us weigh the trailer and rear axle of the truck. When I went in to get paid the guy looked confused by the weight...he asked me if the truck was loaded...I said yeah, there was a bunch of scrap in it. He said ok, that makes sense, paid me, and we left.

The scales at both yards I use (same company) are big enough for an 18 wheeler. Next time I go I will bring the camera. I'll do the steel yard because the non-ferrous yard is to cramped up.

They use a weigh-tronix scale, bridge type. I see yards from all over the place even other yards that are 100+ miles away. Hazelton Scrap Yard in PA is 100 miles and they are there almost everyday.

They do in fact have their own semi I've never seen them weighing just loading it. I will have a few questions when I see the scalemen there. The more I think about this the more its pi**ing me off. I've bought the scale guy coffee and six packs on several occasions. I've also set aside some pretty nice things to the side for him. I can't help think perhaps because in not an " amigo" might have something to do with it, I certainly hope that's not the case. If I can't resolve the issue and get some answers from him I will contact the owner.

if they won't both fit, just drop the trailer on the scale as cf45 said, dolly it down, or jack- whatever you use, so the truck axle off the scale plays no part in holding the load