How to Weigh a Cargo Trailer

The spread axles on this trailer can be weighed together or individually.

A scale with a heavy weight capacity can be found at most truck stops. These scales are tuned for accuracy by certified professionals to ensure exact weights. Commercial trucks have to weigh their cargo trailers to ensure the load weight meets federal laws governing how much weight a trailer can legally carry. Cargo trailers can have more than one axle, and so each axle is weighed to ensure the weight of the cargo has been evenly placed on the trailer to displace the weight to each axle. Failing to adhere to legal load limits can result in fines, penalties and even accidents. Some loads pay by weight and so both an empty and loaded trailer weight are needed.

Things You'll Need

• Certified weighing scale

Instructions

1. Pull the trailer onto the scale until the axles of the truck are off the scales and only the trailers axles remain on the scale. If CB communication isn't available, then walk into the business and ask for a weigh.

2. Pull the trailer forward until the first axle comes off the scale. Have the trailer weighed again. Continue this process until each axle has left the scale.

3. Pay for the service and look at the weigh slip. The paper will show the individual weights of each axle. If the weights aren't broken down ,write down the gross trailer weight on a piece of paper.

4. Find the first axle weight. This will be the weight of the trailer after the first trailer axle left the scale. Subtract this weight from the gross trailer weight to get the weight of the first axle.

5. Find the second axle weight. If the trailer only has two axles, then it will be the next weight on the scale ticket. This is the weight of the second axle. If the trailer has three axles or more add the preceding weights together along with the subsequent weight and subtract the total from the gross trailer weight.

References

• CAT Scale Company: How To Weigh; CAT Scale; 2007-2010