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05-04-2009, 10:27 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 351
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SMB weight-don't laugh
I saw a video on this while trying to find a consumer weight scale for each tire. I am modifying the description slightly. Park on a flat, level surface. Don't attempt if you don't know what you are doing. Set brake, block tires, etc., be safe...
1. Get a digital air gauge accurate to 0.10. Pressurize your tires equally to the nearest 10th of a pound per square inch.
2-Jack up one wheel of the SMB with your floor jack. Put some marker on tire (charcoal dust, spray cooking oil, chalk, etc). Slide a piece of white paper or posterboard under the tire. Lower gently and fully. Raise and remove paper. Repeal for all 4 tires.
3. "Fix" the footprint of the tire with hairspray to preserve.
4. Calculate the number of square inches (will require some rounding.....you may need to cut the square out of each footprint and then piece together the rounded edges into an approximate square).
5. Do the math. E.g. 60 psi pressure and 6"x6" footprint. (6 * 6) * 4 * 60 = 8,640 lbs
While not precise, it would give you a ballpark and it would let you know if one tire was carrying more weight than others.
Are there any cheap scales out there? Am I up too late?
Tom
__________________
Tom
Austin, Texas
1995 SMB E250
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05-05-2009, 08:12 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Parker, CO
Posts: 7,643
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Re: SMB weight-don't laugh
"I will give you this fine barometer if you'll tell me how tall the building is."
In my opinion the variation required to make a significant difference in a E rated tire is too much for this to be a valid tool, not to mention the tread irregularities (i.e. my tire can compress 1/4" vertically before the next tread comes in contact with the ground.) In other words, yeah you're up too late and I'm up too early!
There is actually a similar method that involves chalking your tires and deflating them until the maximum surface area is obtained, just before cupping, to determine the ideal "air down" pressure. I've never known anyone to do it though, and with guys running single digit psis I wonder if it's even valid.
__________________
it was good to be back
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05-05-2009, 11:26 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Washington - Ridgefield
Posts: 4,728
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Re: SMB weight-don't laugh
That method will be a lot more accurate than the old SWAG method. There will be some error due to the spaces between the blocks, and not all blocks being equally loaded, but it should be fairly close.
Who has weighed their van and wants to try and validate this method?
Mike
__________________
Alaska to Key West, Labrador and more
Prostate cancer survivor. See Thread Prostate cancer and Sportsmobiles
2015 VW GTI 2020 Fiat 124 Spider
2012 E250 Hitop camper
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05-05-2009, 07:02 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Austin, Texas
Posts: 1,543
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Re: SMB weight-don't laugh
I am going to have to re-read those instructions after my head stops hurting......
__________________
Greg in Austin
2008 Ford 6.0PSD EB/E-PH SMB 4X4 Aluminess f/r bumpers (13.5mpg avg, 15mpg hwy) 52k miles [Texas McBeast]
2006 Toyota Prius (48 to 68 mpg) 120k miles [Penelope]
2013 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon (15 to 18 mpg) [Johnnie]
2012 Mitsubishi MiEV (no gas required) ($.50/day in electricity) [Evie]
https://badge.facebook.com/badge/1232...3.32047100.png
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05-05-2009, 08:51 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Western Colorado
Posts: 1,228
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Re: SMB weight-don't laugh
Wow, sounds like a lot of work! Not accurate per tire but I weighed in at the scales at 9,450lbs with a full tank of fuel.
__________________
Desert Solitaire
2003 7.3L EB 4x4
Timberline 4x4 conversion
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05-06-2009, 05:43 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 351
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Re: SMB weight-don't laugh
May need back out the surface are of the tread grooves. Not load bearing therefore should not count.
There must be an easier way to get a per wheel weight. The only scale I can find is limited to about 5000 lbs total.
I think there is a way to use a lever arm and a bathroom scale but I'll need to do some more research.
Tom
__________________
Tom
Austin, Texas
1995 SMB E250
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05-06-2009, 08:01 AM
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#7
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Site Team
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Southern New Mexico
Posts: 10,177
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Re: SMB weight-don't laugh
Quote:
Originally Posted by bluedog225
May need back out the surface are of the tread grooves. Not load bearing therefore should not count.
There must be an easier way to get a per wheel weight. The only scale I can find is limited to about 5000 lbs total.
I think there is a way to use a lever arm and a bathroom scale but I'll need to do some more research.
Tom
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Aren't there any real truck stops in the area? They're usually buried in the industrial areas of most towns.
Herb
__________________
SMB-less as of 02/04/2012. Our savings account is richer, but our adventures are poorer.
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05-06-2009, 09:36 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Newark, CA
Posts: 795
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Re: SMB weight-don't laugh
We don't have any truck stops nearby but I found a commercial scale in the industrial area of the adjacent town. If I got desperate, the local rock and gravel place (which caters to both commercial accounts and homeowners needing sand, mulch, etc.) has a scale since nearly all of their materials are sold by the ton. I paid about $10 at the commercial scale so I'd approach others with an offer to pay them in return for weighing the van.
__________________
Jack
'01 Ford EB50p Quigley 4WD
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05-06-2009, 11:49 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Austin, Texas
Posts: 1,543
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Re: SMB weight-don't laugh
metal recyclers and landfills also usually have scales....
__________________
Greg in Austin
2008 Ford 6.0PSD EB/E-PH SMB 4X4 Aluminess f/r bumpers (13.5mpg avg, 15mpg hwy) 52k miles [Texas McBeast]
2006 Toyota Prius (48 to 68 mpg) 120k miles [Penelope]
2013 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon (15 to 18 mpg) [Johnnie]
2012 Mitsubishi MiEV (no gas required) ($.50/day in electricity) [Evie]
https://badge.facebook.com/badge/1232...3.32047100.png
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05-06-2009, 12:18 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Normandy Park, WA
Posts: 364
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Re: SMB weight-don't laugh
We were in Oregon last month and as we were driving by a state weigh station that was closed I noticed that the read out for th scale was on, so we pulled in. 10,500 with 1/2 tank of fuel and less than 1/3 of a tank of water.
Just curious but do any of the armchair lawyers know the legal ramification of driving a vehicle that is over its posted weight limit? I think the sticker on the door says 9650 and even if we emptied all of the gear out of the van we would probably still be over.
John
__________________
'08 SMB 4X4 6.0PSD EB 50 (96K)
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