BetterWeigh Mobile Tongue Weight and Payload Scale - R-pod Owners Forum

Author

Share Topic

Topic Search

Topic Options

geewizard

Senior Member

Joined: 16 Apr 2017
Location: Spokane
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 347

Topic: BetterWeigh Mobile Tongue Weight and Payload Scale
Posted: 08 Jan 2021 at 11:27am

Anyone have experience using this device?

https://www.etrailer.com/Tools/Curt/C51701.html

2021 Winnebago Micro Minnie 1708FB
2017 R-Pod 177 (Blue) HRE SOLD
2004 Outfitter Apex 8 camper
2014 Toyota Tundra DC

EchoGale

Senior Member

Joined: 10 Mar 2019
Location: FL
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 461

Posted: 08 Jan 2021 at 12:43pm

I'm very interested to see replies

Julie

pedwards2932 View Drop Down

Senior Member

Joined: 21 Sep 2020
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 337

Posted: 08 Jan 2021 at 1:43pm

I have one and the tongue weight part is somewhat accurate......within 10%to 15%. You have to let it know which vehicle you have by vin #. Trailer weight I got was all over the map totally unreilable. You get on level ground and accelerate....I got weights of 4600 to 3900. When I weighed my trailer it was 3300 on cat scale. Tongue weight you stand on the hitch and you input your weight to the app then it uses that to approximate the tongue weight....it was about 10 to 15 percent high compared to a Sherline scale. You need to use a CAT scale if you want accuracy.

mjlrpod

Senior Member

Joined: 27 Sep 2016
Location: Massachusetts
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1214

Posted: 08 Jan 2021 at 2:26pm

I am going to buy one of these as soon as it starts to get spring-ish. I think this will work very well.

www.etrailer.com/Tools/etrailer/e99044.html

2017.5 Rp-172
2020 R-pod 195
2015 Frontier sv 4.0L 6cyl
I'll be rpodding

geewizard

Senior Member

Joined: 16 Apr 2017
Location: Spokane
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 347

Posted: 08 Jan 2021 at 3:13pm

I agree with you, mjlrpod. That device looks a lot more accurate.

2021 Winnebago Micro Minnie 1708FB
2017 R-Pod 177 (Blue) HRE SOLD
2004 Outfitter Apex 8 camper
2014 Toyota Tundra DC

Toyanvil

Senior Member

Joined: 15 Feb 2019
Location: Bakersfield
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 157

Posted: 08 Jan 2021 at 5:31pm

I have done this, and it works good.

http://youtu.be/nMoLA44lcgU

offgrid

Senior Member

Joined: 23 Jul 2018
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5290

Posted: 09 Jan 2021 at 9:16am

Why not just go through a scale twice? Once with the trailer, once without. Remove tension on the wdh if you have one. On the first weighing, get the tow vehicle weight, then the whole rig. On the second weighing, get the tow vehicle by itself. You’re using a calibrated scale that you can trust is accurate. Might even get it done for free at your county waste transfer station.

Tongue weight = tv with trailer - tv without.
Trailer weight = total eight with trailer - tv without.

You need that total rig weight anyway to confirm your GCVWR is within specs.

1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold

pedwards2932 View Drop Down

Senior Member

Joined: 21 Sep 2020
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 337

Posted: 09 Jan 2021 at 2:40pm

I have the Sherline; Amazon.com: Sherline LM 2000 - Trailer Tongue Weight Scale 2000lb: Home Improvement

The CAT scale is great to make sure you are in specs. The Sherline helps when I am balancing for tongue weight because I have to be at 350 lbs because of my hitch rating. I can't recommend the BetterWeigh just not accurate enough.

mjlrpod

Senior Member

Joined: 27 Sep 2016
Location: Massachusetts
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1214

Posted: 10 Jan 2021 at 10:47am

I ordered the one I had mentioned earlier (and below) from E Trailer. I wanted to make sure there was no sudden rush in the spring. Using the scales at a truck stop might work, especially if you want to know total weights. But for tongue weight, you have to go everytime you load, unless you keep everything the exact same, which seems unlikely. I think if you can put the scale under it as you load up, it's a much easier way to do it. The sherline looks good, but I trust E-Trailer more than Amazon.

2017.5 Rp-172
2020 R-pod 195
2015 Frontier sv 4.0L 6cyl
I'll be rpodding

offgrid

Senior Member

Joined: 23 Jul 2018
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5290

Posted: 10 Jan 2021 at 12:42pm

I guess if you are right at your tow vehicle tongue weight limit then you might need to weigh the tongue every time, but I’ve only weighed mine once or twice. Once you have your loading settled you will know the range the trailer and tongue weights will be in and you shouldn’t have to weigh again unless you make a major change. By far the biggest variable is whether and how much water you have in your tanks, water is heavy, a full 30 gallon rpod water tank weighs 250 lbs.

If you do make a major change and don’t want to re-weigh you can easily calculate the change to tongue weight from adding or subtracting a load. Think of the trailer as a teeter totter rotating around it’s axle. This is the same method pilots use when calculating weight and balance in airplanes so it’s safe and accurate.

Change in tongue weight = (distance from weight to trailer axle x change in weight)/distance from tongue to axle). Add to tongue weight for loads added in front of the axle and subtract from tongue weight when removing loads in front of the axle. Do the reverse for loads behind the axle (subtract from tongue weight when adding and add to tongue weight when removing).

1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold

Author	Message Share Topic Printable Version Google Delicious Digg StumbleUpon Windows Live Yahoo Bookmarks reddit Facebook MySpace Newsvine Furl Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic
geewizard Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 16 Apr 2017 Location: Spokane Online Status: Offline Posts: 347	Topic: BetterWeigh Mobile Tongue Weight and Payload Scale Posted: 08 Jan 2021 at 11:27am
	Anyone have experience using this device? https://www.etrailer.com/Tools/Curt/C51701.html
	2021 Winnebago Micro Minnie 1708FB 2017 R-Pod 177 (Blue) HRE SOLD 2004 Outfitter Apex 8 camper 2014 Toyota Tundra DC

EchoGale Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 10 Mar 2019 Location: FL Online Status: Offline Posts: 461	Posted: 08 Jan 2021 at 12:43pm
	I'm very interested to see replies
	Julie

pedwards2932 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 21 Sep 2020 Online Status: Offline Posts: 337	Posted: 08 Jan 2021 at 1:43pm
	I have one and the tongue weight part is somewhat accurate......within 10%to 15%. You have to let it know which vehicle you have by vin #. Trailer weight I got was all over the map totally unreilable. You get on level ground and accelerate....I got weights of 4600 to 3900. When I weighed my trailer it was 3300 on cat scale. Tongue weight you stand on the hitch and you input your weight to the app then it uses that to approximate the tongue weight....it was about 10 to 15 percent high compared to a Sherline scale. You need to use a CAT scale if you want accuracy.

mjlrpod Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 27 Sep 2016 Location: Massachusetts Online Status: Offline Posts: 1214	Posted: 08 Jan 2021 at 2:26pm
	I am going to buy one of these as soon as it starts to get spring-ish. I think this will work very well. www.etrailer.com/Tools/etrailer/e99044.html
	2017.5 Rp-172 2020 R-pod 195 2015 Frontier sv 4.0L 6cyl I'll be rpodding

geewizard Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 16 Apr 2017 Location: Spokane Online Status: Offline Posts: 347	Posted: 08 Jan 2021 at 3:13pm
	I agree with you, mjlrpod. That device looks a lot more accurate.
	2021 Winnebago Micro Minnie 1708FB 2017 R-Pod 177 (Blue) HRE SOLD 2004 Outfitter Apex 8 camper 2014 Toyota Tundra DC

Toyanvil Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 15 Feb 2019 Location: Bakersfield Online Status: Offline Posts: 157	Posted: 08 Jan 2021 at 5:31pm
	I have done this, and it works good. http://youtu.be/nMoLA44lcgU

offgrid Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 23 Jul 2018 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5290	Posted: 09 Jan 2021 at 9:16am
	Why not just go through a scale twice? Once with the trailer, once without. Remove tension on the wdh if you have one. On the first weighing, get the tow vehicle weight, then the whole rig. On the second weighing, get the tow vehicle by itself. You’re using a calibrated scale that you can trust is accurate. Might even get it done for free at your county waste transfer station. Tongue weight = tv with trailer - tv without. Trailer weight = total eight with trailer - tv without. You need that total rig weight anyway to confirm your GCVWR is within specs.
	1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold

pedwards2932 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 21 Sep 2020 Online Status: Offline Posts: 337	Posted: 09 Jan 2021 at 2:40pm
	I have the Sherline; Amazon.com: Sherline LM 2000 - Trailer Tongue Weight Scale 2000lb: Home Improvement The CAT scale is great to make sure you are in specs. The Sherline helps when I am balancing for tongue weight because I have to be at 350 lbs because of my hitch rating. I can't recommend the BetterWeigh just not accurate enough.

mjlrpod Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 27 Sep 2016 Location: Massachusetts Online Status: Offline Posts: 1214	Posted: 10 Jan 2021 at 10:47am
	I ordered the one I had mentioned earlier (and below) from E Trailer. I wanted to make sure there was no sudden rush in the spring. Using the scales at a truck stop might work, especially if you want to know total weights. But for tongue weight, you have to go everytime you load, unless you keep everything the exact same, which seems unlikely. I think if you can put the scale under it as you load up, it's a much easier way to do it. The sherline looks good, but I trust E-Trailer more than Amazon.
	2017.5 Rp-172 2020 R-pod 195 2015 Frontier sv 4.0L 6cyl I'll be rpodding

offgrid Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 23 Jul 2018 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5290	Posted: 10 Jan 2021 at 12:42pm
	I guess if you are right at your tow vehicle tongue weight limit then you might need to weigh the tongue every time, but I’ve only weighed mine once or twice. Once you have your loading settled you will know the range the trailer and tongue weights will be in and you shouldn’t have to weigh again unless you make a major change. By far the biggest variable is whether and how much water you have in your tanks, water is heavy, a full 30 gallon rpod water tank weighs 250 lbs. If you do make a major change and don’t want to re-weigh you can easily calculate the change to tongue weight from adding or subtracting a load. Think of the trailer as a teeter totter rotating around it’s axle. This is the same method pilots use when calculating weight and balance in airplanes so it’s safe and accurate. Change in tongue weight = (distance from weight to trailer axle x change in weight)/distance from tongue to axle). Add to tongue weight for loads added in front of the axle and subtract from tongue weight when removing loads in front of the axle. Do the reverse for loads behind the axle (subtract from tongue weight when adding and add to tongue weight when removing).
	1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold