A weighty question....

K

Karl Barnes

Sophomore
Aug 28, 2012
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London, England
On completing the load-up into our hired van for this weekends gig, I noticed that the suspension was looking a bit low.
It's then occurred to me that we might be approaching the weight capacity for the van.

My question is, how would you go about weighing your flightcases, etc to determine exactly how much they weigh?

I know what the weight capacity of the van is, but I need to know how much the equipment weighs in order to know how close I am to that capacity.

Any thoughts?

Karl.
 
Re: A weighty question....

Find a local trucking company or service center that has truck scales. Weigh your truck empty then full. A few dollars at most.
Most landfills have scales as well.

Douglas R. Allen
 
Re: A weighty question....

places that recycle metals etc will have larger scales.
in a pinch i'v used a fulcrum and a bathroom scale.

you can also use one on one side and get a rough "half"

fwiw
 
Karl Barnes said:
On completing the load-up into our hired van for this weekends gig, I noticed that the suspension was looking a bit low.
It's then occurred to me that we might be approaching the weight capacity for the van.

My question is, how would you go about weighing your flightcases, etc to determine exactly how much they weigh?

I know what the weight capacity of the van is, but I need to know how much the equipment weighs in order to know how close I am to that capacity.

Any thoughts?

Karl.
Click to expand...

If it's a Ford the rear leaf springs crack and go bad all the time. One of my vans sits low on the right. New springs are cheap and easy to install.

Sent from my XT907 2
 
Re: A weighty question....

Karl Barnes said:
On completing the load-up into our hired van for this weekends gig, I noticed that the suspension was looking a bit low.
It's then occurred to me that we might be approaching the weight capacity for the van.

My question is, how would you go about weighing your flightcases, etc to determine exactly how much they weigh?

I know what the weight capacity of the van is, but I need to know how much the equipment weighs in order to know how close I am to that capacity.

Any thoughts?

Karl.
Click to expand...

A number of places around here have scales. They weigh you before and after.
Local landfill. Landscaping place that sells stone. etc.
Find one and weigh the van with and without.

Don't forget how much you weigh. Your weight is part of what the vehicle is carrying.
 
Re: A weighty question....

If you are carrying close to max load, it makes sense to install airjacks/air-suspension if you haven't already got it.
 
Re: A weighty question....

Silas Pradetto said:
The vehicle is rated for the gvw it's rated for, air suspension may help it sit more level but it will not increase capacity.

Sent from my XT907 2
Click to expand...

Bingo.

About 25 years ago I was in the same situation as Karl. I called a friend that did fleet sales of tires and suspension products. He said "you need a bigger (greater capacity) van. Just because you get the wheel wells off the tires doesn't mean you're no longer overloaded."
 
Re: A weighty question....

Tim McCulloch said:
Bingo.

About 25 years ago I was in the same situation as Karl. I called a friend that did fleet sales of tires and suspension products. He said "you need a bigger (greater capacity) van. Just because you get the wheel wells off the tires doesn't mean you're no longer overloaded."
Click to expand...

It is not about increasing legal load capacity, but making a better ride at full capacity and stop the springs getting tired from running at full capacity all the time. EDIT: Of course this has nothing to do with the original post as I now realize it was referring to a hired van, oh well.
 
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Re: A weighty question....

Per Søvik said:
It is not about increasing legal load capacity, but making a better ride at full capacity and stop the springs getting tired from running at full capacity all the time.
Click to expand...

His comment was more about the *need* for extra height being caused by overloading. If it's sagging now, you either have defective suspension or the vehicle is overloaded. It's pretty much that simple.
 
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Re: A weighty question....

Thanks for the replies folks. I don't know where that rimshot quote came from.
I've asked a legitimate question. I'm not aware that it was taking the p*ss.

Hiring a bigger van is something we are considering, however that alters the financial situation.
We're using a 3.5t Luton (box van) at the moment. The next step up is a 7.5t truck.
Asides from the extra hire fee, the 7.5t truck also gets fewer mpg.
The upshot is that it costs more.

I'd rather leave one case of lights back at base and be within the 1.3t load capacity of the Luton than be a few Kg over and needing the larger truck. The problem is that I need to know what all the kit weighs in order to know where I stand in terms of capacity.

As for sagging suspension, that's not what I said.
Luton vans have leaf springs on the rear axle.
What I had noticed was that the springs were well on their way to being level.
Nothing was sagging and the springs were certainly not bending the wrong way.

Using a weighbridge makes sense, but that would mean hiring the van to do it.
What I'd really like to do is weigh each individual case so that I know where the tipping point is.
If I have to leave a case of Mojo Scans back at base, then so be it.

Karl.
 
Re: A weighty question....

Karl Barnes said:
What I'd really like to do is weigh each individual case so that I know where the tipping point is.

Karl.
Click to expand...
So put a piece of plywood on your bathroom scale, zero it out, and balance cases on it .
Helps to have two guys, but you can use a video cam pointed at the scale readout and do it yourself.
 
Re: A weighty question....

Art Welter said:
So put a piece of plywood on your bathroom scale, zero it out, and balance cases on it .
Helps to have two guys, but you can use a video cam pointed at the scale readout and do it yourself.
Click to expand...

Last time I tried this with a LAB sub I was left with one unworking (actually extremely destroyed/broken/deformed) scale and a sub of still-unknown weight.
 
Re: A weighty question....

Quote Originally Posted by Art Welter View
So put a piece of plywood on your bathroom scale, zero it out, and balance cases on it .
Helps to have two guys, but you can use a video cam pointed at the scale readout and do it yourself.

Silas Pradetto said:
Last time I tried this with a LAB sub I was left with one unworking (actually extremely destroyed/broken/deformed) scale and a sub of still-unknown weight.
Click to expand...
So the LabSub was heavy enough to destroy/break/deform a piece of plywood?

Glad I don't have anything but a cable trunk (which can be unloaded, contents weighed separately) that goes over 300 pounds.
 

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Re: A weighty question....

Art Welter said:
Quote Originally Posted by Art Welter View
So put a piece of plywood on your bathroom scale, zero it out, and balance cases on it .
Helps to have two guys, but you can use a video cam pointed at the scale readout and do it yourself.


So the LabSub was heavy enough to destroy/break/deform a piece of plywood?

Glad I don't have anything but a cable trunk (which can be unloaded, contents weighed separately) that goes over 300 pounds.
Click to expand...

I didn't use plywood; I was just balancing it on the scale. Didn't work.
 
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