Re: [VAC] Trailer Tounge Scale

[Rob Super <rms@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Camping World carries one (p. 234 of current master catalog); not sure 
who the mfr is.

You can do the same job with an ordinary bathroom scale, using the 
principle of a lever to proportionally adjust the amount of weight that 
goes on the scale. Just get a length of strong wood (a 4' length of 4x4 
works well) and place one end on the scale, the other end on some support 
(wood block, brick, whatever) that is about the same height as the scale. 
Make a note of the reading on the scale, then weigh the tongue by placing 
its bearing point (weight) at some appropriate point on the 4x4. E.g., if 
you put the tongue at the midpoint, the scale will record 1/2 the actual 
weight; if at the 1/4 point (the one further from the scale), it will 
record 1/4 the actual weight; etc. In the latter case, you could weigh up 
to 1000 lbs on a scale that only reads to 250 lbs. Deduct the starting 
weight from the final scale reading and multiply the result by 2, or 4, 
of whatever. Won't be perfectly accurate, but a few pounds off shouldn't 
matter: if you're that close to the limit it's time to adjust the loading 
anyway!

Rob