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Hitch with built-in TW Scale

BurbMan
Explorer II
Explorer II
Anybody seen these yet?

Weigh-Safe Hitches

They built a tongue weight scale right into the hitch so that you see your tongue weight as soon as you drop the TT on the ball. Seems like a great idea, but given that scales have springs, I wonder if the vertical movement of the ball affects towing stability? I also wonder about the longevity of the scale as the TT bounces down the road...

PS, not affiliated with these guys, just thought this was interesting.
8 REPLIES 8

BenK
Explorer
Explorer
Agree with Barney...the WD spring bar forces will add to the dead weight...unless the strain gauge setup in the ball assembly knows the difference between dead weight and spring forces (an angular vector from dead weight vector)

Think of standing on the tongue and pulling up on the spring bars. That then transfers whatever weight/force from your hands down to your feet...which is on top of the tongue...

Plus, strain gauge, meaning semiconductor and if as others say, hydraulic, so there is a transfer agent between the ball and strain gauge. Think both to manage the change in direction and to mute 'some' of the forces strain gauge. My guess is that there might be a hydraulic ratio to reduce the overall force on the semiconductor

Nifty, but I'd get a Sherline. Plus this is aluminum...not the kind of metal for my setup, but that is just me




BarneyS wrote:
BurbMan wrote:
I didn't realize it was hydraulic, that makes more sense. Would be cool if it was WD, then you could see the TW when the TT is hitched and then the new TW when WD is engaged, would tell you how much weight is being transferred from the hitch.

That would not tell you how much weight is being transferred. All it would tell you is how much the pressure was when you coupled the trailer and then how much it increased from drawing up the WD bars. Doing that puts the "squeeze" on the ball from the coupler and downward pull of the WD bars on the A frame.
You would need to make some more measurements on the vehicles to determine how much was transferred. ๐Ÿ™‚
Barney
-Ben Picture of my rig
1996 GMC SLT Suburban 3/4 ton K3500/7.4L/4:1/+150Kmiles orig owner...
1980 Chevy Silverado C10/long bed/"BUILT" 5.7L/3:73/1 ton helper springs/+329Kmiles, bought it from dad...
1998 Mazda B2500 (1/2 ton) pickup, 2nd owner...
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Previous trucks/offroaders: 40's Jeep restored in mid 60's / 69 DuneBuggy (approx +1K lb: VW pan/200hpCorvair: eng, cam, dual carb'w velocity stacks'n 18" runners, 4spd transaxle) made myself from ground up / 1970 Toyota FJ40 / 1973 K5 Blazer (2dr Tahoe, 1 ton axles front/rear, +255K miles when sold it)...
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mkirsch
Nomad II
Nomad II
TenOC wrote:
How often do you need to weigh your RV? $5.00 at the public scales is a lot cheaper.


My public scales are 40 miles in either direction, and I have to deal with angry truck drivers wanting to beat me senseless for daring enter their domain, and idiot scale operators who can't figure out what to do when I say "private."

LOVE the concept regardless. My only question is should I get the 2" or the 2-1/2"? I often tow with an extension that reduces my 2-1/2" receiver to 2".

Putting 10-ply tires on half ton trucks since aught-four.

BarneyS
Explorer III
Explorer III
BurbMan wrote:
I didn't realize it was hydraulic, that makes more sense. Would be cool if it was WD, then you could see the TW when the TT is hitched and then the new TW when WD is engaged, would tell you how much weight is being transferred from the hitch.

That would not tell you how much weight is being transferred. All it would tell you is how much the pressure was when you coupled the trailer and then how much it increased from drawing up the WD bars. Doing that puts the "squeeze" on the ball from the coupler and downward pull of the WD bars on the A frame.
You would need to make some more measurements on the vehicles to determine how much was transferred. ๐Ÿ™‚
Barney
2004 Sunnybrook Titan 30FKS TT
Hensley "Arrow" 1400# hitch (Sold)
Not towing now.
Former tow vehicles were 2016 Ram 2500 CTD, 2002 Ford F250, 7.3 PSD, 1997 Ram 2500 5.9 gas engine

rhagfo
Explorer
Explorer
BurbMan wrote:
I didn't realize it was hydraulic, that makes more sense. Would be cool if it was WD, then you could see the TW when the TT is hitched and then the new TW when WD is engaged, would tell you how much weight is being transferred from the hitch.

Likely uses a load cell.
Russ & Paula the Beagle Belle.
2016 Ram Laramie 3500 Aisin DRW 4X4 Long bed.
2005 Copper Canyon 293 FWSLS, 32' GVWR 12,360#

"Visit and Enjoy Oregon State Parks"

TenOC
Nomad
Nomad
How often do you need to weigh your RV? $5.00 at the public scales is a lot cheaper.
Please give me enough troubles, uncertainty, problems, obstacles and STRESS so that I do not become arrogant, proud, and smug in my own abilities, and enough blessings and good times that I realize that someone else is in charge of my life.

Travel Photos

BurbMan
Explorer II
Explorer II
I didn't realize it was hydraulic, that makes more sense. Would be cool if it was WD, then you could see the TW when the TT is hitched and then the new TW when WD is engaged, would tell you how much weight is being transferred from the hitch.

kmac7800
Explorer
Explorer
I have one of these, and they are great. However I do not tow my TT with it as it is not a weight distribution hitch. I asked the company about getting into WD, and they said they were "looking" into it.

//KMac

drsteve
Explorer
Explorer
If it's anything like the Sherline tongue weight scale, there's no spring--it operates hydraulically. If that's the case, there should be no movement.
2006 Silverado 1500HD Crew Cab 2WD 6.0L 3.73 8600 GVWR
2018 Coachmen Catalina Legacy Edition 223RBS
1991 Palomino Filly PUP