Axle Weights

[LSolheim]

After 13 years and with Amphi's odometer now having rolled past 103,000 miles, I am beginning the transition to an enclosed trailer versus flat towing, for at least major trips. I have had no issues, but as I scraped the mud off after the last two days of returning from Lake Havasu in a virtual monsoon (I think some "barn-find" cars have been cleaner) the value of the vehicle and the thought that there is more action in gathering-motel headquarters than at a the campground across the lake were the final deciding factors.

I have figured out most of what I am looking for in a trailer, but am still looking to identify actual vehicle weights. There is no local scale so I am looking to find if anyone has weighed and determined actual front and rear axle loading?

The curb weight of the Amphicar is about 2,400# and the "permissible" axle loads are listed as 1,130# (F) & 1,826# (R), but I am looking for actual axle loading with the car unloaded. Knowing these weights, with the Center of Gravity 50" aft of the front axle (and about 33" forward of the rear axle), I can calculate the needed position of the car over the trailer axles to control trailer tongue weight.

Thanks (& Happy Thanksgiving)! --Larry

 

[LSolheim]

I was able to answer my own question with the help of the local potato distributor.

With 1/2 tank of fuel, Amphi weighed in at 2,380#. Putting the jacking point (balance point) on the edge of the scale, the front end was 900# and the rear wheels were 1,480# when I moved to the other end of the scale. So with the empty trailer tongue weight at 10% (230#) I just need to insure the jacking point is about 2-1/2" behind the center point of the trailer axles to hold the loaded toungue weight at about 530#!

--Larry

 

[Gr8cobbler]

Posted: Fri Aug 31, 2012 4:10 pm Post subject:

Here is a trick I just used to get the actual weight at the wheels. I used a 2X4 marked at 1 foot and at 3 foot, a block, short length of pipe and a bathroom scale. Putting the pipe on the scale at the 3' mark and the car on the 1' mark with the block as close to the zero end of the 2x4 as you can get. Take the reading on the scale and multiply that number by 3. You should have the weight at the wheel and a scale that still works.

I had 10-15 lbs of difference at each rear wheels and about the same diffrence at the front. I attributed that to the slight changes in tire and pipe placement on the board. When I added all the wheel weights I was within 20 lbs of what the total car clocked in at on the scale (the local scrapyard lets me weigh for free). You can use the results to calculate the weight ratio too, just divide the weight at the front or rear from the total.

I thought it was a pretty slick trick, guess folks use this method to measure tongue weight on trailers too.

 

[strandweiss62]