SW_FAQ

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What does it cost to weigh my RV?

The weighing fees are:
• Motorhome: $45
• Towed Vehicle (toad): $10
• Towable RV & Tow Vehicle: $55
• Truck Camper: $45

Why is SmartWeigh better than a truck scale?

Truck scales are platform scales, which give you only the weight for the axle. Individual wheel weights are necessary to identify and resolve side-to-side balance and tire loading issues. Truck platform scales can actually give you a false "safe" indication and allow you to operate with one or more tires overloaded.

Why is SmartWeigh so much more expensive than weighing at a truck scale?

There's quite a difference in the service you receive. At a truck scale, you drive onto the platform scale and receive a printout of your axle weights for $5-$10. The system is designed to weigh commercial trucks quickly and primarily provide only the total weight. At a SmartWeigh event, we will first help you collect all of your vehicle’s weight and tire ratings. Then, we will weigh each wheel or wheel pair on your RV and tow vehicle individually, with highly accurate Load-o-meter scales (www.loadometer.com), and provide you with a printed weight sheet. You also receive a worksheet to calculate your weights, printed information to assist you in identifying and correcting overweight conditions, and resources to help you determine the correct tire pressure for all of your tires, based on the load they are carrying. SmartWeigh costs more, but you get more.

Why aren't the SmartWeigh scales "certified"? What does "certified" vs. "For Informational Purposes Only" mean?

Certified scales are legal for trade, like weighing fruit at the store or over-the-road trucks for DOT road limits. Certification does not, in itself, improve accuracy, it only serves to provide independent government oversight of trade-by-weight operations. Certification is a costly and difficult thing to maintain, and since SmartWeigh is not dealing with a "for trade" situation, we don't spend that money needlessly. We do annually test and calibrate our scales, and we field test them to manufacturer's specs several times during the year , so you will receive accurate weights, just not certified weights.

How do I determine the correct inflation pressure for my tires?

Once you have been weighed, you will receive a weight information sheet that includes your individual wheel weights. Using the tire manufacturer's Load / Inflation chart for your tire model number and size, you can determine the correct inflation pressure for the load the tire is carrying. Some links to Load / Inflation charts for popular RV and truck tire manufacturers are available here.

Does SmartWeigh provide the tongue weight during the "Towable RV" weighing?

When weighing a towable, typically the truck is run through first without the trailer, then the trailer is hitched and the whole package is weighed again. That way, you get not only the tongue weight, but also the changes in weight distribution on the truck when you hitch up.

Can I drive up anytime and get weighed?

Currently, we are unable to offer weighing on a “will-call” basis. In other words, you can’t just drive up anytime and get weighed. The weighing staff and equipment will only be available for the events and/or permanent weigh site operating times and dates listed on the Event Calendar page. In the future, we hope to be able to offer more weighing opportunities at more locations. Please be patient as we develop the program and expand it.

Do I need to make reservations for SmartWeigh, or pay in advance?

For scheduled weekly weighing opportunities at Rainbow's End, you can stop by the headquarters offices in person to sign up, you can call 888-757-2582, or email us.
For scheduled weekly weighing opportunities at North Ranch, just call the onsite Weighmaster, George Wickholm at 509-999-4429.
For rallies at Rainbow Parks, like Boot Camp and Octoberfest, you can sign up for weighing at the SmartWeigh booth or table in the same area where you register for the rally.
At Escapade, you can sign up for weighing at the Escapees SmartWeigh booth in the hospitality area.

I want to bring my RV to Rainbow's End and get weighed. Please explain the process, and tell me what to expect.

To sign up for weighing at Rainbow's End, just call us at 888-757-2582 and ask for SmartWeigh Registration. We'll sign you up for a time slot in advance, and send you an information sheet that you will need to fill out and bring to the scales, and a prep sheet that tells you how to prepare your RV for weighing. Then, just drive your rig to the park and be at the scales at your assigned time. No need to get here early. For a map and directions to the park, you can download the "Before You Arrive to Weigh" Tip Sheet for Rainbow's End on our Downloads page . Be sure to check out our great training videos while you are there. These videos are short tutorials on basic weight and safety concepts and will help you fill out your SmartWeigh information sheet.

If you prefer, you can bring your RV to the park, stay a night (or more), and sign up here at the headquarters office in person M-F from 8am til 4 pm (at least a day in advance). In fact, you can stay as long as you like! :-) Escapees members don't need reservations to stay at any Rainbow Park, just come on up and we'll get you a site. Some folks prefer to weigh on the morning of their departure from the park, but you can do it any way that suits you. The RV park office phone is 936-327-1279

Just bring your RV and your completed SmartWeigh information sheet to the scale at your appointment time, and we do the rest. The whole process takes about 15-20 minutes.

I want to bring my RV to North Ranch and get weighed. Please explain the process, and tell me what to expect.

To sign up for weighing at North Ranch, just call the onsite Weighmaster, George Wickholm at 509-999-4429. He'll sign you up for a time slot in advance, and give you some options on acquiring the information sheet that you will need to fill out and bring to the scales, and the prep sheet that tells you how to prepare your RV for weighing. For a map and directions to the park, you can download the "Before You Arrive to Weigh" Tip Sheet for North Ranch on our Downloads page. Be sure to check out our great training videos while you are there. These videos are short tutorials on basic weight and safety concepts and will help you fill out your SmartWeigh information sheet.

If you prefer, you can bring your RV to the park, stay a night (or more), and contact George at the park. There is an information display in the park manager's office with some of George's cards, so you can easily contact him. Some folks prefer to weigh on the morning of their departure from the park, but you can explore other options / times with George. Just bring your RV and your completed SmartWeigh information sheet to the scale at your appointment time, and we do the rest. The whole process takes about 15-20 minutes.

If you are towing a 5th wheel or trailer, we will need to weigh the tow vehicle without the trailer attached, and also weigh the whole package with the trailer hitched up. It doesn't matter which one we do first, we just need to do both on the same day to get a valid weight. Motorhomes just drive thru the scale, and if you want a towed car weighed, we can do it hitched, or you can bring the tow car to the scale separately.

I'm not planning on attending the rally or event, but I would still like to get weighed. Can you accomodate me?

For most events, the answer is Yes! The one exception is at Escapade: Due to the large number of RVs involved, we are only able to offer weighing to Escapade attendees. At other events, like Boot Camp, CARE Fair, and Octoberfest, you can sign up in advance and reserve a time slot at the scales even if you are not attending the rally or event. Just give us a call at 888-757-2582.

You must sign up, pay in advance, and complete a SmartWeigh information sheet in order to weigh your RV!