# FYI: Results from a trip to the scales.



## aeronutt (Sep 24, 2008)

Since front-end overloading has been a popular subject lately, I decided to actually weigh mine. I was a little bit surprised at the results. I knew I was technically overloaded, but this...  All weights are with approximately 500 lbs of concrete stacked at the rear of the bed on my '06 Ext Cab, Long bed D-max with 1/2 tank of fuel and just me in the truck.

With Plow:
---- Front: 5380
---- Rear: 3170
---- Total: 8500 (obviously some inaccuracy on the scales... )

Without Plow:
---- Front: 4280
---- Rear: 3480
---- Total: 7750 (closer...)

So, the geometry of hanging a 750 lb plow out front on a long wheelbase vehicle adds 1100 lbs to the front axle. I am still 700 lbs under GVW rating and the truck felt light in the back so I'm going to stack some more concrete against the tailgate. There's no way I'll unweight the front enough to get back down to 4670, but it will help. Sure glad to have the Timbrens up there!


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## Snowaway (Sep 10, 2008)

I don't know what my weight is front to back but when I am loaded with spreader + matierial and plow I weigh in around 10,400 pounds sound like your doing good.


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## Q101ATFD (Oct 24, 2006)

I keep a skid of salt back there as ballast, and it only reduces the front end by about 200 pounds. Our numbers are almost identical, same truck but short bed.


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## Joe D (Oct 2, 2005)

I use to have a hitch platform that slides in the trailer hitch and I would load that with 500lbs of sand bags. This worked better at unloading the front end as it was further away from the axle centerline like the plow is.
My main reason for trying it was I needed the bed open for snow blowers and the ramps


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## GreatWhiteNorth (Oct 14, 2007)

aeronutt;737389 said:


> Since front-end overloading has been a popular subject lately, I decided to actually weigh mine. I was a little bit surprised at the results. I knew I was technically overloaded, but this...  All weights are with approximately 500 lbs of concrete stacked at the rear of the bed on my '06 Ext Cab, Long bed D-max with 1/2 tank of fuel and just me in the truck.
> 
> With Plow:
> ---- Front: 5380
> ...


What is the rating of your front axle. Door tag should tell you. They weigh us on each axle and then total up here. They go by the sticker and not what insurance has been rated. If we are over on one of the 3 then kiss the plow good-bye.


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## aeronutt (Sep 24, 2008)

Door sticker for front GAWR: 4670, rear GAWR: 6084. Just like all the other non-plow prep Chevy trucks. Whether I had 4670 or 4800, either way I'm not likely to remove 700 lbs off the front even with 1000 lbs of ballast hanging off the trailer hitch since I've already got 500 lbs stacked against the tailgate. Lucky for me, I'm not tymusic! I've never heard of a pickup being weighed for overweight snowplows in Nebraska EVER. 

My concern is not for what is legal so much as what is safe. I've added Timbrens to help carry the weight and went one size bigger on tires so I've got 6830 lbs worth of tire capacity on each axle. The rear axle is the same one they make duallies out of, so I've got plenty of safety margin there even if I use 2 tons of ballast. The tradeoff there of course is I'd be 3000 lbs over the total vehicle GVW rating so the brakes start to be a concern. 

I like Joe D's idea for maximizing leverage by using the trailer hitch to hang weight. I've actually been considering this for some time, I just haven't thought of a good way to do it that won't break my back loading it or stick out too far to cause a hazard. Hitch platforms add too much length. I was considering a bar to mount tractor weights or something like that... If I do that and add weight up until I hit the 9200 lb GVWR of the truck I'd probably still be 300 lbs overweight on the front axle, but the truck would be much closer to legal than it is now. I guess the bottom line is that I'm just not concerned enough about LEOs to stop using the truck for snowplowing because it does such a great job at it and I've never seen anybody in this area get busted.


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## aeronutt (Sep 24, 2008)

I'm pulling this old thread up with an update just for historical archiving purposes. I just got back from a trip to the scales with my new tractor weight ballast installed. These weights are with full tank of fuel, me in the truck, 600 lbs of tractor suitcase weights hanging off the receiver hitch, and nothing in the bed. By using the tractor weights, I've managed to remove another 200 lbs from the front axle while adding almost nothing to the back axle. The original weigh above was with 1/2 tank of fuel, this one was with full fuel and I still lightened the front end by 200...

Front Axle: 5160
Rear Axle: 3420
Total weight: 8580


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## bowtie_guy (Jan 1, 2004)

Interesting how the leverage works on that..

Your over on dp right?? Setup looks familiar.


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## JDiepstra (Sep 15, 2008)

Where did you get that tractor weight set up? Looks good.


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## Santry426 (Nov 18, 2009)

That thing will do some damage backing into something or if someone hits you!


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## Q101ATFD (Oct 24, 2006)

Too bad that won't work for us that have salt spreaders...


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## Triple L (Nov 1, 2005)

aeronutt;740993 said:


> . Lucky for me, I'm not tymusic! I've never heard of a pickup being weighed for overweight snowplows in Nebraska EVER.


LOL, were not the ones having problems with being overweight.... I cant belive how worried all you american guys are at being overweight... Lucky for me Im not ussmileyflag


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## basher (Nov 13, 2004)

Q101ATFD;923661 said:


> Too bad that won't work for us that have salt spreaders...


you don't think the weight of the spreader won't have the same effect?


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## Q101ATFD (Oct 24, 2006)

basher;923668 said:


> you don't think the weight of the spreader won't have the same effect?


Well, seeing how my spreader only weighs 110lb, and the fact that I don't drive from site to site with any salt in there, no.

Why are there so many people on here at 7am on xmas eve??? Merry Christmas!


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## basher (Nov 13, 2004)

A pallet of salt by the tailgate will have the same effect.


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## Q101ATFD (Oct 24, 2006)

basher;923856 said:


> A pallet of salt by the tailgate will have the same effect.


Yes, the salt will have the same effect, but the spreader won't. I love having a skid of salt back there for the ballast, but I hate using it.


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## Matt400 (Dec 23, 2009)

JDiepstra;923441 said:


> Where did you get that tractor weight set up? Looks good.


X2, leaves the bed clean


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## aeronutt (Sep 24, 2008)

Matt, I bought the tractor weights off of Craigslist and spent an hour or two with my drill press and welder fabricating the mount. When the Big Thaw happens, I'm going to pull it all apart again to sandblast and paint it properly. It's rusting badly right now with all the salt that gets splashed up there. It doesn't help that I didn't even shoot rattle-can paint on it when I built it.  I'll post up some better pics showing how the mount is constructed when I have it all clean and pretty.


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## Matt400 (Dec 23, 2009)

I will have to keep an eye out for those. i found a receiver mount for those weights but most places want a $1.00 or more per pound so 500 lbs would be pretty spendy to free up the bed space.


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