I have been trying to track down some scales for a while now and it's clearly not going to be easy to borrow them (most of the AZ folks with scales live in Phoenix). Anyway, it would be nice if I could corner weigh my car multiple times as I make changes to weight distribution, alignment, etc and there's no way I can afford $1200-1300 for good scales right now. I found these in ebay and I have seen the design many times in the past. I wonder what you guys think of them as a reasonable tool for the CRX. The price is right:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors...71915

 

i have tried those scales and must say they SUCKED...maybe it was the indian behind the scales...

 

Just looking at the pics of those it seems to me that it would be easy to just make a set. It looks like he's just using ordinary bathroom scales (may be high quality well calibrated bathroom scales) with the tire tray placed half way between the scale and the fulcrum giving a 2:1 ratio.

 

where are you in AZ?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by MrIllegalX &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">where are you in AZ?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Tucson.

thumpu77,

You're right, they're simple. If you figure that a "good" bathroom scale will run you about $25-30 each, that's over $100 right there plus the cost of angle iron or whatever you decide to use for building materials. I imagine I might be able to put a set together for about 2/3 of what these are selling for and I'm not sure it would be worth the effort but maybe you're right. Either way, what's stopping them from working? It's just physics.

-travis, who says things like "It's just physics" so that he doesn't have to actually dust off the physics book and do what needs to be done.

 

I've used them before too, or at least they look like the ones I used. There are way to many variables in the process. If you have a lot of time and you are very careful, and you pay alot of attention to setting them up, you might come up with accurate numbers half the time.

 

You know what is better then those? Racing on Sunday!!

 

From my experience with Battlebots (there were very strictly defined weight classes) bathroom scales read 3-5% low on average. If you're going to go with this setup, I recommend getting an electric, shipping-type scale. They go for about 120 a pop, and four of them will still bring you in below the price of a set of good race scales.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by travis &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Tucson.
</TD></TR></TABLE>

Me too. I think a friend of a friend has some he lets people use. I'll get back to you on that.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by DMF &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">You know what is better then those? Racing on Sunday!! </TD></TR></TABLE>

Bah, you're just skeered I'll get the car set-up properly

-travis, who's always happy to borrow somebody's race scales, but has never managed to do so.

 

scales are no longer available to him. sorry

 

I can vouch for them reading 5% low. I just found out I weigh 7 lbs more than I thought.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by SiLooksStock &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I can vouch for them reading 5% low. I just found out I weigh 7 lbs more than I thought. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Would that matter? If they all read low, you'll still get the same %. I'm just curious to know what makes these so difficult to use or setup. I've never used individual scales, so I don't really know what's involved beyond leveling all of the scales and the technical aspects of corner weighing a car. Are these scales just a real PITA to setup and use, or are they not useful at all?

Thanks for all the help guys

MrIllegalX,
Thanks for looking into that for me. I know I will run into a set to use maybe once, but I would really like access to scales on a regular basis until the car is more sorted and doesn't change drastically between every event.

 

Hey travis,

I can't bring any information on how easy these are to use but you might do a google search on "ruggles scales" which I think these are commonly referred to.

I think for my money I would go after the longacre, ect. but then if your were spending my money I suspect you would do the same....

 

Heh, I was talking about body weight, like, my body.

PS: You're sig cracks me up every time I read it. "Handles like a jumping castle"

 

The setup issues are:
1. All four need to have the floor pivot the exact same distance from the center of the scale or there is a different leverage ratio.
2. The tire has to be exactly centered on the pad. If it's off, the leverage will be different between scales.
3. All 4 scales need to level to each other.
4. The height of the floor pivot needs to be fairly close to what the scale is when compressed to keep the ratio farily close. This matters mostly if you care what the actual weight is versus just the percentages on each corner. If they are all set up the same, percentage will be the same.

Basically it's like trying to weigh the car on 4 triple beam balances, except the car is the weight that gets slid on the balance.

See if you can find any stock car guys, pavement or dirt. Many of them have scales.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Mohudsolo &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
See if you can find any stock car guys, pavement or dirt. Many of them have scales.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Very helpful post, thanks. It sounds like these are technical issues that I would have with any lever, including the ruggles scales which I have also considered in the past. Thus far I haven't had any luck finding scales with the local circle track guys, but I'll keep looking. Maybe a few of the AZ people would be interested in buying a set with me? If 4 of us pitch in we can get a set of longacre scales for $250 each. I could swing that. Plus, IP2GSR already said I could spend his money...

SiLooksStock, glad you like the sig

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by travis &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Bah, you're just skeered I'll get the car set-up properly

-travis, who's always happy to borrow somebody's race scales, but has never managed to do so.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Better be careful. I have real suspension now!!

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by DMF &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Better be careful. I have real suspension now!! </TD></TR></TABLE>

See, so you need scales too!

-travis, who will be careful.