Blue Ink Tech Blog

How much do different truck scale solutions cost?

Written by Mike Riegel | Jan 20, 2023 9:16:10 PM

Scaling trucks has been a part of trucking since the mid-20th century, with weight restrictions going back to the very beginning of the industry before scales existed that could weigh an entire truck. Damage to roads and bridges has always been a concern. Since nobody wants to pay more taxes than necessary, trucks and their loads will continue to be restricted.

Making sure that your truck is always properly loaded can a lot of positive effects. It can make load securement easier, help prevent a truck rollover accident, and save you lots of money in diesel and tires.

Nowadays there are a lot of ways to weigh a truck, all of which come with different cost, accuracy, installation needs and upkeep. Here are a few of the most common truck scaling solutions on the market.

 

Pressure gauges for determining if overloaded

One of the lowest cost ways of get your truck's weight is with a pressure gauge connected to the air suspension. This method is a quick way to determining if you are overloaded on an axle group. If you are a math savvy trucker you can use pressure gauges to estimate your truck weight.

Typically, when a truck's axle is maxed out you can note the pressure and use that reading as a reference for future loads. This is a great way to find out if you need to adjust an axle or shift load weights before getting on the road.

This is a great solution for owner/operators who use the same truck and trailer every day and just need to know that they are inside the legal weight limits.

 

Cost $15-$30
Application Determining if you are overloaded on an axle or not
Ideal User Owner/operator
Install Time 10-15 minutes
Calibration One-time calibration to find what the maximum safe pressure is for a legal weight
Pros
Cons
  • Not good at giving an actual weight

  • Not suitable for situations where multiple drivers will use different truck/trailer configurations

 

Onboard truck scales for air suspensions

If you need a truck scale solution that is a little more accurate and can work for multiple drivers in drop-and-hook applications, then you will want to consider Bluetooth-enabled onboard truck scales for air suspensions.

These types of scales typically read out in actual pounds on an analog or digital display or in an application running on a phone. Phone apps can allow users to connect to multiple configurations of trucks and trailers easily.

With a proper calibration process these types of truck scales can also provide steer axle weights even if the steer axle rides on springs.

 

Click to try the BIT Air Scales Savings Calculator


Cost $150 - $500
Application Determining how much weight is on each axle group and what the total gross weight is.
Ideal User Owner/operators and fleets who want drivers to know if they are legal
Install Time 10-15 minutes
Calibration Just scale a few loads for the unit to associate different weights with compatible pressure readings
Pros
  •  Good at determining how much weight is on each axle
  • Works well with multiple drivers and drop-and-hook applications

  • Quickly determine if you need to slide the 5th wheel or trailer tandems to adjust loads

Cons

Not suitable for trade applications where high degrees of accuracy are needed

Onboard truck scales for spring suspensions

If you have an older fleet that only has spring suspensions then you will want to look at a more involved onboard scaling solution. Spring suspensions will require strain gauges to be installed on the springs to measure the flex of the metal as it goes under a load.

These truck scales are highly accurate but require a professional to install and service if there are problems. This may require you to take some assets out of service to get worked on.

 

Cost $900 - $2,000
Application Determining how much weight is on each axle group and what the total gross weight is.
Ideal User Owner/operators and fleets who want drivers to know if they are legal
Install Time hours to days
Calibration Just scale a few loads for the unit to associate different weights with compatible pressure readings
Pros
  • Good at determining how much weight is on each axle

  • Works well with multiple drivers and drop-and-hook applications

  • Quickly determine if you need to slide the 5th wheel or trailer tandems to adjust loads

Cons
  • Expensive

  • Requires taking assets down to get installed and welded
  • Servicing and maintenance is more involved

 

 

Portable truck axle scales

Portable axle scales are growing in popularity. DOT is known to use portable axle scales to weigh trucks at roadside when there is not a weigh station nearby.

Portable axle scales can also be used by drivers who might be 50+ miles away from an in-ground scale and haul commodities that can easily overload trucks. These scales lay flat on the ground and the truck can drive on top of them to see what the axle weighs. Adding all of the axle weights together will give the gross weight of the load.

This solution can be a little tedious to work with and can take several minutes to get the total weight of the load.

 

Cost $1,500 - $5,000
Application Determining how much weight is on each axle group and what the total gross weight is.
Ideal User Drivers who load in fields or remote places where in-ground scales are far away.
Install Time No installation
Calibration Can be calibrated with known weights on hand or by a certified calibration body.
Pros
  • Good at determining how much weight is on each axle

  • Can be used anywhere on flat land

Cons
  • Scaling requires a lot of getting in and out of the truck to get axle weights

  • Expensive
  • Can get out of adjustment if brakes are applied to forcefully on the unit.

 

In-ground truck weight scales

In-ground truck scales are the most accurate and long-lasting type of truck scales. These units can be used for trade where the carrier or driver gets paid by weight. This truck scaling solution is one of the most popular in many industries.

If your operation loads out of the same location and has a large volume to traffic such as: farm fields, coal mines, quarries, and other bulk commodities this is an ideal solution for scaling.

Installation of this type of truck scaling solution requires concrete pads to be poured and professionals to install, maintain and calibrate.

 

Cost $30,000 - $100,000
Application Scaling large volumes of trucks quickly and accurately
Ideal User Large operations working with large volumes of commodities that need move quickly and accurately
Install Time Months
Calibration Professionally calibrated by certified 3rd party scaling experts who can guarantee accuracy.
Pros
  • Quickly scale large amounts of trucking traffic

  • Easy to use

  • Very durable and long lasting

Cons
  • Very expensive

  • Requires professionals for maintenance and calibration
  • Can cause problems if damaged or needs replaced quickly

 

Pay per use truck scales

Pay per use truck scales are the most popular way to scale a truck today. It requires nothing from the driver other than pulling onto the scale to get their weight. These scales can provide steer, drive, trailer and gross weights so drivers can see if they are legal or need to move axles around.

These scales are professionally calibrated and maintained by the owner who makes sure they are always working. This takes any burden off of a driver or owner/operator who wants to know what they weigh without paying for their own truck scale solution.

If you need to scale a few times per month this is a great solution for knowing if you are legal. However, if you need to scale loads 2-3 times per week or every load you pick up the cost can start to run away. This can add up to over $1,300/year per truck.

 

Cost $8 - $13 per use
Application Determining how much weight is on each axle group and what the total gross weight is.
Ideal User Any truck driver who needs to know if they are under legal limits
Install Time No Installation
Calibration Professionally calibrated by certified 3rd party scaling experts who can guarantee accuracy.
Pros
  • No maintenance required

  • Guaranteed accuracy

  • Always available

Cons
  • May be far or out of the way to scale

  • Cost can add up quick if scaling often