View Full Version : The cheapest way to weigh your car
DarkBuddha
12-20-2007, 08:26 PM
I wasn't sure where to post this, but I wanted to share this.
We all know that vehicle weight and corner weight and balance have a big effect on performance and handling, and it can be surprising how ill-distributed the weight is in many cars. Just getting decent front to rear balance can make a good bit of difference. So if you've got the coin (or are lucky) you can have your car corner weighted by a race shop or a friend with access. But there may be an alternative... what if you could weigh your car using a couple pieces of posterboard and a ruler (and some math)? Could be the cheapest and easiest way to get a relatively reasonable idea of your car's weight. In fact, if someone could test the method against some actual corner scales, it might be a great way for us regular (and poor) folks to check the corner weights of our cars or at least help balance the car a bit.
Here's the link: http://www.metacafe.com/watch/497205/can_you_weight_a_car/
Hope someone finds it useful...
Project69
12-20-2007, 08:31 PM
im gonna do this now lol
would this work for aftermarket tires?
DarkBuddha
12-20-2007, 08:53 PM
No reason it shouldn't. And depending on sidewall strength I'd think it might be more accurate.
That's pretty neat. I wonder how accurate it really is?
I've seen a lot lately about scaling cars and equal weight distribution, and one question keeps coming to mind....(don't mean to hi-jack your thread DB) But how exactly do you make changes/adjustments on a non-adjustable suspension? With coil-overs and 3 or 4 links, I can see how you could move the weight around, but what about coil springs (front) and leaf springs (rear)?
DarkBuddha
12-20-2007, 11:35 PM
I suppose you've gotta do it the old fashioned way and literally move the weight... things like moving the battery to the trunk or mounting the alternator on the other side of the engine are examples. Or, I imagine you could actually cut, shim, or replace regular coils down as necessary to get the same effects as an adjustable suspension. Or maybe use "helper springs" or airbags (and I don't mean the fancy stuff like AirRide).
neki67
12-21-2007, 12:31 AM
Something worth trying. Thanks for the link.
indyjps
12-21-2007, 11:19 AM
gives you a baseline. I think having a very accurate tire guage is key when trying this.
Rolling_Thunder
12-21-2007, 12:02 PM
I have a 4 corner scale system :)
Fuelie Fan
12-21-2007, 12:12 PM
i imagine tread area factors in, correct? If so slicks would be the most accurate
nicks67camaro
12-21-2007, 12:25 PM
I have a 4 corner scale system :)
Maybe you can do both methods and report how accurate it is?????
CarlC
12-21-2007, 03:19 PM
This is all based on a tire contact patch that provides a perfect rectangle. Yeah, right.
Given their example, why couldn't you do one at 30 psi and the second at 25 psi. The results should be the same. I know how I'd bet.
Even they say if you get it within 10% of actual you are doing good. 10% is a lot when trying to tune.
megaladon6
12-21-2007, 03:43 PM
i think that will only work with 4 tires of the same size too.
hoosiergta
12-22-2007, 08:07 AM
Same size and wear pattern usually the front get a little rounded on the edges.
Steve1968LS2
12-22-2007, 08:29 AM
It costs me $10 to have a "Curiosity Weight" done at my local truck scale. I get overall weight and the front/rear axle weights.
It's not super precise but it's within 10-20lbs... and $10 is pretty cheap
Although I heard our tech center just got in a set of corner scales :D
gsxrken
12-22-2007, 12:36 PM
Most dragstrips have a scale right at or near the timeslip booth. "Free" if you are there anyway.
Like many things, I didn't write it down b/c I figured I'd remember it. IIRC, my Mach 1 was 3,300 without me in it.
Changing tire pressure will change the corner weight. To use the above method you would want to make sure that the car was always in the same place when the measurements were taken, and then convert your actual weights into percentages of total weight. you would also want to make sure that you had the same amount of gas in the tank every time.
aonghus
12-26-2007, 07:33 PM
A little off subject, but that girl had a hot accent.
:firefire:
trapin
12-27-2007, 05:58 AM
Years ago my buddy Dennis and I took his '70 Cutlass up to a highway weigh station and just asked the officer if we could drive our car on it to see how much it weighed. It was no problem at all. He read off the weight for us and we were on our merry way. No charge.
nicks67camaro
12-27-2007, 08:46 AM
Years ago my buddy Dennis and I took his '70 Cutlass up to a highway weigh station and just asked the officer if we could drive our car on it to see how much it weighed. It was no problem at all. He read off the weight for us and we were on our merry way. No charge.
My buddy weighted his Nova the same way but the station was closed. They kept the scales on and you could just peek in the window to get the weight.
SatisTraction
12-27-2007, 09:35 AM
i have weighed the front end and then the rear end on public scales to get a balance. Not perfect but it gives you an idea of your cars balance. i would assume you could do each side and mathmatically figure it all out. or even do one wheel at time.
Todds69
12-28-2007, 03:41 PM
It costs me $10 to have a "Curiosity Weight" done at my local truck scale. I get overall weight and the front/rear axle weights.
It's not super precise but it's within 10-20lbs... and $10 is pretty cheap
Although I heard our tech center just got in a set of corner scales :D
This is the same thing I did years ago...Cheap and easy.
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