Forums » Grassroots Motorsports » Grassroots 4-corner scales?
  • speedblind

    Sept. 26, 2010 9:25 a.m. speedblind Reader

    So it's something I've been thinking about for awhile, and am about to pull the trigger. Budget is somewhere in the $1,000 range. I basically need a way to keep track of the weight of my car at all four corners, but don't know where to start.

    Things I'd like:

    Accuracy/repeatability (obviously the most important thing - tired of "borrowing" truck scales)

    Digital readout

    Some ability to adjust to level

    Display of all four corners on one screen

    Essentially I'm looking for feedback from folks that have bought and used scales and know what to look for - things you're glad you have and things you wished you'd held out for.

  • ReverendDexter

    Sept. 26, 2010 9:33 a.m. ReverendDexter Dork

    I've seen setups that use bathroom scales and a levered setup with 2x4s such that you're only putting a percentage of the corner weight on the scales.

    The setup I'm thinking of is documented in Mustang Performance Handbook 2 - William Mathis

    EDIT: That's considerably UNDER your budget, and won't give you the single-screen setup your looking for.

    --There is no turd more polished than the Ford Mustang--

  • DILYSI Dave

    Sept. 26, 2010 9:58 a.m. DILYSI Dave SuperDork

    Since you've got $1000 towork with, you should be able to find something from Longacre that will do the job.

    I've got a set, and FWIW, I also got the cart. Well worth having. http://www.racerpartswholesale.com/product/1490/Scale_Storage_And_Transport

  • unevolved

    Sept. 26, 2010 12:08 p.m. unevolved HalfDork

    ReverendDexter wrote: I've seen setups that use bathroom scales and a levered setup with 2x4s such that you're only putting a percentage of the corner weight on the scales. The setup I'm thinking of is documented in Mustang Performance Handbook 2 - William Mathis EDIT: That's considerably UNDER your budget, and won't give you the single-screen setup your looking for.

    Second this method. We use something similar, but with aluminum.

    Texas A&M Racing

  • Giant Purple Snorklewacker

    Sept. 26, 2010 12:28 p.m. Giant Purple Snorklewacker SuperDork

    1" square tubing + $12 x 4 for analog Walmart scales + fulcrum/lever maths = cornerweights for approximately $75.

    Worth 1000 words:

    Lord of drivel and harbinger of Floundering

  • fornetti14

    Sept. 26, 2010 5:21 p.m. fornetti14 Reader

    Find some racing friends that already have a set of scales.

    All cars are now running. Time to go shopping for something that is broken.

  • CLH

    Sept. 26, 2010 6:16 p.m. CLH New Reader

    For $1k you may be able to find a used set of real CW scales if you're patient. If you aren't patient (like me), go with the snorklewacker method.

    Erwin Schrödinger will kill you like a cat in a box. Maybe.

  • fast_eddie_72

    Sept. 27, 2010 1:08 a.m. fast_eddie_72 Reader

    Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote: 1" square tubing + $12 x 4 for analog Walmart scales + fulcrum/lever maths = cornerweights for approximately $75.

    That's the best looking set up like that I've seen. I'm going to do this when I have some time. [/THREADJACK]

  • Sept. 27, 2010 7:04 a.m. mistanfo SuperDork

    Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote: 1" square tubing + $12 x 4 for analog Walmart scales + fulcrum/lever maths = cornerweights for approximately $75. Worth 1000 words:

    I'm surprised that someone hasn't set up production on that sort of device. Could likely sell them for a decent profit, and not too large to ship easily.

  • Giant Purple Snorklewacker

    Sept. 27, 2010 7:15 a.m. Giant Purple Snorklewacker SuperDork

    mistanfo wrote:
    Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote: 1" square tubing + $12 x 4 for analog Walmart scales + fulcrum/lever maths = cornerweights for approximately $75. Worth 1000 words:

    I'm surprised that someone hasn't set up production on that sort of device. Could likely sell them for a decent profit, and not too large to ship easily.

    How much would you like to pay me to make 4 more for you ;)

    EDIT: Aircraft Spruce used to sell them under the name Ruggles' Scales for $275 w/o scales. The ones I made for myself are a little beefier than that photo and in place of the "wheel basket" I have a floating plate that mates up to a 2x12" wooden ramp. They seriously cost me $75 with scales and 2hrs of making smoke.

    Lord of drivel and harbinger of Floundering

  • porksboy

    Sept. 27, 2010 8:20 a.m. porksboy Dork

    Hey Snorkie, can we get some photos of your set up please?

    I worry about reincarnation. What if I’m not hung as well next time around? The Buddha said Not to grasp- life is transitory. Damn it some things a man gets used to grasping.

  • Lugnut

    Sept. 27, 2010 11:23 a.m. Lugnut HalfDork

    Rather than fulcrums and maths, I recall seeing somewhere that somebody just used four scales somehow secured to a board for each corner (so 16 scales total), adding up all 4 for each corner to get the weight.

    I am a King Prawn.

  • Giant Purple Snorklewacker

    Sept. 27, 2010 11:58 a.m. Giant Purple Snorklewacker SuperDork

    porksboy wrote: Hey Snorkie, can we get some photos of your set up please?

    I'll dig one down out of the rafters and snap a pic... very similar to the one I posted except I made it so I can roll the car back and forth to re-settle it after screwing the collars up/down. The only major difference is the part where the tire goes on mine is diamond plate. It "floats" in that its not attached. It just sets on there. The scale doesn't seem to bind.

    Lord of drivel and harbinger of Floundering

  • Raze

    Sept. 27, 2010 1:33 p.m. Raze Dork

    http://www.turbosport.co.uk/showthread.php?153066-How-to-corner-weight-your-car-fo...

    cheapeast, easiest yet, I'm going to try this method, though I will probably need 3 scales per corner...

  • Kendall_Jones

    Sept. 27, 2010 1:57 p.m. Kendall_Jones Reader

    Scales for sale: Click

    and yes, they are mine. I bought them from GRM some years ago. Work great.

    KJ

  • hamburglar

    Sept. 27, 2010 2:07 p.m. hamburglar New Reader

    In Reply to Lugnut: I'm not sure that you can simply add the four scales in that setup, wouldn't the fact that they are not at a single "point" mess it up. I'm visualising it as a lever.

    Question on that sweet looking levered scale setup... How precisely do you have to level the fulcrum with respect to the scale?

  • Keith

    Sept. 27, 2010 2:26 p.m. Keith SuperDork

    We have a set of the Longacre ones at the shop, and I seem to recall they were just under $1k. The wireless ones would be nice, but I'm pretty happy with our budget ones.

    Square left in 50 caution ocean!

  • Raze

    Sept. 27, 2010 2:30 p.m. Raze Dork

    hamburglar wrote: In Reply to Lugnut: I'm not sure that you can simply add the four scales in that setup, wouldn't the fact that they are not at a single "point" mess it up. I'm visualising it as a lever. Question on that sweet looking levered scale setup... How precisely do you have to level the fulcrum with respect to the scale?

    see my post...

  • Sept. 27, 2010 5:29 p.m. bigbens6 New Reader

    Biggest problem i see wit the fulcrum is that you have to be absurdly precise in the wheel position along the lever arm, with scales you just need to be ON the scale... with the lever are you have to be on the fulcrum, same distance, same length for lever arm, position of weight, just adds more variables IMO....

  • SkinnyG

    Sept. 27, 2010 10:57 p.m. SkinnyG Reader

    I made a set of the lever/fulcrum type and I had a difficult time getting consistency with them. I ended up getting the cheaper Longacre set and I've been much happier.

    Lose 1000lbs - ask me how! www.gwellwood.com

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