Grassroots 4-corner scales?

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.

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.

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

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.

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

Worth 1000 words:

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

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.

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]

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

http://www.turbosport.co.uk/showthread.php?153066-How-to-corner-weight-your-car-for-under-a-tenner!

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

Scales for sale: Click

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

KJ

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?

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.

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...

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....

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.