The Sherline Trailer Tongue Weight Scale was developed to make it easy to obtain tongue weight on non-commercial trailers for safe loading and proper trailer handling. Though not a part of the Sherline miniature machine tools line, it is a venture into a new area for us. The owner, Joe Martin, campaigns several racecars in vintage and SCCA racing and has much experience in towing trailers. Due to his own loading and towing experiences, he felt a product like this was much needed to make trailer setup easier.
Several magazines have done reviews on the scale and have all been very positive about its use. You may read about it in the October, 1995 issue of Trailer Life Magazine (see page 56). An article about trailering and use of the scale was featured in the January 1996 issue of Sports Car Magazine, the publication of the Sports Car Club of America. Another article was run in the August 1995 issue of Victory Lane, the publication of the Vintage Automobile Racing Association, and an article in Crusing Style Magazine out of Florida ran in May '96. (The articles refer to the scale under the original LoadMaster name.) Mike Luebben wrote an informative article for artists who trailer their displays and wares to art shows entitled Transportation Tales of Terror in the September 2006 issue of Sunshine Artist magazine. Copies of the articles can be obtained by calling Craig at Sherline at (760) 727-5857.
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"I just purchased a trailer and I'm new to the entire process. The first time I used it, I found the tongue was significantly overloaded (300+ lbs!). Obviously I don't need it every trip, but as I add equipment on the trailer or even load competition supplies into the car on the trailer, it's handy to easily and quickly check the tongue weight. This is a product that will clearly be handy for years." —M.S., Santa Ana, CA |
The scale is available in three weight ranges: 0-1000 lb (0-460 kg), 0-2000 lb (0-900 kg) and 0-5000 lb (0-2250 kg). Retail price for each is $110.00 and they are available from several sources including the McMaster-Carr tool catalog and through Draw-Tite trailer representatives. They can also be purchased factory direct and through some Sherline dealers. Sherline also offers a suspended "fish scale" version of the scale available for estimating the weight of loads that can be lifted from overhead. It is called the Sherline Suspended Hydraulic Scale. This will be a good item for small manufacturing businesses, utility companies or farm applications. Call us for the name of the dealer nearest you or for more information.
All new gages shipped from the factory after 5/02 have a dual-scale gage that reads in pounds on the outside of the ring and the kilogram equivalent on the inside. This feature has been requested by many trailer users outside the USA and has now been incorporated into all the scales. The 0-1000 lb gage reads to 460 kg, the 0-2000 lb gage reads to 900 kg and the 0-5000 lb gage reads to 2250 kg.
If you'd like to read about some things that happened or nearly happened to trailers that were improperly loaded, click on the headline above. Many of these stories come from the engineers of trailer manufacturers who told us some of the things their customers did wrong with their trailers.
Published here are the complete instructions that come with the Sherline Trailer Tongue Weight Scale. As a service to those who may want to learn more about safe trailering, we have made them available for your use. At the end of the instructions are two sections that might also be of interest to you. They may be referenced there or by going directly to them from here if you wish.
Open a .PDF Version of the TOWING GUIDE (143 KB) (Adobe Acrobat Reader Required) Includes Safe Towing Checklist and Trailer Loading and Balance Worksheet.
Open a copy of the Care and Tips sheet that comes with each scale.
Click on the above image to view an 8-1/2 x 11" flyer about the trailer tongue scale. (.PDF file)
Scale Product Evaluation, Trailer Life Magazine, October, 1994 (When scale was still called LoadMaster)
Transportation Tales of Terror--How to avoid trailer-towing disaster, by Dave Luebben (Sunshine Artist Magazine, Sept. 2006)
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Publication 243 FW 5: http://www.fws.gov/policy/243fw5.html
D.O.T., NHTSA towing safety brochure DOT HS 809 433: http://www.nhtsa.gov/CARS/PROBLEMS/Equipment/towing/index.htm
| Model No. | Dual-ring Gage Ranges |
| LM-1000 | 0-1000 lb/0-460 kg |
| LM-2000 | 0-2000 lb/0-900 kg |
| LM-5000 | 0-5000 lb/0-2250 kg |
|
Height |
4.5" (11.4 cm) |
|
Height w/ extension |
6.75" (17.1 cm) |
|
Body diameter |
3.25" (8.3 cm) |
|
Max. width at gauge |
7.0" (17.8 cm) |
|
Actual weight |
4.42 lb (2.0 kg) |
|
Shipping weight |
6 lb (2.72 kg) |
|
Gauge diameter |
2.75" (7 cm) |
|
Gauge scales |
1. Outer Scale: 0-1000 lb = Numbers @
200 lb, marks @ 20 lb increments (Inner
Scale: 0-460 kg) |
| Hydraulic Fluid | Texaco Regal R&O 68 industrial (turbine) oil |
| DISTRIBUTOR | PHONE NUMBER |
| @DPP | (800)621-8334 |
| Draw-Tite Trailers | (888) 437-2984 |
| McMaster-Carr | Atlanta (404) 346-7000 |
| McMaster-Carr | Chicago (630) 833-0300 |
| McMaster-Carr | Cleveland (330) 995-5500 |
| McMaster-Carr | Los Angeles (562) 692-5911 |
| McMaster-Carr | New York City/Philadelphia (732) 329-3200 |
NOTICE OF NAME CHANGE!Since its introduction, Sherline scales have been marketed under the name of Load-Master. It has recently come to our attention that a company in Ohio has been using the Load-Master name on a line of heavy duty truck scales for many years and had registered the trademark. We do not wish to cause any confusion with their line of commercial truck scales and are therefore changing the name of our product to the corporate name of Sherline scales. The photo above shows the new label.
DEALER INQUIRIES ARE WELCOME.
Call Sherline for information or to order.
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