Looking to buy scales. Advice?

[cstreit]

I've been thinking about investing in a set of scales. Since I'm changing car setup at least 3-4 times a year, it's a huge hassle to try and take the car somewhere for balancing.

I'm looking at Longacre and Rebco scales. I have a set or ruggles scales but do not like them at all.

Can anyone talk me in/out of it?

Advice on purchase?

[ken180]

Hummm If you a set of Ruggles scales why spend a $1000 or so $??

I use the Ruggles and they work very well. Are you having a problem with the Ruggles??

The only thing the electronic ones offer is a better read-out.

Ken

[304065]

Chris,

I'm here to talk you into it.

Scaling the car, as we know from Carroll Smith's books, is one of the most important elements of suspension setup.

A corner balance job and alignment often runs into the hundreds of dollars, so you'd be paying for the scales if you did the procedure three times anyway.

No matter how diligent your mechanic or alignment shop, there is absolutely no substitute for being able to scale the car in the paddock an hour before the race, to verify that the corner weights are correct, and get a read on total weight for rules purposes.

Get the Longacre. They are expensive, but they are highly liquid. If you decided to take up fly fishing, I think you could have them sold for about 75% of the new price within half an hour.

Now, how about a nice scale platen?

[cstreit]

Ken,

THe scales I have with the Ruggles setup now don't work very well. The scale parts aren't from Ruggles, they are a heavy duty scale though. I'm not convinced that the Ruggles ones will work better. THe problem? The scales aren't that accurate. They definitely aren't consistent.

John, You have my feelings captured well, I'm just trying to minmize my wintertime investment. Coil-overs, fire system, and 1.5 sets of new wheels are breaking the budget!

[addictionMS]

Chris,

If you want to test how liquid Longacre's are buy a set and I will buy them off you within the hour at 75% just to prove the point

Jim

[ken180]

Chris,

My scales came with the unit. As a check, each time I use them, I verify the total weight of the car - so far the variation has been about 10# so that 10#s out of 2300#. If its a matter of cost maybe pick up a set of scales off ebay.

Ken

[cstreit]

Perhaps it's my scales that are the real problem, I just don't want to throw good money after bad.


...and Jim, your generosity is only exceeded by your Wit.

[Cory M]

How do the Longacre scales compare to the Intercomp ones? The main difference being advertised is that the Intercomp scales are machined billet. I've only used the Longacres, anyone who's used both care to chime in?

[ttweed]

Chris-

Have you checked out the Mad Racing scales?
http://www.madone.net/goods.htm
Less expensive than electronic ones, more accurate and functional than Ruggles.

TT

[Chuck Moreland]

If you have any question about the liquidity, just try and buy a used set. I monitored ebay and other channels for a long time, and every set that came up went close to retail. Might as well buy new.

[widebody911]

I'm having problems with my Ruggles setup, and I know it's definitely the scales. I already replaced the shamefully el cheapo scales that came with the setup; the scales that came with it retail for $5 @ Target! I bought slightly better ones, but they too have gone west. I need to find quality scales, and I'll be back in business. Even if I bough $50 scales, I'd still be under the cost of a $1000-$1500 Longacre setup.

[cstreit]

That's my problem with the Ruggles Scales Thom. I've heard the same complain elsewhere. Over the life of the scales, how many times do I expect to replace them? you know?

Tom Tweed, I did see them, but they are essentially the same cantilever setup, and it' the underlying scales that are giving me fits.

[widebody911]

There has to be an economical, rugged, accurate scale out there.

OTOH, I think I can get some serious cash for my old scales. I just weighed myself, and I came in @ 228. The scale at the gym says 245. Women will pay cold hard cash for numbers like that

[cstreit]

Perhaps I should just call Ruggles and discuss my issue with them. THe more I think about it, the more I realize my problem isn't with the cantilevers, it's the scales themselves.

[cstreit]

Anyone checked the accuracy or consistency of the Ruggles brand scales?

[A/SP911]

I could never get repeatabilty with my Ruggles until I disconnected the sway bars.

Near as I can tell there was no preload on the bars but they threw my readings off even if I gently rolled the car off the scales onto the ramps and then back on the scales.

Can anybody explain why this happens?

S.Chapman
Saint John, NB, Canada
A/SP 911
C/S 914

[cstreit]

I would guess that as soon as you change the ride height, you have also changed the pre-load on the bars in one direction?

[KobaltBlau]

I tried to find information on good scales and didn't come up with a lot. the taylor professional line looks pretty good, though, in the $3X dollar range:

http://forums.dietpower.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=180

[cstreit]

MOre expensive than the Longacre digitals... sheesh!

[Jeff Alton]

I want scales too, but just figured I was going to have to pony up a little over a grand for th longacre ones! I want something that is accurate and repeatable. Is there other options that are both?

Jeff