Klorinth Posted March 4, 2016 Share Posted March 4, 2016 I need some help. I have asked some others and done some searching but I can't find the right information. I am trying to find a basic idea of what different truck/car springs and axles weigh. Axles: small to large Coil: Leaf: I am looking at buying some from different people. No scrapyards, no dealers, no scales. Just me and my eyes. Because of that I would like a rough idea about possible weights. I only need a general idea so I can present a reasonable price for individual pieces. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frozenforge Posted March 4, 2016 Share Posted March 4, 2016 Go get a 50 lb scale for fishing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted March 4, 2016 Share Posted March 4, 2016 bathroom scale Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted March 4, 2016 Share Posted March 4, 2016 Use a steelyard. (think old school) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smoggy Posted March 4, 2016 Share Posted March 4, 2016 How are you intending moving these axles? Pick up? Trailer? You could calibrate your vehicle ride height to measure the load carried! measure unladen height at tow hitch, place known weight in centre of load area, remeasure. The added weight is the difference in inches. (you can make up a graduated stick if you want) Not extremely accurate but a decent indicator, more accurate than guestimating if you have no reference point also less likely to be argued over by the vendor. Added bonus, if you are ever near to full capacity and the police take an interest, you can at least show you tried to comply with loading regs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anachronist58 Posted March 5, 2016 Share Posted March 5, 2016 (edited) Klorinth - your request is somewhat difficult to respond to. Only speaking for myself, when I shop for this stuff, I have no idea what it weighs except for the question of whether I can lift and carry it with the implements at hand. I always start with: "dude, that sure makes your yard look trashy, shall I haul it off for you?". If the treasures' owner balks, I then ask what the rusty old piece of junk is worth to him/her. If the seller wants too much for it, I might say, "On second thought, it looks pretty snazzy right where it is." If the price is just right, I might scrunch up my face and start to just slightly rotate away, which usually elicits a drop in the price, and then I more often than not walk away happy in either the truth or the delusion that I HAVE SCORED! Edited March 5, 2016 by Anachronist58 complete incomplete thought Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anachronist58 Posted March 5, 2016 Share Posted March 5, 2016 All I'm trying to tell you you have to pay whatever you feel a piece is worth to you, and as you gain experience, yesterday's bargain becomes today's embarrassment. Good luck, Robert Taylor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Cochran Posted March 6, 2016 Share Posted March 6, 2016 On March 4, 2016 at 0:18 AM, Glenn said: Use a steelyard. (think old school) Thank you, Glenn, I've been wracking my brain trying to figure out what that thing was called. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted March 6, 2016 Share Posted March 6, 2016 It is a balance LOL. Simply weight 1 times distance 1 is equal to weight 2 times distance 2. 33 minutes ago, Michael Cochran said: Thank you, Glenn, I've been wracking my brain trying to figure out what that thing was called. Where do you get your metal? And you can not remember steel yard? (grin) Archronist: You may come out ahead to buy the items not by weight buy by the piece. Otherwise use your bathroom scale as not many people know what a steelyard is or would even trust such a weird looking device. Much like trying to use a calculator vs using a slide rule or abacus. Note: The B-52 bomber was designed using slide rules and T-squares and is still flying and in use today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Cochran Posted March 6, 2016 Share Posted March 6, 2016 6 minutes ago, Glenn said: It is a balance LOL. Simply weight 1 times distance 1 is equal to weight 2 times distance 2. I'm not sure what you mean but I do plan on doing some more research when I'm a little sharper. I've been wanting to make a functional steelyard for months now but didn't have a picture in front of me and I didn't want to try to make one based one something I remembered seeing once upon a time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted March 6, 2016 Share Posted March 6, 2016 Think of a titer-totter or playground balance beam. Light kid is a greater distance away from the fulcrum than the heavier kid who is closer to the fulcrum. When weight 1 times distance 1 is equal to weight 2 times distance 2, it balances. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klorinth Posted March 6, 2016 Author Share Posted March 6, 2016 Thank you for all of the advise. I have been continuing to search online for the information I want... Funny thing is that I have found more answers by searching Amazon.com than anywhere else. Coil springs 10-35 pounds. Leaf springs 20-47 pounds... Etc. I like to be prepared as much as possible before walking into any situation. That is why I ask these questions and don't accept many of the answers I get. i know how to assess value on sight and negotiate a deal. That is not my question. I just prefer to know as much about what I am after as I can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted March 6, 2016 Share Posted March 6, 2016 Anything you offer will be higher than they can get at a scrapyard now with prices in the gutter. Steel is 1/2¢ a pound here with a 1,000# minimum. I have had springs given to me most of the time. Otherwise I would just make an offer on what they were worth to me, not worrying about weighing them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anachronist58 Posted March 6, 2016 Share Posted March 6, 2016 Glenn, I have always regretted not being able to pick up that gorgeous steelyard in the junk store some years ago. And yes, the B-52 is a marvelous example of the genius that resides not in computers, but in the human brain that conceived them. The A-10 and the CH-46 are further examples. My father and several siblings almost succeeded in teaching me how to use the sliderule. And as for the steelyard, what could be more elegant in it's simplicity! Anyone can construct one out of just about anything lying about. Like your teeter-totter: 1:1, 2:1, 5:1, 10:1...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted March 6, 2016 Share Posted March 6, 2016 The teeter-totter, simply put, is a 5 pound weight placed 1 foot from the fulcrum equals a 1 pound weight placed 5 feet from the fulcrum on the other side. They balance. More information on weighing things without a scale HERE. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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