Truck scales go through a lot – no matter what industry they’re used in. From construction to agriculture, truck scales are often in relentless environments and exposed to really harsh elements. You must be confident about purchasing a new truck scale before you invest thousands of dollars into this piece of equipment.

A more informed customer is known for making the best choices, so we’re here to answer some questions you should ask when purchasing a new truck scale so you can be confident it will last.

Understand Your Truck Scale Needs

It’s vital to understand which type of truck scale best suits your needs. Multiple factors must be considered that will provide a better understanding of your truck scale needs. These include but are not limited to the following:

Adopting a well-thought-out approach will help you make the most informed decision possible when it comes to buying a new truck scale.

Buying a new truck scale is a huge investment that you need to make towards your business. A truck scale will ensure the safety of your truck and make sure your trucks are following the guidelines under the highway traffic act set by the Government of Ontario.

It is the legal responsibility of the carrier to make sure that the truck scale readings are accurate, and the trucks are not overweight.

The Lifespan of a Scale

Buying a new truck scale that is engineered and tested in real-world conditions is the best route for ensuring your business is always up and running.

Look for a manufacturer who conducts weigh scale tests that reflect real-world scenarios, such as lifecycle testing, instead of what is called a concentrated load capacity [CLC] test. Also, look for how many trucks the scale can handle per year and that the axle load safety factors exceed the maximum allowable on the highway for your state.

The load cells are also an integral component of your truck scale. Ensure you obtain a safety test from the manufacturer regarding the integrity of the load cells.

Warranty

The warranty of a truck scale is a promise from the manufacturer to take care of any manufacturing issues with your new truck scale. While comparing the warranties, you should always look out for hidden fees and any exceptions to coverages.

The lower-end scale systems usually have a one-year warranty, while the more expensive models range between two to five years. Always ask more detailed questions about the warranty because the coverage may differ between manufacturers.

Many companies will cover the truck scale itself but will still charge you for parts needed for repair, labour to replace broken parts, and time to get to your location. With those costs possibly adding up to a manufacturing error, does the warranty save you money?

Make sure that you find a manufacturer with a transparent, simple warranty who will cover 100% of parts cost, labour cost, travel time, and mileage cost.

Scale Calibration

Truck scale calibration is a vital consideration before purchasing a new truck scale. Truck Scales are typically ready for use as soon as they get installed because they get calibrated beforehand.

The truck scales are calibrated with the knowledge of the regulations of the regions in which the truck will operate. Precise measurement through a truck scale can save you in overweight fines and tickets.

The truck scales have to be recalibrated regularly by an authorized truck scale service provider to make sure that it provides accurate readings every time a truck gets weighed.

Return on Investment

Many manufacturers will give you a great deal, but will that truck scale last as long as a well-engineered scale?

Truck scale accuracy and dependability are the pillars of ensuring you are getting a positive return on your truck scale. Traditional analog load cells are low cost to the manufacturer but are a very high cost to maintain over the life of the truck scale. These load cells are also not as accurate or protected as digital load cells. Look at the below chart to see how much money can inaccuracy cost you in the long run:

The questions listed above should help simplify the process of evaluating your needs before purchasing a new truck scale. Paying close attention to the details will help you make an informed decision that will save you time, money, and will help keep your business running smoothly.

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Still not sure what to look for when purchasing a new truck scale? Contact Active Scale today (toll free at 1-866-284-2223) and our expert truck scale technicians will answer all your queries and provide you with a truck scale that best suits your business needs.