A Cost Guide To Axle Weigh Pads

In our recent blog, we spoke about how prohibitively expensive using a public (or private) weighbridge can be for a business. If you don’t own the weighbridge yourself, logistically, using one for business use can be very problematic. Not only do you have the cost of each use, but you also have the added cost of driving to the weighbridge and the potential dangers of being stranded from being overloaded. Not to mention the additional time to the business that all this takes.

As an alternative, we mentioned axle weigh pads. They’re small, portable and perfect for regular weighing of smaller commercial vehicles like Vans. They even allow you to take that weighing ability with you, wherever the vehicle goes.

So, if a weighbridge is potentially too expensive for a smaller business to use (or install). How much does an axle weigh pad system cost?

 

How Much Does an Axle Weigh Pad System Cost?

Naturally, like all products, the cost can vary depending on the features and brand that you’re looking to invest in. So first, you need to establish what you need from your axle pad system.

What maximum weight do you need?

Vehicle Weighing

This is the maximum that the axle weigh pad system can weigh up to and won’t be able to weigh any higher. For instance, a system that maxes out at 15,000kg cannot be used to weigh 20tonne trucks. Generally speaking, more premium scales come with a higher weight limit.

The simplest way to tell what your potential “max weight” is, is to look at your vehicle’s manufacturer’s plate. This is the same plate that the VIN is shown on. This plate will highlight the maximum weight that you can legally load the vehicle to. For both legal and safety reasons, this is the maximum weight that you should be looking for. It goes without saying that you should implement a little bit of headroom for accidental overloading.

Do you need overload protection?

In the occasional circumstance where you might overload a vehicle and place it onto some axle pads, you can potentially damage the scales. If you think this is a possibility (it often is, regardless of how diligent you are), then you want to look at getting overload protection on your axle pads. This means that whilst your scales might weigh up to 15,000kg, they are overload protected up to 20,000kg and won’t be damaged until you exceed that limit.

Weather Protection

Another aspect you may want to consider is weather protection. Do you want to be able to use your axle weigh pad system in any weather? Rain or shine? This is where Ingress Protection (IP) ratings come in. The protection against water and dust is measured in IP ratings. IP ratings are 2 numbers, the first indicates the protection against dust, the second against moisture. The higher the number the better. IP55 protects equally against water and dust, IP67 protects better against moisture than dust and IP69K is a total protection against dust and moisture.

Typical “weatherproofing” begins at IP54 and most axle pad systems are rated much higher.

For a full list of features that you might need in your axle weigh pads, take a look at our recent blog “what to look for when buying axle weigh pads”

The costs of our Axle Weigh Pads are clearly displayed on our product page, or you can give us a call for a dedicated quote. Prices are usually indicated in a “per pad” format. Most businesses will need 1 pad per wheel.

 

Indicators

Indicators take the signal outputted by the axle weigh pad and interpret it into a kg figure that we can understand. Axle weigh pad indicators are more robust than typical indicators, since they are usually intended to be portable.

Axle pad indicators like our 3590ETKR indicator or the DFWKR indicator are specifically designed to be portable and self-contained. They are battery operated, inside a hard-case with an integrated printer.

This and the paper to print onto are the only hidden costs associated with axle pads for business use. Alternatively, you could opt for a system with a built in indicator, like our VWAM Axle Pads for peace of mind.

The only caveat is if you intend you use the weighing apparatus for trading purposes, (such as selling goods by weight), then you must get the pads calibrated and approved by the appropriate body. This is not a concern if you are using axle pads simply to ensure your fleet is compliant. 

 

It’s an Investment

The important thing to remember here is that this cost is an investment. If a commercial vehicle is pulled over and found to be overloaded. The company can be liable for up to £5000 per offence. (An offence is when an axle exceeds a limit, not the vehicle. This could be a £10,000 for an overloaded 2-axle van).

The costs to the business of a simple system and regular checks before a vehicle leaves the premises are far cheaper than the fines that may be faced if you don’t.

Take a look at how your business can avoid these roadside overweight vehicle fines.

 

View Our Range Of Axle Weigh Pads

 

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