Onboard Scales

I installed 2 right weigh guages in my dash.(under $300) Once I had them calibrated (about 10 loads) I can load to within 250-300lbs. Yes you have to have level ground but thats true for ALL weigh systems. Gravity dictates it.

 

From the chart Jfaulk99 link it seems that closer to Hadley 500(the one that sulltran was very happy about) is only Hadley 450 that match with Volvo crap.
My question is: is this Hadley 450 good enough or I should buy that 500 and somehow make it fit on my Volvo ?

Thanx anyway

 

You shouldn't have to make it fit. Hadley makes a 500 valve for a volvo application in the link below. I don't know the stats on the 450 valve, i have never used it. It does not say on the hadley website whether or not the 450 is immediate response or not and it does not mention what the deadband is. The 500 is immediate response and ZERO deadband.....meaning it responds immediately to all deflection. I would check your linkage as well .....you want it tight....no up and down play.

Here is the link to the 500 valve listing Volvo app:

http://www.hadley-products.com/catalog/Catalog.aspx?cmd=cat&div=3&cat=86

 

As was said, all an air-weigh gauge does is convert PSI into LBS. It has to follow the same rules as the load suspension gauge on your dash, level ground, brakes released.

In my 05 W900L, it has the 4 bag AG380 suspension on it, and on my load gauge, I can basically double the number and thats my weight on my drives within a few hundred pounds, If she reads 80, I know I am basically at 16,000, works good for me never had an issue! being a long nose and only being able to run 244 WB, not ever am I over on the steer, it just isn't possible since I am already as far up as I can go with my fifth wheel clearance wise, and even now reefers are very close to the bunk.

Once you get used to your truck and you find out where your max weights are on your susp. load gauge, make a small tick or mark on it with a marker or something, problem solved, least for the truck anyhow.

 

Wow, didn't know the AG380 was that light. The 8 bag systems were mostly at 60psi at 34k (16 per axle) 80psi is a big jump for the same load.

 

OK, here I go. I replaced yesterday on my truck a new suspension valve. I was reading again the pamphlet Air-Weigh people sent me and as sulltran says a Hadley 500 would do the job. Unfortunately I couldn't find the Hadley 500 but I found the Barksdale valve that is mentioned by Air-Weigh. I called yesterday Air-Weigh (again) before buying and installing and they said that the Barksdale is as good as Hadley 500.
I will copy+paste the pamphlet that I have from Air-Weigh here for better observation:

" Detailed Description​

The Air-Weigh AW5751 Truck Scale has proven to be very reliable in providing accurate
and repeatable on-the-ground axle weights for all North American tractor applications,
except for Volvo trucks with the standard Volvo drive suspension.
Investigation has shown the standard Volvo drive suspension’s unacceptable weight
accuracy and repeatability performance can be attributed to the geometry of the
suspension, which is extremely sensitive to un-level ground. Air-Weigh has also found
that the standard Wabco Height Control Valve (HCV) installed on these suspensions has
a very slow air flow rate, requiring as long a five minutes to stabilize the suspension at
factory ride height.
Both of these factors adversely affect the accuracy, repeatability, and ease of use of Air-
Weigh on standard Volvo suspensions.
Recently, further testing of various levels of suspension air dump, single and dual sensor
configurations, and various HCV types has revealed a combination that produces
acceptable results.
Specifically, Air-Weigh modified a Volvo VNM64T Tractor with a standard Volvo 38K
drive suspension to use a Barksdale 0.170” diameter HCV. When the suspension air was
fully dumped and then re-inflated on reasonably flat and level ground, accurate and
repeatable weight measurements within 300 lbs. of a certified in-ground scale were
achieved.​

Product Application Note​

Page 2​

As a result of this testing, we can recommend Air-Weigh for Volvo trucks as long as the
following four steps are followed:
1) Change standard Wabco HCV to a Barksdale 0.170” diameter HCV (Volvo part
number 3188710) or Hadley model 500 HCV.
2) Ensure the vehicle is on a flat and level surface, with brakes off, to calibrate and
to weigh.
3) Fully dump the air and re-inflate before calibrating and before weighing. This
moves the suspension through its lower operating range and returns it to a
repeatable geometry at ride height.
4) Wait approximately two minutes after dumping air for suspension to re-inflate
and stabilize before reading weights.
These operating instructions can be included in a Volvo Driver Training card for fleet
deployment. ​

A commitment to driver training on these instructions is instrumental​

to a successful Volvo fleet deployment. "

So the job is done and I will be soon for recalibrate the gadget at a truck stop with scale. I will calibrate the weigh of the truck empty and Monday I will load and I will be around 80 000 lbs and I will calibrate the truck loaded.
Then I will observe the results and I will post my feedbacks.

One observation thou: the Barksdale valve needed a lot of modifications in order to be installed so was no way for me to do it on the road by myself.

I'll be back soon with the results.​

 

I need advice and information about weight indicators for an 05 volvo(airride) and an airride 48 flatbed. I never drove a truck with a weight indication system onboard and feel pretty dumb about them. My son is hauling stone blocks out of a quarry that doesn't havs a scale and nobody seems to be worth a dang at judging the weight of the random shaped blocks he's hauling. Are their kits you can get to install some kind of guages that will give him a relliable estimate of his gross weight. What does something like that cost ? just seriously need to find out the skinny on this! Would really appreciate any help you guys could give us...Thank you

 

If u have a Volvo and want to buy an Air-Weigh be sure u tell the company mentioned that u have a Volvo. They should tell u then that u will have to change your aisuspension valve. I'm 100% about that. Is not a huge amount, but there is another expense u will have to add to the gadget before makin it work.
For two years I was trying to find what is going on with mine till they told me : "OK, so your truck is a Volvo...". Go figure.
Better check the thread from the beginning and u will have a lot of info.

 

I have the right-weighs. They are pretty #### accurate, but as stated before you have to be on level ground and make sure the tractor is running. I didn't think about that on my first load with em, got loaded and ended up with 40k on my drives! Learned that lesson real quick!

 

My 05 Pete with air leaf is right at 75psi = 34000, a lot different than Pete low air or the KW readings