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Choosing a Replacement Truck Scale to Match Your Existing Foundation

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It’s common for foundations to outlast truck scale weighbridge, though it can be difficult to find a replacement truck scale with dimensions to match existing foundations.

When planning to replace a truck scale, consider using a low-profile truck scale to eliminate foundation modifications without sacrificing performance.

Legacy truck scale models were manufactured with lower profiles, meaning most standard truck scales currently produced don’t fit these existing foundations.

Solutions for Replacement Truck Scales

The solution is to find a manufacturer who can provide truck scales designed to fit existing foundations. Some manufacturers will create replacement truck scales as special or custom models. These truck scales come with a longer lead time and a higher price because extra time is needed to design and manufacture the scale.



Other truck scale manufacturers may offer standard models designed to fit the foundations of their older truck scale models. These manufacturers provide a standard steel deck or concrete deck weighbridge that can be installed only after extensive modifications are made to other existing foundations.

Basically, not all manufacturers take the same approach to providing replacement truck scale solutions to fit existing foundations.

Rice Lake Low Profile Truck Scale

The Rice Lake Weighing Systems SURVIVOR OTR-LP is Rice Lake’s answer to the need for low-profile, replacement truck scales to fit existing foundations.

The OTR-LP was specifically designed to fit the most common foundation sizes and because they are offered as standard models, there are minimal lead times and lower costs since it’s not a custom scale. With a diamond plate steel deck and the same rugged construction SURVIVOR scales are known for, the OTR-LP is the ideal replacement solution.

Rice Lake works with a nationwide network of certified dealers to ensure each application gets the support they need.

Rice Lake Weighing Systems is a family-owned, ISO 9001 certified corporation, and has been manufacturing and distributing weight-related products and supplies since 1946. Within the company, progressive new technologies merge with the wisdom of industry experience to create the future of weighing through cutting-edge research and design.

Rice Lake’s roots are planted firmly in the principles of quality and customer service. Through three generations of family ownership, these ideals remain unchanged. Today, Rice Lake Weighing Systems is a global leader in measurement and automated process control.

Rice Lake offers more than 40,000 products, with over one million items in stock and available for same- or next-day shipping. The company continues to lead the industry in technological advances and quality products, all with legendary customer service.

Rice Lake Survivor Truck Scales Overview

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Rice Lake Weighing Systems designs and manufactures Survivor truck scales. Survivor scales are known for their superior construction built with 100% North American steel and the finest craftsmanship anywhere. Survivor scales are made to deliver dependable accurate weights for many years. The entire Survivor line has been carefully assembled to answer each of the challenges our business faces every day beginning with the versatile and cost-effective Survivor OTR series including the extreme vehicle strength of the OTR portable version.

The ATV is designed for portability and going from job to job. The Survivor SR integrates massive side rails and ultra low profile and rigid strength. Pit type applications with deep clearance can take advantage of Rice Lake’s PT Series. Many PT’s scales can be custom fit to existing foundations saving thousands of dollars in construction costs. Create multi-platform variations from any model to individual weight each axle within the same foundation. Survivor M series harness electromechanical technology for time-tested reliability.

Survivor scales provide the lowest total cost of ownership for any commercial scale available today and they’re backed by the best warranty in the industry. Whether selecting the standard model customizing one to your application what goes into each Survivor from start to finish is what earns its badge as the toughest truck scale on earth. Survivor scales use up to 30% more steel and competing with heavy-duty I beams strategically placed with flow of traffic guaranteed support regardless of truck position.

Each weigh bridge is thoroughly cleaned prior to painting to remove mill scale and surface imperfections and rustproofing undercoating is applied to the underside of the scale to protect against moisture damage and finally a high-quality finish is applied all visible surfaces for an automobile like finish to protect the scale from the elements.

From your choice of concrete or steel deck; concrete deck scales offer better traction and greater rigidity while steel scales can be delivered and install and placed into service in as little as four to six hours. Steel deck truck scales are also lighter in weight and easier to relocate. Steel deck designs also feature an open bottom for unrestricted air flow, eliminating the possibility of trapped condensation that causes premature rust and corrosion.

Unlike competing models, Survivor scales offer our signature boltless top access plates that’s stay in place during operation yet provide fast and easy access to load cell pockets and are integrated into the steel structure of each sale inside the outer I beam. Rice Lake’s patented G-Force single link suspension system eliminates excess movement and scale ware by using 100% of the loading action against itself returning the scale to dead center without check rods or bumper bolts.

Survivor scales are fabricated with both steel and flexible conduit to protect load cell cables from rodents vandals and environmental hazards. Choose from our standard analog junction box or improved digital diagnostic power of Rice Lake iQube2 with on board diagnostics which will immediately alert operators of functional issues and can be configured to compensate for those issues until repairs can be made. Whether online or digital, these technologies help keep your scale investment safe. Round out one of the most dependable transient protection packages in the industry.

Get the most of your truck scale investment with optional features that improve scale performance and the efficiency of your entire truck scale system. Loop detectors identify approaching vehicles. Vehicle barrier gates prevent unauthorized access and control vehicle movement and high-visibility guide rails provide an added level of safety. Integrated grain dumps speed up vehicle unloading and truck traffic. Indicators and ticketing kiosks with RFID ability promise accurate ticketing and data collection. Stop and go light simplify communication. Remote displays are ideal for better visibility indoors and out. Video surveillance is also available for added visibility and security. Rice Lake offers the largest most experienced engineering and field service network in the industry. They put more into every Survivor scale so that you can get more out. Make Survivor the last truck scale investment you’ll ever make. From start to finish depend on Rice Lake to help choose the right Survivor for your job.

A Great Foundation For Success

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We mention it all the time on this website but a truck scale is a major investment and anytime you invest in something like that you want to make certain that you protect your investment. One key area of importance is where you locate the scale on your property and the scale foundation.

Producing over one million tons of product per year is an impressive feat for any industry. At Giant Cement in Harleyville, S.C., this annual quantity reflects the effective strategies implemented throughout their lean manufacturing process. Producing and transporting this amount of cement requires a devoted workforce and equipment that never stops. The 24/7 demands can take its toll on equipment and installing durable scales is integral to keep product moving. Giant Cement requires the most durable truck and rail scales to handle its high volume of trucks per day and constant stream of rail cars. They turned to Rice Lake’s SR truck scale and a custom-designed railroad scale to meet their needs.

An existing competitor’s truck scale still resides on its original installation site, inhabiting low ground on the lot and providing a reminder that proper installation is an essential ingredient for optimal weighments. Because of its location, every rainfall washed any nearby debris beneath the scale and would often create pools of standing water. “That scale was a maintenance nightmare,” explains Brad Locker, Industrial Controls Engineer for Giant Cement. “It seemed like we were always calling someone out here to make adjustments or clean the foundation.”

Just about every business is looking for ways to make their business more efficient and to save money. One easy way to do that is to research and plan ahead when it comes to things like locating a truck scale on your property. By putting a scale in a certain location it can increase uptime and profitability as opposed to leading to more service calls, increased cleaning times and increased down time.

Product Spotlight: Rice Lake Survivor Truck Scale

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Rice Lake Weighing Systems SURVIVOR® truck scales are commonly referred to as the Toughest Scales on Earth®. They are designed to provide reliable performance under the most demanding conditions. SURVIVOR truck scales are built with more structural steel, a superior support structure and innovative design features that provide consistent accuracy, less downtime and longer scale life. Each SURVIVOR is built with the exclusive five-step finishing process. Take a look at some of the different Rice Lake Survivor truck scale models below.

SURVIVOR® OTR
The SURVIVOR OTR Series truck scale is an outstanding design that incorporates the most advanced engineering and production technology to manufacture the highest quality vehicle weighing system in the marketplace.

SURVIVOR® ATV
The ATV is rigidly constructed for heavy-duty weighing, yet lightweight and compact for convenient portability. The pre-assembled modules (available in lengths from 10 – 30 ft.) and unique self-seating hinge connectors provide easy installation, expansion and relocation for your growing business.

SURVIVOR® SR
The SR concrete or steel deck modes are ruggedly designed with massive outboard beams available in a bolted or welded design. Load cells and mounting assemblies are easily accessed in the rugged, reinforced load cell pocket, through side access.

SURVIVOR® PT
The PT Series truck scale is available in many standard sizes to satisfy most requirements, but we also understand that pit-type installations often involve replacing and existing mechanical or electronic scale.

SURVIVOR® M-Series
SURVIVOR® M Series Levertronic Scales combine innovative features with time-proven durability that only a mechanical scale can deliver. In a market crowded with scales manufactured to compete on price alone, SURVIVOR M Series Scales are built from the ground up for lasting performance under the most extreme conditions.

SURVIVOR® Rail Scales
SURVIVOR railroad track scales incorporate Rice Lake’s best-in-class weighbridge design to create a rugged, accurate heavy duty weighing system. Used in static weighing operations, the SURVIVOR RT Pit Type railroad track scale and the SURVIVOR PL Modular Type railroad track scale excel in high-accuracy, legal-for-trade weighing and meet AREMA and Cooper E-80 design specifications.

SURVIVOR® Livestock Solutions
Rice Lake’s livestock scales are built from the ground up for lasting performance under the most severe circumstances. Whether you choose the RoughDeck™ SLV for single animal weighing or the SURVIVOR® AG, LV or LS, you’re getting the Toughest Scale on Earth®.

Take a look below at “Six Facts” regarding heavy capacity solutions from Rice Lake. Did you know for applications where steel is preferred or downtime is critical, a great choice would be the SURVIVOR® OTR Steel Deck. Operational within a day, this easy-to-install steel deck scale sets the standard for truck scale design and performance, keeping downtime to a minimum. Tightly spaced wide flange I-beams form the industry’s strongest weighbridge design, weighing as many as 250 trucks per day for 25 years without a trace of weighbridge fatigue.

Built to Withstand Extreme Use
Weighbridge design and the weight of structural steel used directly affect the life of a truck scale. Many truck scale designs incorporate low grade, non-certified steel and an inferior design to reduce the cost and decrease production time. These reductions also reduce the life of the scale. Rice Lake SURVIVOR® series truck scales utilize up to 30% more steel than most competitive models and incorporate a longitudinal highway bridge design. More I-beams are strategically placed longitudinally with the traffic flow to ensure tire support regardless of truck position.

Ultra Load Cell Protection
Load cell pockets that are welded or bolted to exterior I-beams allow excessive bending and flexing, causing damage to the weighbridge. Bumper bolts loosen and break. Check rods bind. Rice Lake’s SURVIVOR® series truck scales are designed with the load cell pocket integrated into the steel structure of the scale. The pocket is built inside the outer I-beam, offering a more durable, long-lasting load cell pocket. The SURVIVOR® series scales feature the G-Force™ self-checking mounting system, eliminating the need for check rods or bumper bolts.

Breathing Room Below
Closed-bottom weighbridge designs with both top and bottom plates, typically using lighter weight components, create cavities that tend to hold moisture causing rusting of internal components. Rice Lake’s SURVIVOR® steel deck truck scales feature an open-bottom design providing unrestricted airflow eliminating rust causing moisture buildup, which accelerates rusting of internal steel and imminent scale failure.

Tough, Start to Finish
Harsh environments and corrosive materials can quickly deteriorate improperly finished truck scale components. Rice Lake’s SURVIVOR® series truck scales are steel shot blasted according to the highest industry standards to remove mill scale and surface imperfections. An asphalt emulsion undercoating is applied to all non-visible steel surfaces on all steel deck models to protect against moisture damage. High-performance epoxy primer and specialized hard-coat alkyd enamel is applied to all visible steel surfaces for a car-like finish that protects the scale from the elements.

Custom Sizes are Customary
Replacing truck scales on existing foundations or fitting truck scales to unique locations or space limitations need not incur extra design fees. Rice Lake’s SURVIVOR® series truck scales can be custom-built to fit almost any application.

A Complete Solution for Any Application
These truck scales are only a part of the equation. Rice Lake offers not only the scale, but also the complete solution for your weighing application. From automated ticketing and truck transaction data collection systems to intelligent controllers like the 920i, to advanced cell diagnostics. And of course no truck scale is complete without a Ticketpress ticket printer and Laserlight Remote Display.

OTR Series From Rice Lake Now Suitable For Livestock Weighing

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Rice Lake Weighing Systems was recently granted an amendment to its NTEP Certificate of Conformance for the SURVIVOR OTR Series of above ground truck scales. The amendment reduces the scales minimum division value (emin) from the industry standard 20 pounds to 10 pounds, making the SURVIVOR OTR suitable for not only vehicle weighing, but high-dollar applications such as livestock and scrap-metal weighing. The improved resolution is essential where valuable commodities are being weighed and Rice Lake truck scales now offer a competitive advantage in those cases.

The new certification applies to Rice Lake entire OTR Series, including steel and concrete decks and pit or pitless grain dump models, in standard widths up to 16.5 feet and standard lengths up to 160 feet. The SURVIVOR OTR is also now available with racks and gates for livestock containment needs.

Survivor OTR-XV

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SURVIVOR® OTR-XV is an extreme-duty, top access steel or concrete deck vehicle scale. Ideal for the extreme-duty off-road vehicles in mining, coal and heavy aggregate operations, the OTR-XV is as sturdy as they come. An industry-leading 140,000 lb Concentrated Load Capacity (CLC) and patented load cell suspension insure consistent, accurate Legal-For-Trade weighments, even in the most extreme conditions. To minimize deflection and vertical flexing, twelve wide-flange I-beams are assembled together to meet the guidelines of federal bridge standards, and covered with a deck of either 3/8 inch steel tread plate or six inches of solid reinforced concrete. All of these extreme features
and benefits are backed by a solid 5-year weighbridge guarantee.

Survivor OTR-SV

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SURVIVOR OTR-SV is a moderate to heavy-duty, top access steel deck product. Limits aside, you want equipment you can count on period. How about a scale that’s built for the way you work? The OTR-SV is an above ground, steel-deck design for farms, factories, or other lower-traffic facilities that demand both value and performance. Its 70,000 lb concentrated load capacity, delivers every bit of the accuracy and dependability you’d expect from a SURVIVOR. The OTR-SV weighbridge is NTEP Certified Legal-For-Trade and comes in standard widths of 10 and 11 feet. Continue reading →

Survivor ATV

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SURVIVOR ATV built by Rice Lake is described as a heavy or extreme duty, top access portable scale. The ATV is rigidly constructed for heavy-duty weighing, yet lightweight and compact for convenient portability. The pre assembled modules from 10 to 30 feet long and unique self-seating hinge connectors provide easy installation, expansion and relocation for your growing business. The Rice Lake ATV truck scale boasts more steel, the strongest weighbridge, and higher quality construction for long-lasting durability and performance. Standard end clean out eases debris removal to help maintain scale accuracy.

Survivor OTR

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Rice Lake SURVIVOR OTR vehicle scales are heavy-duty, top access, low profile concrete or steel deck scales. These heavy-duty, top access, low profile concrete or steel deck scales have an outstanding design that incorporates the most advanced engineering and production technology to produce the highest quality vehicle weighing system in the marketplace. The Rice Lake Survivor OTR truck scales don’t sacrifice quality for price. Both the OTR concrete and steel deck models boast wide flange I-beam construction. The wide flange beam construction helps minimize span deflection and lengthens the life of your truck scale. Both the concrete and steel deck models are built to be the Toughest Truck Scales on Earth.

Which Survivor Is Right For You?

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Over the years we have been asked quite often “out of all the different Rice Lake Survivor truck scales, which one is right for my application”? In the next few entries we will take a look at the different versions available.

The 2 most significant aspects influencing the expected lifetime of the truck scale are truck volume and axle loading. Weighing greater than one hundred vehicles a day is heavy traffic, yet many customers weigh two hundred or more vehicles in a day. Whenever the daily quantity surpasses two hundred fifty vehicles each day or roughly a truck every 2 minutes, back-ups, delays and a loss of future business may be expected. Many organizations weighing greater than two hundred fifty vehicles every day will discover they require an additional weight scale. While Rice Lake’s SURVIVOR OTR scales have a CLC rating of 100,000 pounds, understanding the type of truck and its quantity of axles can be essential in selecting the right weighing machine. It only takes a single significantly overloaded 18 wheeler to result in long term damage to a scale improperly suited for the application. Operations involving quarries, mining operations, fly ash, asphalt, construction, landfills, transfer station, steel mills, logging operations among others demand careful evaluation by a professional to specify the proper weighing machine for the application.