One question we get all the time is “how long does it take to install a truck scale?” Actually if you plan ahead, the install of a truck scale can take as little as a half day. Now keep in mind that’s just offloading the scale from the truck and installing it on the foundation. Of course, the foundation needs to be in place as well. So, did you just pour the foundation or did you have the foundation already in place from a previous scale? Is an old truck scale being removed first? So it kind of depends on what tasks you want to include in your question.

What Determines The Length of a Truck Scale Installation?
Deck Material
As mentioned earlier, an above ground steel deck truck scale can be installed in one day or less by an experienced scale company. As part of the install the scale company will drive over the scale and test and calibrate the truck scale with certified test weights.
Now when we talk about a concrete deck truck scale, the timeline is a little different. These scales typically require you to install the scale, pour the concrete in the scale weighbridge and then let it cure for multiple weeks before driving on the scale. If you don’t let the concrete deck cure, it could crack & create major issues for years to come. So, concrete deck truck scales will simply take longer to install than steel deck truck scales.
Additional Planning & Prep
One other concern we have to mention about truck scale installation projects is…. “have all the other items been planned or installed?” For example, has the customer had electrical power run to the scale location, is the conduit in place from the truck scale to the scalehouse. For that matter, does the customer actually have a scalehouse in place yet?
Recommendations
It’s a good idea to have a timeline or understanding in place between the scale company and the customer. Because there are a lot of questions and planning that need to happen once a truck scale is ordered. For example, when is the electricity being installed? When is the scale house going to be finished? When is the conduit going to be installed? When do we expect the foundation to be poured? How long do we have to let the foundation cure? When do we expect the truck scale to arrive? When do we need the crane to arrive to offload the scale? When does the scale company need to arrive? How long will the truck scale install last?
The questions above are very important. Also, exactly who is responsible for answering these questions? The scale company can answer scale related questions like expected ship dates. But, the customer needs to take ownership of things like conduits and electricity.







