Just stirring the pot..but who believes in changing valves without using full load to set it up properly??

Kind of a mute point around here, whether it's a final inspection or a valve replacement getting inspected, all valves around here get inspected with full load when commissioned and the relief valve setting is sealed. So you will definitely get to make any final adjustments with weights.

When I was installing and the occasional valve replacement I would set up and adjust the valve with the car empty. When weights were brought out for inspection I'd verify it rides good and down speed if a passenger car, and finish making adjustments all around if a freight car.

Some may disagree with me here but I believe the valve should be adjusted for the best ride quality at the most frequent load, not full load. It should most certainly ride acceptablely when empty and at full load. But if I have a car that's say a 2500 pound car that's in a building that 90% or more of the trips it'll make are moving one or two people im going to focus on getting the valve adjusted as perfect as I can get it with 200-400 pounds in the car, then make sure it rides fine with 2500 pounds in it too. If it's a freight car I may do the opposite, focus on adjusting it with a full load and then make sure it rides ok empty.

You need a full load to get the working pressure. Without that, you cannot set the relief pressure.

What he said, and while this depends somewhat on what type of valve you’re working on, I don’t know how you could let a car run without checking the down speed with a full load. And making sure it doesn’t set the rupture valve. But I always do final adjustments with an empty car.

Oh I completely agree with using weights..just some coworkers say thats the incorrect way of doing it..except they're not the ones getting the midnight call with a unresponsive car thats below the first floor when you get there 🤣🤣..I just think using weights and oil thats up to temperature would help eliminate these issues but I just wanted some insight on other peoples opinion/experiences

Everything comes into play when replacing and installing a valve. We will set them up with weight the 1st day (after everything is set) to set the relief valve. The next day when the oil is cold, we will go and do Maintenace and adjust the valve again for cold oil/standard temp. This will eliminate 99% of the valve issues. While doing Maintenace you run the hell out of the car get that oil hot. This will make sure the car empty/full and cold/hot runs properly.

Lazy/cheating way it to just set RV as marked an old pressure test tag.