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How Crucial is Nose Weight?

M

Morganic

Off on trip tomorrow. How crucial is nose wight? I load caravan(T@B) as per advice but usually get nose weight lower than recommended -around 65kgs instead of 75kgs. Put as much as I can in rear of car-which is okay for 1550 kgs. Caravan is 550kgs plus 250 kgs loaded (800). Never seem to get near this. Advice please?

I have nose weight guage but how accurate are they?
 
Normally one expects an outfit to be more stable if the noseweight is as heavy as possible. The upper limit is always whatever is specified for the car or caravan, respectively. However, some outfits seem to be inherently more stable than others even if one does not make full use of the maximum possible. As your caravan is relatively light, 65kg is already 8% of the MTPLM which is well above the legal minimum (4%) and even more than the 7% being recommended by some sources, so if you feel comfortable with 65kg, leave it at that.
 
To quote our owm Magazine:

"Noseweight

It is a legal requirement that the noseweight should be 4% of the weight of the trailer or at least 25kg, whichever is the higher.. For safety you should aim for, but not exceed, the lower of the 2 figures specified for caravan and car respectively".

Link:

http://www.practicalcaravan.com/legal/index.html
 
Directive 95/48/EC states, quote:

3.3.2. The technically permissible static vertical load on the coupling device is that stated by the manufacturer; this load must be not less than 4 % of the maximum permissible towable mass and not less than 25 kg. The manufacturer must specify in the owner's manual the maximum permissible static vertical load on the coupling device, the mounting points of the coupling device on the motor vehicle and the maximum permissible overhang of the coupling device.
 
Based on your vans loaded weight of 800kg it should be 32kg minimum (4%) or the maximum of what either the car or caravan is specified which sounds like 75kg for your car. Therefore you 65kg is well in and if it tows OK don't worry
 
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