kerb weight or ball weight for stability?

[angela_374296202]

Forgetting the torque, engine size etc etc for now. My 1600kg kerbweight car with 75kg ball weight is an 85% match for my van loaded (correctly loaded!).

I want some more stability.

Would an extra 200kg kerbweight with 85kg ball or an extra 100kg kerbweight with 100kg ball be more stable? I can see the logic in both. 75kg on the ball is SO easy to reach without trying to cope with bikes on the back of car etc.

Comments very welcome!

 

[antrimboy]

You seem to have a relatively good match there at the minute, but I share your concern over stability, as I am faced with a similar problem in that my 'van is at max. noseweight of 75 kg. before I even start loading.

I believe that noseweight is a major factor in stability, and since you are currently towing on the 85% ratio, I would suggest opting for the "slightly" higher kerbweight and the 100 kg. noseweight.I appreciate that 75 kg. is difficult to achieve some times, and that 85 kg. would allow you some leeway, but with the amount some people carry in their front lockers, including perhaps their spare wheel,the 100 kg. would allow you considerably more leeway, and I'm sure you would notice a big improvement in stability too.

 

[Lutz]

Do you tow regularly with a relatively empty car? Only then would you notice a 200kg difference in kerbweight. Similarly, I doubt whether you'd really notice an appreciable improvement by raising the noseweight from 75kg to 85kg. To do that you'd have to go to 100kg. However, for a 1360kg caravan like the one you've got (85% of the kerbweight of 1600kg) 100kg noseweight should not be necessary.