Loading Bailey Unicorn Cadiz

[CrewOVtwo]

In order to achieve anywhere near the required noseweight for my outfit - 80kg - I seem to have to load all my extras (clothes, guitar, odds and sods) in between the front bench seats, as there seems to be very little natural weight available towards the front end. The oven and the gas bottles are really quite central over the axel.
Does anyone else have this issue?

Also, thanks for peoples continued help.
It really makes a difference.

 

[RogerL]

In order to achieve anywhere near the required noseweight for my outfit - 80kg - I seem to have to load all my extras (clothes, guitar, odds and sods) in between the front bench seats, as there seems to be very little natural weight available towards the front end. The oven and the gas bottles are really quite central over the axel.
Does anyone else have this issue?

Also, thanks for peoples continued help.
It really makes a difference.

Anecdotally, most caravanners on the forum seem to have a problem with excessive noseweight - but our Lunar has always been light at the front - I use a 32 litre collapsible box filled with food between the front seats to get my noseweight up to 100 kg.

Your other option is to review whether you can move anything from the rear of the caravan and move it forwards.

 

[otherclive]

On one caravan I loaded two lafumas between the seats and my toolbag. You have nothing to fret about just try a few different options.

 

[CrewOVtwo]

Anecdotally, most caravanners on the forum seem to have a problem with excessive noseweight - but our Lunar has always been light at the front - I use a 32 litre collapsible box filled with food between the front seats to get my noseweight up to 100 kg.

Your other option is to review whether you can move anything from the rear of the caravan and move it forwards.

Thanks. The rear of the van is empty, with nothing more than a pair or two of socks and the sheets on the beds.

 

[Beardy]

Is your spare wheel behind the axle? Can you move it to the gas locker?

 

[CrewOVtwo]

Aaah - yes. That might account for the light front end!

Yes, the spare wheel is a fair bit behind the axle, but there is no front locker; however the balance of things now makes more sense. Thank you 👍

 

[ProfJohnL]

In order to achieve anywhere near the required noseweight for my outfit - 80kg - I seem to have to load all my extras (clothes, guitar, odds and sods) in between the front bench seats, as there seems to be very little natural weight available towards the front end. The oven and the gas bottles are really quite central over the axel.
Does anyone else have this issue?

Also, thanks for peoples continued help.
It really makes a difference.

What makes you think the "required nose load is 80KG? " You only need as much nose load to keep the outfit stable at all normal speeds and conditions.

There is no cast in stone value for trailer noseloads, each outfit will will vary. The figures quoted by manufacturers represent the heaviest nose loads you can safely use, they are not necessarily optimum for your particular car, caravan and the way you load it.

The UK caravan industry suggest you should aim for a nose load of between 5 to 7% of the caravans MTPLM value. Use this as a starting point and only go higher if you feel the vehicle needs it but never exceed the manufacturers limits in their specifications.

Once you exceed the optimum value you're adding no benefit to the outfit but you might be creating a headache for yourself.

 

[trevormonty]

I've never worried about nose weight. Anything around +30kg seems to work for me on 1100kg van. Have run less when empty for service trips with no problems.

 

[Mel]

Our previous( awful )Elddis had a rear kitchen; so was really really nose light. Got used to it and loaded accordingly. A box of booze generally acted as a counterweight. Not saying how big the box was 🤫☺️
Mel

 

[Niall_McIntosh]

"A box of booze generally acted as a counterweight."

And, of course you would have to keep topping up the booze to ensure you maintained an appropriate weight level. Good planning!

 

[ProfJohnL]

I've never worried about nose weight. Anything around +30kg seems to work for me on 1100kg van. Have run less when empty for service trips with no problems.

I appreciate you are trying to demonstrate that small noseloads can work, but by any metric the value you have expressed for a n 1100kg caravan is exceptionally low and in general would not be recommended. It may be permissible where you live in New Zealand, but in the UK and EU, we are governed by the Construction and use regulations, where the EU documents anticipate a noseload of minimum 4% of MTPLM or 25Kg which ever is greater.

Further in the UK and specifically related to towing caravans, The UK caravan industry advices nose loads of between 5 to 7% of MTPLM.

 

[RogerL]

I appreciate you are trying to demonstrate that small noseloads can work, but by any metric the value you have expressed for a n 1100kg caravan is exceptionally low and in general would not be recommended. It may be permissible where you live in New Zealand, but in the UK and EU, we are governed by the Construction and use regulations, where the EU documents anticipate a noseload of minimum 4% of MTPLM or 25Kg which ever is greater.

Further in the UK and specifically related to towing caravans, The UK caravan industry advices nose loads of between 5 to 7% of MTPLM.

Note that the UK caravan industry will not publish a figure greater than 7% as most UK-built caravans are limited by their 100 kg noseweight limit - in other words the 5-7% "recommendation" is somewhat artificial.