Your caravan and car manuals should give the weights respectively. You go with the lower of the two.The caravan being an Alko chassis is likely to be 100kg, I surmise that the car will be lower than 100g, so that would be the one you go with. But check the manuals.Hi , Please can someone tell me what the max nose weight should be on my 2014 Bailey Pegasus rimini gt65 ? I tow it with a Vauxhall Insignis estate
Paul
Are you sure that the caravan manual doesn’t specify the maximum noseweight fir the caravan? Whilst that isn’t necessarily the weight to be carried by the car it is one that shouldn’t be exceeded. For example an owner of a large SUV may have a car noseweight of say 140kg but when towing they should not exceed the caravans maximum if it is less than that of the car.I have exactly that caravan and generally tow at 80kg nose weight. With our Volvo XC40 it is rock-steady. The caravan manual does not specify a nose weight - it recommends a typical value of 7% of the total which would put it more like 100kg but you need to know the rated loads of the tow hitch and your car.
I make sure to load the van around the axle where possible, putting the awning in the car. The water heater is always empty and the toilet tank is part-full (I don't fully-drain it now, to avoid leaving the pump impeller dry and susceptible to seizing up). I have a feel for how to load the van to achieve the right nose weight and so far have generally been OK with no need to redistribute after checking with the bathroom scales that we carry just for this purpose.
You're quite right - I missed it first time around.Are you sure that the caravan manual doesn’t specify the maximum noseweight fir the caravan? Whilst that isn’t necessarily the weight to be carried by the car it is one that shouldn’t be exceeded. For example an owner of a large SUV may have a car noseweight of say 140kg but when towing they should not exceed the caravans maximum if it is less than that of the car.
This forum is amazing ! I have gained so much information , my car is the Vauxhall insignia Sri CDTI sports tourer estate 170 it pulls caravan very well , I have just ordered a nose weight gauge so I can check limitsYou do not say what tow bar you have but I suspect that is 100 kg as well but you could check as this has now got to be published by the maker. There will either be the information on the tow bar or a reference number to check against their web site.
In practice you should be looking at the cars maximum though, as that will almost certainly be lower and should be in the handbook. If the car is the current model the information should be on the Vauxhall website, or to be found in the link to the brochure.
Good idea to get a noseweight gauge, but what is your car’s specified noseweight limit? Care is needed when taking advice on forums. The makers specification for the car is paramount. Detachable or fixed it’s no different to the car. Although about 13 years ago witter had some confusion when Ford increased the noseweight of one model from 80 to 90 kgs and Witter then had a different limit for fixed and detachable of 90 and 80 respectively. But for most well loaded and matched outfits the 10 kg should make no discernible difference to how it tows.This forum is amazing ! I have gained so much information , my car is the Vauxhall insignia Sri CDTI sports tourer estate 170 it pulls caravan very well , I have just ordered a nose weight gauge so I can check limits
many thanks
Paul
With car and caravan empty it could have been jiggly. But what noseweight did you apply for the return trip from Cornwall? Caravans can change significantly between unloaded and loaded.Tow bar is fixed one , had it fitted by mobile company when I purchased caravan , I drove to Truro in Cornwall to pick it up and drove back home with both car and caravan empty (360 miles)and seemed fine , not sure why people say “you don’t know it’s on the back” you definitely do know it’s there ! Because you get that bouncy feeling.
The nose weight on the Insignia A , my Motor, is 85kg no mater what tow bar is fitted. My tow ball gives a reading of 135kg would never load that far.In practice you should be looking at the cars maximum though, as that will almost certainly be lower and should be in the handbook. If the car is the current model the information should be on the Vauxhall website, or to be found in the link to the brochure.
What year is it Paul If it's that the grand sport you have a nose weight of 90kg max.This forum is amazing ! I have gained so much information , my car is the Vauxhall insignia Sri CDTI sports tourer estate 170 it pulls caravan very well , I have just ordered a nose weight gauge so I can check limits
many thanks
Paul
Hi Dave , it is the 2014 facelift model registered on 30 th December 2013 think first owner was Vauxhall as demonstrator , yes they are a very good tow car and I do chuckle as it is cheaper to run than my daughtersFord KAWhat year is it Paul If it's that the grand sport you have a nose weight of 90kg max.
And they are great tow cars. But I'm a little bias.
Same model as mine reg in Oct 2013Hi Dave , it is the 2014 facelift model registered on 30 th December 2013 think first owner was Vauxhall as demonstrator , yes they are a very good tow car and I do chuckle as it is cheaper to run than my daughtersFord KA