Noseweight limits vs loading

[Glenn_5132962]

Last year I made myself a little wooden frame so I could check the noseweight of my outfit using bathroom scales. (1999 Swift Classic Alouette 5 berth) towed with a Jaguar X Type 2.5

The jag has a noseweight limit of 75kg but my loaded van was showing over 95kg. All fluids were already drained & the only items of any weight in the front locker were a 6kg propane cylinder & a spare wheel. In order to get to 75kg nose weight most of my other heavy stuff (wheel clamps, jack, porch awning 3 overnight bags etc) had to be put on the floor AFT of the axle. The other heavyish stuff (pans, tv, plates cups etc) were already stowed in their cupboards near the axle) & the waste & water containers were put in the bathroom which is about 2 feet aft of the axle.

I've read about loading & it's effects on driving so I wasn't overly comfortable about weight at the back but the rig handled well on the road & it was the only way to meet noseweight limits.

What else could I do?

 

[cooky1]

Glenn, how about getting the spare wheel out of the front locker and putting it on an underslung carrier on the van. This is how I manage to keep my nose weight to 75kgs.

Means spending a bit of cash though!

Graeme

 

[Garfield]

I have to hold my hand up and say that I've never ever actually weighed the nose weight, all I do is set the jockey to towbar height and lift it by hand stick a finger in the air "yep that's about right!".

As far as loading the van is concerned, try to keep all movable items, especially heavy ones, as near to the axle as possible, if you have to move the items fore or aft a few inches to get the right balance then that's ok.

The caravan is like a flywheel, with the axle being the hub and the ends being the rim, keep the weight near the hub and you reduce the inertia, the same goes for loading the car, always try to put the heaviest items near the centre of the car.

When we come back from France the kids (whose feet don't touch the floor) are glad to have a few cases of beer in the footwell to rest their feet on!.