Noseweight query

[tlawrence84]

Hey guys,

I have seen a few videos on the subject, and done some research, but when looking into noseweights I can only find info about the limits. I have a 1450 MTPLM caravan, noseweight limit at the hitch is 100kg, my car is a Ford Ranger pickup, towing capability of 3500kg, towbar accepts noseweight of 250kg.

Now I know that the lowest limit is what you are restricted too, that makes sense, so I can't have a noseweight of over 100kg. However what I don't understand is whether there is a target to aim for, or as long as I just keep under the limit?

I tend to put all of my stuff in the truck, including water barrels, bedding, clothes etc. All I keep in the van are my wheel locks, tools, gas bottles, cutlery, pots and pans, tv. I do have a solar panel fitted at the rear, and the leisure battery is directly over the axle inside the caravan. Beers and cold drinks are in a cooler in the truck so I keep the fridge empty until I arrive (fridge is directly over the axle). I've started putting the awning inside the caravan when I tow now also, keeping this in the walkway over the axle. My noseweight with this setup is around 60kg's. If i push my awning to the front, I can get the noseweight up to 80kg.

Should I be aiming for close to 100kg, or does this not matter? Is it a problem to be too light on the noseweight? Like I say, I'm pretty sure I understand the actual limits of the MTPLM vs MRO, and what not to exceed, and I know to keep heavy items low in the caravan etc. It's the distribution and how it affects towing that I am struggling to find advice on. Being a pickup truck, the caravan also sits very slightly at an angle when hitched, as the towbar is a tad higher than your average car.

Caravan is a 2015 Bailey unicorn seville, 2 berth with an upgraded weight plate to 1450 MTPLM.

 

[RogerL]

My own logic is that noseweight should be as heavy as possible without exceeding car/caravan limits.

Various bodies suggest 5-7% of MTPLM but these figures are influenced by the fact that most caravan hitches are 100kg, thus precluding any higher figures - rather than a best ratio.

 

[tlawrence84]

ok thanks, so really, I can stuff all my things at the front of the caravan to reach close to that magic 100kg's and leave the rear as light as possible?

All my research seems to return people asking about the complete opposite, trying to bring the weight down

 

[Hutch]

I find my Coachman, at 1645 kg tows best at around 80 kg nose weight.

 

[otherclive]

With your cars weight towing a relatively light caravan it won’t be as sensitive as a Jess well matched out with a much lighter car. I’ve generally gone “car heavy caravan light”. Even with a Sorrento Mk1 I didn’t load the caravan up to its max noseweight. Like Hutch I found 80 kg onto the car totally satisfactory.

 

[ProfJohnL]

The purpose of noseload is to counter the natural forces that tend to try and lift the nose of the trailer when moving. None of these forces are constant, and each combination of tow vehicle and trailer will produce different degrees of the effect, so its very much a suck it and see process.

Once you have enough noseload to keep positive downward pressure on the hitch when in motion there is no practical benefit of increasing the noseload. If your outfit felt stable with only 60Kg of noseload, you have enough.

As a starting point I suggest go for about 75% of the available capacity and it you have no signs of the onset of instability you can leave it at that of try adjusting if you want to.