Noseweight

[LMH]

What do you suggest putting in the front locker to achieve a noseweight of 75kg+- 5%?

The spare wheel is kept underneath the caravan. We only carry one gas bottle.

Lisa

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hello Lisa,

The only things that must be carried in the front locker are the gas bottles. These must be secured and kept upright at all times. Anything else you put in the front locker is your own choice and the effect it will have on nose weight will be different for each caravan so there is no definitive list

Incidentally, you ask about achieving 75kg +/- 5%. If you nose weight limit is 75kg, then you must not exceed it, so there is no + % allowed.

It is generally advised to adjust the nose weight to as close to the maximum for your out fit as possible, as this aids stability, but remember both the tow car and the caravan will have stated maximum figures and you must choose the lowest of the two.

 

[LMH]

Thanks.

Lisa

 

[Peter_374293316]

We are returning to caravanning after a break of about 10 years since the kids flew the nest. I'm interested in the loading and noseweight problems and the car manufacturers limit. I seem to remember that it was suggested (in our earlier towing days) that the pitching which occurs when towing can impose much more than 75 kgs of load on the towbar. Do the manufacturers take this occasional higher loading into account when determining the "dead" load.

 

[Lutz]

The short answer to your question, Peter, is yes. Durability tests on a shaker covering 2 million cycles are required in order to fulfil the requirements for type approval. Values for vertical and horizontal acceleration for these cycles are also specified, equating to a dynamic load which is several times the static noseweight.

 

[GrahamSouthBrum]

I think that the general oppinion is that the car makers set the max nose weight of say 75kgs, & that is what we all aim for

 

[Peter_374293316]

Lutz

Many thanks for the informative reply.

 

[Tankie]

My problem is keeping thr noseweight DOWN to 75kgs, if I put 1 6kg gas bottle in the front locker, that is enough. All the heavy stuff, ie- tinned food & "hospitality" drink etc goes in baskets and placed strategicaly behind the axle to get the noseweight DOWN! If I take a 2nd gas bottle, I know it shouldn't, but it has to go in the car behind the driver seat.

The only things in the the front locker with the gas bottle is the TV aerial and waste water container.

We have a Swift Charisma 230, noseweight is 100kgs, as most Swifts are, but my car Renault Scenic2 noseweight is 75kgs. Weekend trips are no problem really but anything over a week, it can be a problem!

I've seen people on site with the front locker absolutely packed solid with all sorts of gear, I shoulder to think what their weights are!!

Tankie