Can someone tell if if there is an official noseweight calculation, I have always been governed by my towcar being 75kgs, however I have now changed to a vehicle that max is 140kgs, my van weighs 1300 MPTL, I have heard the calculation of 7% of the total, this would mean around 91kgs, don't know if i'm right? thanks mark
NoseWeight
- Thread starter markyb11
- Start date
Parksy
Moderator
Taken from the towing law section of this website which is accessible via the home page:
'It is a legal requirement that the noseweight should be 4% of the weight of the trailer or at least 25kg, whichever is the higher.. For safety you should aim for, but not exceed, the lower of the 2 figures specified for caravan and car respectively. '
'It is a legal requirement that the noseweight should be 4% of the weight of the trailer or at least 25kg, whichever is the higher.. For safety you should aim for, but not exceed, the lower of the 2 figures specified for caravan and car respectively. '
For safety you should aim for, but not exceed, the lower of the 2 figures specified for caravan and car respectively.
^^- Not only for safety, this is also a legal requirement.
^^- Not only for safety, this is also a legal requirement.
The car and the caravan both have a maximum nose weight limit. Just aim for the lower of the two figures.
Why calculate it ,the answer is given to you?
Why calculate it ,the answer is given to you?
"It is a legal requirement that the noseweight should be 4% of the weight of the trailer or at least 25kg, whichever is the higher.. For safety you should aim for, but not exceed, the lower of the 2 figures specified for caravan and car respectively. "
That contradicts itself.
The first point says at least 25kg or 4%, whichever is the higher.
So in the above example 4% of 1300kg is 52kg, so that should be used.
However it then says aim for but not exceed the figures specified for the caravan or car.
Or am I reading it wrong and it means you would aim for 52kg, unless the specs in the car/towbar nose weight say 75kg and the caravan specs say 45kg, then you would be limited to the lower of the 2, ie 45kg.
Jimbo
That contradicts itself.
The first point says at least 25kg or 4%, whichever is the higher.
So in the above example 4% of 1300kg is 52kg, so that should be used.
However it then says aim for but not exceed the figures specified for the caravan or car.
Or am I reading it wrong and it means you would aim for 52kg, unless the specs in the car/towbar nose weight say 75kg and the caravan specs say 45kg, then you would be limited to the lower of the 2, ie 45kg.
Jimbo
the guide line recomended is 7% of the MTPLM however as many cars have a max of 7gkg n/weight the legal requirment is as said a min 0f 4% OR 25kg The ALKO hitch has a max load of 100kg so this cannot be exceeded I your case I would aim at the 90kg you stated
There is no data available to support the 7% formula that is often quoted, so your best bet is to always stick to the lower of the two limits specified for car and caravan, respectively.
I have a problem with nose-weights too, and would be grateful if Lutz or others could advise. The problem is as follows:
1. My car has a maximum noseweight of 80Kg - I know I cannot exceed that (in spite of what some caravan dealers have told me!)
2. The caravan I am wanting to change to has a noseweight (unladen) of 78kg. That is, even before I put anything into the caravan it weighs 78kg at the hitch.
Does this effectively mean that I will never be able to keep the noseweight under 80Kg, irrespective of how I load the caravan? To me, it appears that even a couple of thick books placed anywhere near the front of the caravan will take me over the cars noseweight limit.
Grateful for any comments.
1. My car has a maximum noseweight of 80Kg - I know I cannot exceed that (in spite of what some caravan dealers have told me!)
2. The caravan I am wanting to change to has a noseweight (unladen) of 78kg. That is, even before I put anything into the caravan it weighs 78kg at the hitch.
Does this effectively mean that I will never be able to keep the noseweight under 80Kg, irrespective of how I load the caravan? To me, it appears that even a couple of thick books placed anywhere near the front of the caravan will take me over the cars noseweight limit.
Grateful for any comments.
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