Noseweights - I thought I understood!

[BernardinTring]

Sorry to be so thick on this much aired subject, but athough I thought I understood the principles of how this is worked out, the more I have read the more issues that this matter raises.

My car, an X-Trail Columbia DCi 2.2, has a Car Maximum Payload of 525Kg. The caravan is a Coachman 460/2 with a noseweight of 100kg the same as the car.

The question is; in ensuring that the total PAYLOAD of the car does not exceed the 525Kg FIGURE with its 'contents' should account ALSO be taken of the noseweight figure of 100Kg, reducing the actual payload content of luggage, passengers, dog etc to a figure of 425Kg.

I'm totally confused; sorry to appear somewhat on the dim side on this. Hope I can have some definitive advice on this. Have I confused myself by reading too much?

 

[Lutz]

You have understood correctly. The 100kg noseweight is part of the 525kg allowable payload, leaving you with 425kg for luggage, passengers, dog, etc.

 

[BernardinTring]

Lutz,

I'm very much obliged for this confirmatin and your very quick response. thank you.

However, one thing leads to another and in view of your confirmation I must say I am rather miffed as to why in what I consider an important aspect of overall safety, that such a vital piece of 'interpretation/advice/information' is not made clear and more widely available when payloads and noseweights are being published or discussed, making it clear that if you tow, this weight must be taken into consideration.

Unless I have missed the point in my reading of previous articles, I find this lack of clarity of the precise position more than worrying to say the least.

I have to say that I try and keep meticulous figures of various weights etc and fortunately have not exceeded the payload of the vehicle by my omission in not previously taking the noseweight of 100Kg into consideration.

Again many thanks for the information given.

 

[xtrailman]

You also need to account for the tow bar weight.

 

[Lutz]

Good point, Ray. Towbars can weigh up to 40kg on some models and this, too, will have to be subtracted from the usable payload.