OK outfit?

[elated]

Hi, my towcar is a 1998 Ford Mondeo Si 2.5L V6 and our new van is a 1994 Compass Rallye 460/2, (unladen=995kg, fully laden=1200kg), the caravan dealer did a towsure check and it comes out at 88.24% with fully laden caravan, but it also states the caravans noseweight will be 84kg, i know my cars maximum noseweight is only 75kg!, what should i do please, can the noseweight be adjusted to make it 75kg max?, it seems that Towsafe has given the figure for the noseweight based on the recommended 7% weight of the caravan as it works out exactly to 84kg!

any comments or advice please?

 

[STEVE_5041381]

I would not worry too much about the weight 88 pct if perfectly ok to tow with remember 85 pct is only a guideline. re nose weight can you not put your gas bottles and spare wheel somewhere else ie s/wheel in boot of your car gas bottles in van over axle somewhere ? 84kg seems a bit high what does your caravan book say ? with those weights and the power you have I would have no probs towing with that outfit.

 

[Lutz]

If, as you say, 75kg is the maximum that Ford allow for the Mondeo (and I'm sure you are correct) then 75kg it is and no more or else you will be illegal. I suspect the 7% figure is a remnant from the old days before there were any legal limits and caravanners didn't have anything better to go by but today the maximum noseweight is always specified and this must never be exceeded. However, for good stability, it's always worth adjusting the noseweight as close as possible just below the limit.

 

[Lutz]

I would not worry too much about the weight 88 pct if perfectly ok to tow with remember 85 pct is only a guideline. re nose weight can you not put your gas bottles and spare wheel somewhere else ie s/wheel in boot of your car gas bottles in van over axle somewhere ? 84kg seems a bit high what does your caravan book say ? with those weights and the power you have I would have no probs towing with that outfit.

For safety's sake, never transport gas bottles other than in the front locker where they can be properly secured.

 

[elated]

thanks steve and lutz, we dont even pick the new van up till this saturday so we have no manual as yet and cant even see what the noseweight is like, (we do have a noseweight guage at the ready though!), i think i am worrying too much at the Towsure result and am sure it will all be fine

many thanks

elated (hopefully on Saturday!)

 

[HomerMarge]

Be carefull and DO NOT rely on your nose gauge. We had one (cost a tenner, red, square one) and it was rubbish. We proved it to be 30kg OUT ! The shop we bought it from said it was cheap rubbish and gave us our money back....not sure why he was selling it if he knew it was cheap rubbish! Just be carefull, we were WAY OUT and definately illegal and overloaded before double checking!

 

[CaptainKangaroo]

Not with those legs!

 

[jacky3]

thwe 7% theory is a guideline from the manufacturer for the suitable noseweight of the said caravan for the stability in towing of the van.unfortunately unless youve got your own weighbridge you are not really going to know exactly what the van weighs prior to towing it,as this figure is derived from the weight of the van at that specific time of you loding it,which can vary with every trip almost.

not forgetting regardless,the max tow hitch limit should not be exceeded