Public weighbridge?

[PHOENIXFLIER]

Having read copious threads on the dreaded noseweight, I have come up with the following plan:
(If I put car / caravan on the towcar.info site it tells me I need 60kg noseweight).
Take loaded car and loaded caravan to our local weighbidge, weigh car and caravan.
Work out 5-7% of caravan weight = noseweight to stick to.
I trust towcar.info up to a point, but would rather get an exact figure.
Am I going down the right road?
Thx. Simon.

 

[Hutch]

Welcome Simon, you could be opening a can of worms here about nose weights, Your going the wrong way round, The correct nose weight should be between 7 and 10% of your caravans MTPL. But remember your tow bars limit. Here is a good lnk.
http://www.caravanguard.co.uk/news/how-to-measure-and-adjust-your-caravans-nose-weight-3999/

Hutch.

 

[PHOENIXFLIER]

Hutch
I thought this may open a very large tin of freshly dug worms!.
So, My caravan MTPLM is 905kg, and 5% = 45kg and 7% = 63kg.
So Towcar.com were about right at 60kg.
Am I getting to grips with it.......or is it much, much more complicated?
My head is starting to hurt already.
Si

 

[ProfJohnL]

Having read copious threads on the dreaded noseweight, I have come up with the following plan:
(If I put car / caravan on the towcar.info site it tells me I need 60kg noseweight).
Take loaded car and loaded caravan to our local weighbidge, weigh car and caravan.
Work out 5-7% of caravan weight = noseweight to stick to.
I trust towcar.info up to a point, but would rather get an exact figure.
Am I going down the right road?
Thx. Simon.

Hi Simon,

Don't get bogged down with trying to stick religiously to a particular specific nose load with the exception of not exceeding (whichever is the lower) the maximum nose load your car can accept or the the maximum the caravan hitch can accept.

Generally it is found that bigger nose loads keep an outfit more stable it will be, BUT nose load is not the only factor so dont ignore the other factors.

Its impractical to weigh your car and caravan each time you use it, so to avoid the need for regular visits to the weighbridge, its simpler to use the 5 to 7% of the caravan's MTPLM.

Nose load must be measured at it working height, ie the hitch must rest on the measuring device at exactly the same height as when it's coupled to the car and ready to roll. It may not be immediately obvious, but if you don't measure at the coupled towing height, you will get an incorrect reading.

And for low cost measurement system use the caravan step a number of magazines to support a pair of bathroom scales and rest the hitch at the towing height. Avoid any measurement system that does not adjust for correct towing height.

 

[Martin24]

As hutch says 7-10% so 63 to 90 kgs.

Do not exceed the towbar limit.

Many different methods to use to measure which others will go into as my method always gets cried down.

 

[PHOENIXFLIER]

Getting a bit clearer thanks, but...........
Conflicting posts.
Is it 5-7% OR 7-10%?
And is the higher or lower of the two percentages better?
Obviously there is a big difference between 5% of MTPLM (45.25KG) and 10% MTPLM (90.5KH)
...or just go for the middle @ 67kg?

 

[Hutch]

It's a case of try and "feel" what is better for your caravan set up, I believe most people will agree that the slightly heavier nose weight without making the rear end of your car droop,
My first van Sterling Eccles Jewel, I never realy thought about nose weight and loading, and suprisinly everything worked well with a Vectra 2.2 diesel. Changed the caravan and car to a Coachman 545 and a Vectra 3 litre diesel, wow, had to really balance the caravan, and had to have weight behind then axle of the van, now with a 560, I need weight in the front of the van to get the nose weight up. editI should say heavier.
It is a real learning curve, if you have the spare weight in your caravan , it's surprising how much difference just moveing around the cable hook up and maybe a light weight (10 kg awning) can make to your nose weights.
Thats my bit for nose weights.

 

[Hutch]

 

[ProfJohnL]

As I suggested before - don't get over sensitive about the actual nose load percentage , It just a recommendation that caravanners should aim for 5 to7% the percentage figure is not critical. The only critical bit is that you must not exceed either of the car or the caravan's nose load limits. As Hutch says its trial and error, But it is generally found that its better to be higher than lower. In some cases extreme cases that could mean it actual 10%, but provided the actual load is within car and caravans specification.

Nose load is created and affected by the way you load items into your caravan. I suggest you looka th PCF's guides for loading found here:

http://www.practicalcaravan.com/advice/28413-loading-your-caravan-safely
and here

http://www.practicalcaravan.com/advice/28412-caravan-loading-basics

 

[PHOENIXFLIER]

Great, starting to make sense now.
I am going to start at 7% of the MTPLM 905 = 63KG, and adjust from then on if required.