| A caravan's
nose weight
is the down force exerted on the caravan hitch by the weight of the
caravan. It is important for two reasons. Firstly your tow car's towing
bracket and rear suspension have to be able to handle it, and secondly
most caravans tow best with a nose weight of about 7% of the caravan's
laden weight. In practice this means a nose weight which is generally
between 50 and 90 kg.
Your car's handbook should give information on
maximum nose weights and provided the figure equates to 7% or more of
the caravan's laden weight there should not be a problem. Beware that
some early Land Rover Discoveries had nose weight limits of just 50 kg -
a very low figure for a vehicle of this type. Caravan manufacturers
often quote a nose weight limit too - check this is compatible with the
7% recommendation.
The simplest way to check the nose weight of
your caravan is to use bathroom scales. All you need to do is to level
the van and insert one end of a piece of wood into the hitch with the
other end resting on a flat piece of wood to spread its weight on the
scales. Make sure that the van is level and that the steadies are clear
of the ground then read off the nose weight on the scales. If the nose
weight is excessive then consider what heavy items you have loaded
forward of the axle. Normal culprits are gas bottles, spare wheels,
second batteries and full water tanks (where fitted). Gas bottles and
spare batteries can be carried upright in the tow car, whilst spare
wheels can be carried on a special carrier behind the axle of the
caravan. You should never travel with a full water tank.
Do not be tempted to reduce nose weight by
placing heavy objects at the rear of your caravan. To do so would give
rise to a pendulum effect which would destabilise the outfit and make
any snaking very difficult to control.
How high should my tow hitch be when towing?
The golden rule here is that the caravan should be either level or
slightly nose down. It should never be nose high as this will lead to
instability. In practice this means a height of around 350 - 420mm (13.8
- 16.6") to the centre of the ball when laden. Tow brackets are designed
such that the towball should fall within these limits.
If the nose weight of your outfit is fine but
the tow car's rear suspension is low when towing you may be able to fit
some form of spring assister. Caravan dealers often stock basic types.
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