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4th Oct 2016 7:43 am
Gareth Site Moderator
Member Since: 07 Dec 2004
Location: Bramhall
Posts: 26779
Interesting. This makes the advice given by Elddis about their nose weights on Affinity caravans seem very suspect. I have an Elddis Affinity 550, and always struggle to keep the NW below the chassis max of 100 kg. The caravan does have IDC stabiliser, so is stable when towing. My worry is what would happen if the IDC failed! This was taken from a caravan forum post regarding Elddis nose weights.
We have noted your concerns at the actual noseweight for the Affinity 550 and that we do no normally publish the unladen nose weight the reasons for this are outlined below.
With the increase in the rear fixed bed layouts (Elddis designation 550) the potential for a high unladen nose weight has increased.
These types of layout by their design have a higher nose weights than other layouts. This is due to the light back end with contains only the rear fixed bed and 2 small wardrobes. All the heavy items such as the Kitchen equipment, space and water heaters and toilet and shower room are either over or in front of the axle.
In order to achieve a usable nose weight it is necessary to carefully load the caravan to ensure the nose weight remains below the Coupling head maximum of 100kgs.
These layouts have a large storage area under the fixed bed which should be utilised to counter balance the items fitted and loaded in front of the axle.
For example the placing of an awning under the fixed bed can reduce the nose weight by up to 30kgs.
The unladen nose weight can be misleading as the laden nose weight can be altered dramatically by the way the Customers loads the caravan.
Customers need to be made aware that the loading of their 550 caravan is critical and that the Industry and Caravan Club recommend an actual laden nose weight of 7% of the actual laden weight. This in most cases would be higher than the maximum nose weight of the coupling and the towing car, therefore the nose weight should be as high as possible without exceeding the Coupling or Towing car maximum nose weight whichever is the lower.
At Elddis we look at all aspects of the caravan weight and the nose weight is one area where we have taken several steps to try to reduce the unladen nose weight, however the more popular layouts with our customers do lead to higher nose weight as explained above.
4th Oct 2016 7:51 am
Barn1e D3 Decade
Member Since: 28 Aug 2006
Location: Mid-sussex
Posts: 2021
I very much agree with the above. We mistakenly left the awning in the rear shower. The snaking was appalling, even with the stabilising system. The nose weight was fine. Moved as the awning back over wheels and all was very stable but we struggled to avoid exceeding nose weight. I always try to load to the maximum permissible nose wait of the caravan chassis / frame.2005, TDV6 S, Auto, 190k miles, owned from new, V8 Brake Upgrade, Nancom Evo, RLD protector, BAS EGR blanking & Remap, separate ATF cooler, changing all the fluids ahead of time.
4th Oct 2016 8:21 am
Robbie
Member Since: 05 Feb 2006
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Posts: 17932
Unladen nose weight is never misleading as it is the reference value that you have to work from. It is not untypical to tow an unladen caravan either as it is commonly the state you tow to and from any caravan storage park.Land Rover - Turning Drivers into Mechanics Since 1948
Member Since: 07 Dec 2004
Location: Bramhall
Posts: 26779
The unladen NW of my caravan is about 115 kg. This is how it left the factory. Fit some gas bottles and it's even more!
Anyway, it's a piece of in many other areas, and Elddis are not the easiest or best manufacturer to deal with.
4th Oct 2016 8:44 am
al cope
Member Since: 08 Nov 2005
Location: Oldbury, WM
Posts: 10361
our bailey was the same - with nothing in the front locker (gas,etc) it was already at 100kg noseweight. The manufacturers are not helping here.
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4th Oct 2016 9:39 am
Mogwyth
Member Since: 03 Oct 2014
Location: Pwllheli
Posts: 3976
What gets me is the recommended nw is 7% of laden weight and they say you should get to as near as that as the coupling and vehicle will allow, for our van that's 126kg, no problem for the D3, but of course we can't get any where near that as in common with most vans the coupling is limited to 100kg!==================================
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4th Oct 2016 9:44 am
Erea
Member Since: 19 Mar 2012
Location: Munster
Posts: 1509
Firstly great video, a lot of people don't even consider balancing out their load. I've never checked nose weight but always work on...put as much weight as possible over the axles and make sure the front is heavier than the back. It would be interesting to see in that video the effects of the weight being put over the axles instead of at the very back
4th Oct 2016 10:06 am
Brian_DL13
Member Since: 25 Aug 2013
Location: Teesdale
Posts: 1418
The point here is that the turning moment (weight x distance from the axle) effect applies to both the nose weight and the propensity of the 'van to swing from side to side.
It's 'easy' to reduce the nose weight by putting something heavy at the back, but that also makes it much more susceptible to swinging side to side.
Noseweight varies so much with the attitude of the 'van without moving anything inside. On the level my Bailey shows about 125kg on the gauge, but when moving it to couple up, as soon as it goes backwards down a slight slope the jockey wheel lifts of the ground. So where did more than 125kg just go?
What I would like to know is taking the "stated noseweight" as being a reference point, what are the tolerable usage limits, both positve and negative, for chassis, coupling head and tow ball?A vaccine does not stop you catching a virus, or passing it on, or getting ill from it, really ill. It does reduce the likelyhood of you dying when really, really ill. Stay Alive - KEEP AWAY FROM PEOPLE.
The unladen NW of my caravan is about 115 kg. This is how it left the factory. Fit some gas bottles and it's even more!
Anyway, it's a piece of in many other areas, and Elddis are not the easiest or best manufacturer to deal with.
I have the exact opposite, I have to load a lot of gear on my front locker, single axle Elegance, fixed bed, bathroom across the rear, apart from usual bathroom bits, the only extras in the bathroom are an Aquarol and a Wastemaster, Cadac right up behind the axle along side the wheel arch, under the bed.
Front locker has two Calor bottles, Long and short mains lead, box of pegs for the awning, plus usual clobber,blocks, ramps, chemicals etc, still only at 75kgs, checked with a Milenco calibrated Gauge.
4th Oct 2016 11:03 am
Erea
Member Since: 19 Mar 2012
Location: Munster
Posts: 1509
Member Since: 19 Mar 2012
Location: Munster
Posts: 1509
I once unhitched a single axle trailer that was loaded wrongly. Let's just say it had a large negative noseweight. I landed about 10 feet away. I still have the lump on the back of my head 20 years later.
What it does not show is that in the second scenario the noseweight could still be correct. It is the "dumbell" effect of weight at both ends.
It has got me thinking about where the "85% rules" is derived from and moments of inertia about the centre of gravity of the tow vehicle.A vaccine does not stop you catching a virus, or passing it on, or getting ill from it, really ill. It does reduce the likelyhood of you dying when really, really ill. Stay Alive - KEEP AWAY FROM PEOPLE.
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in many other areas, and Elddis are not the easiest or best manufacturer to deal with.
