Member Since: 27 Feb 2011
Location: Wilts
Posts: 1376
Measuring nose weight
Read a lot recently on here and in other places about the effect of caravan nose weight on stability. I have been tin tenting a while and was aware of this and loaded the van accordingly. I want to be a little bit more scientific though and get a nose weight gauge. Anyone use one or recommend one to me. Seen a few, but they are advertised as single axle only. Surely nose weight, is nose weight?
14th Aug 2016 6:19 am
kevin-t
Member Since: 12 Nov 2007
Location: sheffield
Posts: 682
Nose weight
I have a heavy duty jockey wheel with weight gauge built in.
Twin axle, tows much better around 120 mark.
Alko make.
14th Aug 2016 7:04 am
trevorb1
Member Since: 21 Mar 2015
Location: Nuneaton
Posts: 63
You need to careful with nose weight, although the Disco is rated to 150Kg, the Alko chassis and hitch are only rated to 100Kg max.
14th Aug 2016 7:21 am
L319
Member Since: 14 Dec 2013
Location: Herefordshire
Posts: 2083
Nose weight on twin axle is very dependant on the hitch height when coupled so that is why some gauge supplies probably say singe axle only. I used old bathroom scales under nose wheel .
Bathroom scales and a bit of wood to replicate your hitch height on level ground is a good away as any.
Had one that was incorporated in the Jockey wheel, found it to be very inaccurate.
The Milenco calibrated one is as good as any, but circa £30 but you can pick them up off the bay for under a tenner if your prepared to wait.
Don't know about others but once you have loaded and got it right you then tend to load it the same way every time so you don't use them again, everything goes back in the same place.
14th Aug 2016 8:59 am
nearlee
Member Since: 15 Dec 2012
Location: where the sheep are scared
Posts: 1777
Another bathroom scale user with a piece of wood.
Like said once you've sorted it you tend to load the same each timeJust remember:-
Amateurs built the Ark
Professionals built the titanic
14th Aug 2016 9:43 am
Barn1e D3 Decade
Member Since: 28 Aug 2006
Location: Mid-sussex
Posts: 2021
I get the best towing experience when the hitch load at maximum for the alco hitch and minimise any loads at the very rear of van. We have a rear bathroom and it is tempting to put the awning in there to tow, but that really does upset handling when being overtaken.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.
14th Aug 2016 9:45 am
Mogwyth
Member Since: 03 Oct 2014
Location: Pwllheli
Posts: 3976
trevorb1 wrote:
You need to careful with nose weight, although the Disco is rated to 150Kg, the Alko chassis and hitch are only rated to 100Kg max.
150kg for the removable, the fixed towbar is rated at 250kg at a sacrifice of 75kg payload.
We use th Milenco one, as far as I am aware its the only BS certified one.==================================
05 D3 HSE V8 4.4
04 MG TF 135
03 MG TF 115 Cool Blue Edition
02 MG TF 160
00 Hymer B564 Lionheart
1971 Series III 109
14th Aug 2016 12:10 pm
Riccarton Disco
Member Since: 24 Jan 2013
Location: Scottish Borders
Posts: 565
I think trevorb1 was referring to the capacity of the 'van hitch and not the Disco's towbar.
14th Aug 2016 5:17 pm
discoteca
Member Since: 08 Mar 2010
Location: Warwickshire
Posts: 1477
Re: Measuring nose weight
Tanglewood wrote:
Read a lot recently on here and in other places about the effect of caravan nose weight on stability. I have been tin tenting a while and was aware of this and loaded the van accordingly. I want to be a little bit more scientific though and get a nose weight gauge. Anyone use one or recommend one to me. Seen a few, but they are advertised as single axle only. Surely nose weight, is nose weight?
No. On a TA the nose weight has to be measured at the point where the hitch is exactly the same height as it is when connected to the car, this makes it really hard to measure with a traditional gauge or the bathroom scales method. On a single axle it makes no difference what the hitch height is when you measure it because all the weight is on the single axle regardless and the van pivots on that axle. On a TA if the hitch is 5cm higher when you measure, less of the weight is on the van front axle than if it were 5cm lower so the nose weight will read higher than it would be when you are hitched up. Similarly if the hitch is 5cm lower than the ball, the nose weight will measure less than it actually is when you are hitched.
In short, to get an accurate nose weight on a TA, the van/trailer must be absolutely level and the measurement must be taken when the van hitch is at the same height from the ground as it is when connected to the car.
Next time your van is hitched, with the Disco in normal height measure the hitch height from the ground. Then when you measure nose weight next time get the van level and the hitch at the same height as previously measured. Then get the gauge or scales and wood post under the hitch, built up on wood to raise it from the floor, lower the jockey wheel and you have the true nose weight as towed.
Last edited by discoteca on 15th Aug 2016 5:44 am. Edited 1 time in total
14th Aug 2016 10:58 pm
Tanglewood
Member Since: 27 Feb 2011
Location: Wilts
Posts: 1376
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
