trailer nose weight

[andymal]

Hi

I have a Brian James Clubman 950 and have just added a tyre rack and fuel box on the front of it. Prior to fitting the nose weight was 70kg but it is now 95kg. The problem is that the towbar limit is a maximum of 76kg. I thought reversing the 7 onto the trailer may solve the problem but was surprised when the nose weight then increased to 120kg. I cannot move the 7 further back on the trailer to counter balance the front weight because with the tyre rack and fuel box on the car is as far back as it can go.

I'd appreciate any ideas on how to solve this. If anybody else is running this combination, what is your nose weight?

Thanks

Andy

[Jason Plato]

errrrrrrr remove the fuel box = 20Kg ++

[david nelson]

I had this problem and bought the axils forward.

 

 

David

[andymal]

Just retested it. I moved the trailer to a flatter area (earlier was fractionally downhill) and placed a larger piece of wood on top of the scales to spread the load. Amazing, it's gone from 95kg to 70kg, so problem solved.

I had thought of another potential solution - something heavy in the boot of the 7 to act as a counterbalance, just so long as i remember to remove it before going on track.

 

[darren f]

I've had similar problems with my PRG trailer and Mondeo or Passat tow cars, both of which only have a 75kg nose weight limit (as do most 'normal' road cars). The NW with a laden tyre rack at the front is always about 100kg+- the only solution being to move the car further back on the trailer to lighten the hitch load. Beware though because I've found in doing so there is a transfer of weight to behind the trailer wheels resulting in an increased chance of stability problems (such as brown-trouser-moment inducing snaking ).

 

You've either live with this and drive at sensible / legal speeds, or lessen the load at the trailer front (read don't use the tyre rack ) or simply live with a heavy nose weight. A 4x4 with a sensible noseweight limit would be the best, albeit planet-unfriendly solution.

 

Do not by the way tow with a Seven reversed onto the trailer- you will have major stability problems.

 

 

Edited by - darren f on 27 May 2006 19:47:39

[david nelson]

My nose weight has to be 50kg, after mods it is achevable but any thing above the speed limit can cause snaking. thaking to a caravanan he said he would never tow without a stabilising bar. this should allow light nose weight and stability.

 

 

David

 

[susser]

Don't forget, that running a twin axle will result in great variation in noseweight as the axles run over the bumps;

If you start with a noseweight that is already higher than the cars noseweight recommendation, the increase of quite a few kilos as the whole outfit undulates, may take the noseweight to excess.

Bottom line is;

Get 50-70 kg of noseweight and stand a chance of keeping within reasonable limits.

IMHO.

[susser]

And another thing;

If your towball is higher than the standing height of the trailer's hitch, this will increase noseweight.

As an example; when I borrowed OBNS's PRG, I had to load my car further back than he puts "Black and Stonechip" as my Volvo hitch is higher than his Landy's. The reason is, that as you lift the front of a twin axle, you take weight off the front axle and add it to the rear. This adds noseweight. In contrast; as you raise the nose of a single axle, you will reduce noseweighrt as the centre of gravity moves rearward.

Dont I go on ??.

 

[darren f]

Susser, no not at all - I'm interested that other people have the same noseweight problems as me. Regarding your last point- all the towing perceived wisdom is that one should tow with the trailer hitch level or slightly 'nose down'. I hadn't thought about it before, you are correct that a twin-wheel trailer has to be near level, excessive 'nose down' would make a twin-axle into a single axle trailer.

 

Something else to check- I understand why most people trailer-ing use 4x4s- just hitch it up and not worry eh .

[susser]

Darren

You're not wrong there matey;

I think some bods think that just because they've got loads of torque, they can pull anything, anywhere and at whatever speed they like.

We've obviously both seen it.

PS

You're not far from me; I'm in Cantley.

[oldbutnotslow]

Daren, As a caravanner of 20 years I can tell you that adding a stabiliser will NOT cure the problem it will just mask it.

They do not compensate for a badly loaded outfit. If anything you need a VERY slight nose down attitude as has been said. Better nose down than nose up.

Nose weight is very important even on a twin axle. As Pauls says my PRG is low in comparison to my caravan. I have to drop the tow ball down about 4". The Towing rig on my Landrover is adjustable so I can move the ball height up or down simply by putting the securing bar in lower or higher holes.

Removing the fuel can box would seem the easiest course of action. You dont say what you are towing with. Remember that as a general rule you should not exceed 85% of the tow car curb weight. Is the limit on the tow bar or on the car? If its the car you could also try fitting spring assisters. Dont ever fit the rubber coil spring inserts. You need either additional springs fitted internally in the coil springs or Autoballons, which are like inflatable rubber balls that fit inside the springs. Your local caravan dealer (Greentrees 01362 696434) will help you.

If its the tow bar there’s not much you can do.

It amazes me that people who drive 4x4 believe that they are exempt from the laws of physics in some way. Nose weight and the weight of the thing that you are towing is just as important as for a normal car. I always check the nose weight of my caravan before each journey just to make sure. Too light is just as bad as too heavy.

 

Remember that you must take a nose weight reading on level ground with the trailer brakes OFF.

 

 

Grant Taylor

OBNS Motorsport

 

😬 183 BHP of Black and 'Stone Chip' excitement. 😬 here

 

 

Edited by - oldbutnotslow on 28 May 2006 17:58:04

[susser]

Heed the words of the wise one Oldbutnotslow,

but also take note of the wise old Olderandnowherenearasfast ;

"Make sure you take the noseweight reading with the hitch at the height it will be towed at."

Oohhhhhh Arrrrrrrrrrrrr Booooooooooooooyyyyyyyy.

 

[darren f]

Blimey, this is turning into a Norfolk-only mardle .

Interesting stuff Grant- Have you ever had any experience with the spring assisters or air units? This was something I was looking into, just to get the tow-car a bit more level. As was some form of stabiliser. The tow car is a Passat Estate BTW, which does seem to sit low at the back. The max tow at 85% is well within limits- its just the nose weight (75kg) that seems nigh on impossible to keep to (if I want to use the tyre rack).

 

[Gee Whizz]

why not move the tyre rack to the roof of the passat?

 

Or is that too much load for the roof?

 

I dont much about this subject but thought I would add a couple of useless old pennies to the equation.

 

Gavin