Minno problem

[simonray]

I've recently bought a Minno trailer for my x-flow seven. Having already used it a couple of times, I decided to check the nose weight, as recommended in the past on these pages. I was careful to ensure the nose was at the same height as when loaded and my garage floor is pretty flat. Problem is, the nose weight is huge. With the car relatively far forward, its 105 kg with the tyre rack empty and 125 kg with four wheels and 021Rs on the rack. With the back panel of the car level with the back of the trailer, the figures are 91 and 108 kg. Brian James suggest loading the car backwards, but its only a little front biased (maybe 55:45) and I think this might not give me enough nose weight. Also, the cage will stop the car getting too far onto the trailer because it fouls the tyre rack. Am I doing something wrong? Is it just that no one else bothers to check the weights. I can't believe I'm the only one trying to tow a x-flow seven on a trailer with a tyre rack . I don't really want to lose the tyre rack but may have to. Any advice appreciated (and sorry this is so long).

 

Simon Ray

 

Edited by - simonray on 6 Nov 2001 17:49:11

[stevefoster]

Simon,

The chap who helped me out may have the answers. He towed an XF with tyre rack and 8 tyres!

Call me and I will give you his number...

[Paul Thompson]

 

 

What problems are you having towing. I have a full tyre rack, tool box and 40 litres of fuel up on the front of my Minno trailer on which I tow my cross flow. No problem - it tows at 80 plus with a Freeloader. Although I did notice when I rescued Steve's Vauxhall engined De Dion that it was not as stable at speed.

[simonray]

Paul, Steve

 

It's not that I actually have any problem towing - I don't. In fact, it tows very nicely, very stable even with 120 kg of nose weight. However, the hitch on the Minno is only permitted 100 Kg and the Witter towbar on my Passat has a max. nose weight of only 85 Kg, so I'm concerned that things are being overstressed. Brian James told me on the phone today that the nose weight should be only 55-60 Kg. Have you measured the nose weight on yours, Paul?

I expect your Freelander may have greater capacity in its tow bar, but the hitch on the Minno should be the same.

 

p.s. Steve What's this I hear about you maybe going racing?

 

Simon.

 

Edited by - simonray on 6 Nov 2001 21:35:38

[Alex Wong1697456877]

This is a pet subject of Roger Swifts. He's taken to reversing his car onto his trailer to resolve it. Increasing rear weight makes the trailer very tail happy and less stable. Also, his trailer is long enough to allow reversing onto it. It's also very hard to reverse onto a Minno as it's so narrow. I'm aware of the nose weight problem (I have a Passat as well) and have elected to ignore it (Only because I can't think of a solution).

 

One solution would be to move the tyre rack further back I suppose. The other obvious solution would be to ask BJ to move the axles further forward. I don't think they'd be keen to do this though.

 

Simon, does your jockey wheel look very near the ground? Mine does and I've had to modify the tow bar to lift it higher.

 

Alex

[Paul D Jones]

lift the tyre rack up to get the car under it if you cannot do it yourself I can do it for you.

 

Paul

[Graham Perry]

You could also do what I do and that is carry some heavy stuff in the boot of the Caterham or maybe the passenger footwell. I can get two wheels in the passenger seat, and a third in the drivers with the steering wheel off. You don't have to have the back panel level with the rear of the trailer, it can overhang a bit. I have done stacks of towing over the years and believe the nose weight becomes more critical the smaller the car thats doing the towing, however 125 kg is way too high and you certainly need to do something.

[Chelspeed]

My Minno came without wheel chocks. When I fitted the wheel chocks I used the bathroom scales to position the car on the trailer to give 75kg nose weight (I had a Passat at the time too - spooky or what?) My car ended up approx central on the trailer bed, no overhang at the back at all, and that's Vauxhall engined too.

 

Since then I've had a tyre rack fitted but haven't bothered to recheck the nose weight. So thanks for the reminder best get the scales out again.

[Paul Turner]

I carried my Seven on a single axle trailer for several years and towed with a Golf GTI. The max weight recommended at the tow ball was 50kg and I achieved this with no problem with the spare wheel carrier level with the end of the trailer. When I fitted a tyre rack I placed this as far back and as low (just cleared the headlamps) as it would go but to achieve the 50kg nose weight I had to put the very heavy trailer spare wheel (13") on the back of the Seven instead of on the front mounted carrier.

 

Paul

[Blackbirdman]

IMHO it's the drivability that counts. I set the car on the trailer so that when driving at 50-60 a small twitch of the steering wheel results in the trailer 'wagging' for one cycle of oscillation only. Any more than this and more nose weight is required.

 

 

When different numbers of tyres and tools are loaded the position of the car needs to change so this method is quite sensitive.

 

One friend decided the tyre rack was too far forward and moved it back about four feet. The result was so unstable that when it started 'wagging' he could not see the trailer out of the rear window sad.gif.

 

My setup is so stable it will tow at 90 (not with a Passat) and once when almost sideswiped by an artic' is swerved across three lanes of the M20 and just kept it all together.

 

 

 

 

Is it a bike? Is it a car? No it's Blackbirdman cool.gif

[simonray]

Thanks for all the replies and sorry for the delay - I've been at a conference.

Alex - the jockey wheel isn't particularly low and hasn't given me any problems.

 

Paul.d.jones - how have you raised the tyre rack and by how much? Does this imply that you load the car on backwards?

 

Simon

[felix.klauser]

Make sure that you check the nose weight with the tongue of the trailer at the corresponding height to the towbar when the tow car is laden. The tongue height has a significant effect on tongue weight.

 

It may well help to have the petrol tank of the 7 full.

 

Felix

[Paul D Jones]

How ever you want it done Iam a Multiskilled fitter by trade and have welding fabricating equipment at home so can do it to a hight to suit your car and tow car, call me on 01472 590325 if you want to talk about.I do not have my own trailer but can if needed mod yours ok to give you an idea for the cost of steel box section 25mm square box section is £21.34 for 7 meters and 50mm square box section is £28.28 plus vat plus some welding rods etc.

Depending on the design of your trailer I could make up some side bits with lots of holes to bolt your tyre rack on to suit most cars ie. move the tyre rack backwards and forwards to suit.

aslong as I dont get a bulk order I have a day/shift job.

 

Paul

[millsn]

Simon- It seems you think that there'llnot be much difference betwene loaded forwards and loaded rearwarsd - realise that the weight you move off the front of the trailer is moved to the back of the trailr and therefore the weight on the tow hook is affected twice. (halved)

 

 

 

Nigel Mills - 2.0 Zetec carbs

[simonray]

Hi Nigel

 

It's not that I don't think there'd be much difference - quite the contrary. My concern is that there would be too much weight at the back of the trailer and quite possibly not enough on the nose.

 

Simon