Member Since: 02 Jan 2015
Location: North Norfolk
Posts: 162
Interesting stuff.
I have got into the habit of measuring mine with the Milenco device I have, and always try to keep it at 80kg.
Is it worth adding a bit more?
26th Jun 2015 1:20 pm
karlosbu
Member Since: 02 Sep 2008
Location: Worcestershire
Posts: 335
I measured the nose weight when I first got the van with it loaded as we like it including awning and gas bottles etc. and it was around 90Kg from memory. Now I don't bother as it's always loaded in a similar way and should be just fine always feels fine behind the disco.
Karl
26th Jun 2015 1:32 pm
Wolfpack
Member Since: 28 Jul 2014
Location: Norfolk
Posts: 121
Matts3 wrote:
Interesting stuff.
I have got into the habit of measuring mine with the Milenco device I have, and always try to keep it at 80kg.
Is it worth adding a bit more?
Yes it's worth adding 15kg so it stays just below the Alko hitch limit ( assuming you have an Alko chassis)
26th Jun 2015 2:13 pm
dubbs
Member Since: 18 Apr 2012
Location: Gloucestershire
Posts: 3626
I have never weighed it, always put the 10m awning in the front and a couple of bikes (plus the usual gumpf in the storage locker.
Always handled well, never looked to be anything other than level.
That's an 8m twin axle 6 berth Sterling though.MY15 DIY Black Pack (Better than factory and half the price!)
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26th Jun 2015 2:36 pm
DiscoDunc
Member Since: 08 May 2006
Location: Bristol
Posts: 16390
yes, get the nose weight as heavy as you can.
I find the caravans tow much better and more stable the higher the nose weight, obviously with the limits of car/caravanDuncan
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26th Jun 2015 2:37 pm
Matts3
Member Since: 02 Jan 2015
Location: North Norfolk
Posts: 162
Wolfpack wrote:
Matts3 wrote:
Interesting stuff.
I have got into the habit of measuring mine with the Milenco device I have, and always try to keep it at 80kg.
Is it worth adding a bit more?
Yes it's worth adding 15kg so it stays just below the Alko hitch limit ( assuming you have an Alko chassis)
Cool. Yep, it has an Alko chassis and the Alko stabilising system too, so will try it 15kg heavier next time, Cheers
I'm not sure "noseweight" is relevant with a multiple axle arrangement.
I tried to measure the noseweight of my new van with the time honoured bathroom scales but buddereg the scales. So I got a Milenco gauge and found out it was way over even what that could measure. So emptied tanks, shifted gas inside behind axle and still not below the magic 100kg. Moved everything out of front half apart from battery and got it down to 100kg.
Great, I thought. Then I backed it out on the motor mover and found the jockey wheel kept rising off the ground when moving. Back to gas in the front again and forget the measuring!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.
26th Jun 2015 9:05 pm
Riccarton Disco
Member Since: 24 Jan 2013
Location: Scottish Borders
Posts: 565
Don't mean to be rude but it sounds to me like you made the age old mistake of trying to take the nose weight without ensuring the chassis was 100% level.
On a single axle it doesn't matter one jot - but a twin axle!!!!!!!!!
Try this wee experiment - find a level piece of ground long enough, at least, for both axles to be on. Put your scales under the jockey wheel with the nose down and then slowly raise until the floor of the 'van is level (check with spirit level against reading of ground) and take the reading of the nose weight.
Remember that the weight on the tow-ball will be slightly less than that on the jockey wheel but not much.
Now, wind the jockey wheel down until the coupling has raised 1" (just 25 little millimetres) and re-check the nose weight.
IME you'll be amazed the difference that 1" can make.
Therefore, do not check your nose weights with the coupling high enough to drop over the tow-cars' tow-ball. Make sure it is at the same centre height as the tow-ball, less 1/2" or so, when you're checking the weights.
Out of interest, for those that haven't fallen asleep yet, I regularly transport livestock which is not what you'd call a fixed load. When transporting my bull the Deafner would go from looking at the sky to looking at the road as he moved fore and aft. Trailer nose weight went from + 1te to - 0.75te. The only time you could relax a little was when the bu er stood still near the front of the trailer.
Perfectly level front to rear and side to side, brake off, wheels not blocked, jockey wheel up, block under weight gauge so van is level when gauge compressed. All looks perfect. That is until mover is taking it up a very slight slope and it goes tail heavy. Maybe I have a ghost bull walking about inside!
Yet during the 'van cleaning yesterday we had two folk in the rear washroom to get the rooflight open and it didn't tip at all even though steadies were not down. So I'm going to dig out my Meccano and build a model so I can experiment.
Comment on another forum was to park trailer with front two wheels on blocks when measuring noseweight so back two are hanging in free space. Might as well give it a try as otherwise it will be back to chicken intestines.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.
28th Jun 2015 2:02 pm
discoteca
Member Since: 08 Mar 2010
Location: Warwickshire
Posts: 1477
One axle on blocks so the other 'hangs' could be a way to do it but wouldn't that mean that all of the weight of the van was on one axle i.e. twice the weight that axle normally has on it and more to the point twice the weight on each wheel and tyre? I'm not sure I'd like to do that even stationary to my twin axle caravan for the fear of damaging something.
Or am I worrying for you unnecessarily?
28th Jun 2015 10:32 pm
discoteca
Member Since: 08 Mar 2010
Location: Warwickshire
Posts: 1477
Actually another thought (based on the previous post) isn't the right way to measure the height of the tow ball with suspension at normal height and ensure that the hitch is at exactly the same height when you take the nose weight? Assuming that the van is on level ground shouldn't that be pretty accurate?
On a close coupled twin axle trailer either has to be able to take the full weight. That is what happens on speed humps, hump back bridges, ferry ramps, cattle grids, and anywhere else that there is an abrupt change of slope. And these are dynamic loads, not static. So quite safe to run one set of wheels up onto blocks, although I think it has more to do with fitting the load gauge under the hitch than anything else!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.
29th Jun 2015 11:00 am
al cope
Member Since: 08 Nov 2005
Location: Oldbury, WM
Posts: 10299
As has been pointed out, Alko chassis/hitch has 100kg nose weight limit, but right from new delivery, with nothing in the front lockers, our Bailey Olympus couldnt get down to 100kg. I have swapped to lightweight gas bottles, and have to pack very carefully over the axles, with some weight behind (but not right at the back of the 'van - dont want the tail wagging), to get down to 110kg - it runs quite well at that
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Exactly my problem and the common factor is "Bailey"! I recon they make them that way so you can load the locker under the bed with any amount of stuff and all it will do is level it out.
The 100kg is a laugh anyway. Noseweirght is supposed to be 7% of the total weight so with a MTPM of 1800kg the maximum noseweight is 126kg. So I'm happy to be at 95.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.
29th Jun 2015 9:12 pm
fisherman
Member Since: 16 Jan 2007
Location: Hornchurch Essex
Posts: 1789
I have my twin axle Swift Conqueror which weighs in at 1900kg sitting on flat level ground in my back garden. Using a Milenco noseweight guage I can get the noseweight down to 105kg by taking just about everything out of the front locker except the gas. I also have to load behind the axles and empty the internal lockers forward of the axles. Having done all the moving about the Mrs said "do you need the rear steadies down at the back?"
I wound up the steadies and found my noseweight to be 80kg.
I put everything back to how it was and returned to a noseweight of 105kg.
I'm happy with that, it tows a dream and never gives me any concern regards stability.
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er stood still near the front of the trailer. 
