Nose and boot weight
Discussion
Having just got our first caravan I'm being very cautious about things.
Having put the stuff in it that will live in it, gas bottles/awning/etc I had to shift stuff between the front storage compartment and under the rear bunks to get the nose weight within the limit for my car.
What concerns me a bit is the wife doing her usual and packing most of the contents of our house into the boot and this affecting handling. Does the fact that the boot sits over the rear axle of the car negate most of this ?
Having put the stuff in it that will live in it, gas bottles/awning/etc I had to shift stuff between the front storage compartment and under the rear bunks to get the nose weight within the limit for my car.
What concerns me a bit is the wife doing her usual and packing most of the contents of our house into the boot and this affecting handling. Does the fact that the boot sits over the rear axle of the car negate most of this ?
crikey said:
Having just got our first caravan I'm being very cautious about things.
Having put the stuff in it that will live in it, gas bottles/awning/etc I had to shift stuff between the front storage compartment and under the rear bunks to get the nose weight within the limit for my car.
What concerns me a bit is the wife doing her usual and packing most of the contents of our house into the boot and this affecting handling. Does the fact that the boot sits over the rear axle of the car negate most of this ?
If you mean the boot of the car, it should not be a problem at all. Just inflate the tyres of the car to the fully laden state. The nose weight of the 'van should stay the same, ie, don't change it. Having put the stuff in it that will live in it, gas bottles/awning/etc I had to shift stuff between the front storage compartment and under the rear bunks to get the nose weight within the limit for my car.
What concerns me a bit is the wife doing her usual and packing most of the contents of our house into the boot and this affecting handling. Does the fact that the boot sits over the rear axle of the car negate most of this ?
marshal_alan said:
dont balance the van by putting heavy stuff at the rear, you will create a van that tows like a pendulum. heavy kit above the axle, light fore and aft. if it only you and the missus in the car load inboard of the car's rear axle
This is of course easier said than done when most vans carry two of the heaviest items right at their front. The 2 gas canisters. Maybe some manufacturers now have them by the axle but lots are at the front.Chrisgr31 said:
This is of course easier said than done when most vans carry two of the heaviest items right at their front. The 2 gas canisters. Maybe some manufacturers now have them by the axle but lots are at the front.
That's the problem I've got, I can put very little in the front storage compartment without it going over the nose weight limit.I put the tables and chairs in there and moved the awning and poles under the rear bunks and that brought the nose weight down perfectly, but I'm wondering if I should move the awning and poles over the axle when towing. I'll have to see if that affects the nose weight though.
I have considered changing to the Calor Lite cylinders but they don't seem to be widely stocked, plus the of the cylinders I have one is full and the other is half full so I want to use the gas up first.
ETA: Scrub that last bit, Go Outdoors do them. I was looking on Calor's site which would appear to be out of date. I think when I've used my butane up I'll switch to propane and the Lite cylinders.
Edited by crikey on Thursday 4th July 09:07
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