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Subject Topic: Nose weight ??? Help Please Post Reply Post New Topic
07/7/2010 at 9:49pm
 Location: Essex
 Outfit: Geist AK495
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Hi we have just bought our first caravan a Geist AK495 and have a Volvo V70 to pull it but Im do not understand if the nose weight is ok. We are ok with the 85% rule - just!
The car is max 75g and the caravan has max of 100g, do we just load everything across the axle apart from the gas bottles and spare wheel? If we put bits in the car boot (estate) will this add to the load on the tow bar?
Ive only towed it less than one mile and the caravan was squeaking and the car seemed to smell (clutch?)

Any advise would be greatly received.
Thanks



07/7/2010 at 9:59pm
 Location: Brigg North Lincolnshire
 Outfit: Outwell Montana 6P
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Yes - heavy stuff over the axle (or even better - in the car), then it's a case of moving stuff about to achieve 75Kg.   If you put stuff in the car, you don't add to the noseweight - that's literally what weight there is on the caravan hitch at towball height.   Squeaking is often just caused by the stabiliser, and can usually be sorted by just releasing it and re-applying.   I doubt it's a sign of anything serious amiss.


08/7/2010 at 12:09am
 Location: Midlands
 Outfit: Mondeo Avondale Gram
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Loading the boot does not add to the noseweight but it does add upto te rear axle loading which you must also watch out for.

Always seem to bring loads more back than we went with.

Spotted a chiminea the other year, But was over 40kg. Thinking where do you put that safely.



08/7/2010 at 9:01am
 Location: Blackburn Lancashire
 Outfit: Coachman Laser 650 and Discovery
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If the clutch is smelling after a mile, you're going to have a problem.  What is the kerbweight of the car and the MTPLM of the caravan?

Jim



08/7/2010 at 9:32am
 Location: Keswick
 Outfit: Bailey
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The van MTPLM is 1390Kg (according to the internet) and it looks there are about three models of the volvo V70 that have a kerb weight sufficient to achieve an 85% match with that MTPLM. So, as Greendemon says, could be worth checking the kerbweight of car and MTPLM of van. Nose weight you should be looking for would be about 70Kg rather than go for the 75Kg as some gear can move in transit which may increase the noseweight without you realising. Check the noseweight with a properly calibrated guage to make sure you have the right weight. eg

http://www.busyoutdoors.com/shop/towing/noseweight-gauges/milenco-precision-noseweight-gauge/prod_538.html

As for squeaking.........

a. What is your tow ball like? The Geist use the alko hitch so you need the correct tow ball for the alko. Use the wrong type and it will not fit right (which may explain squeaking) and perhaps become unhitched. 

b. If your tow ball is new perhaps it may have paint on which could explain the squeaking. Paint needs to be removed with a fine emery cloth and then cleaned with white spirit.

c. If you have a deisel engine the tow ball should be cleaned regularly as deisel fumes can leave a greasy deposit on the tow ball.

d. If you have been using a painted ball then that may have damaged the pads in the hitch. .......

However, hitches can squeak even with all the right maintenance. We wind the window up and it stops!!!!!

Phil



-------------
If you're not on a fell your wasting your feet and for 2014 it's.......Feb Castleton Mar North Yors Moors; Apr Sutton on Sea; May Thirsk; Jun Clapham/Riverside (Lakes); July Wharfedale; August Crakehall; Sept Knaresborough; Oct Wirral Park/Clitheroe    


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08/7/2010 at 7:34pm
 Location: St Helens Lancashire
 Outfit: Eriba 540 Mazda CX5 SEL
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This is how we... load the caravan and hitch up, I knew this might be helpful to someone.

-------------
Lawrence


08/7/2010 at 8:41pm
 Location: Brittany
 Outfit: None Entered
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Thankyou lawrence R for the great guide!!!!


08/7/2010 at 9:21pm
 Location: Essex
 Outfit: Geist AK495
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Hi thanks for your replies and photos - great help.

Our car (V70 2.4 D (D5engine) euro 4) depending where we get the info from it says the kerbweight is between 1560kg and 1611kg with a max tow weight of 1800kg.
The caravan MTPLM is 1390kg, my husband took the paint off back to metal but we didn't wipe with white spirit.
Do we need to do anything with the stabiliser / hitch on caravan?
Thanks


08/7/2010 at 10:41pm
 Location: Keswick
 Outfit: Bailey
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If you took paint off before use then hitch should be ok. As I said hitches do creak. Fully loaded you may be at about a 90% match. Maybe try a little less load in the van and a bit more in the car (observing max axel weight). Check the nose weight as suggested without that you may perhaps be over weight on the nose

Phil



-------------
If you're not on a fell your wasting your feet and for 2014 it's.......Feb Castleton Mar North Yors Moors; Apr Sutton on Sea; May Thirsk; Jun Clapham/Riverside (Lakes); July Wharfedale; August Crakehall; Sept Knaresborough; Oct Wirral Park/Clitheroe    


09/7/2010 at 12:41pm
 Location: Halifax
 Outfit: ABI Jubilee Courier GT
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On the Alko hitch the towball needs to be the diamiter as a standerd one will not fit and when you hitch up there is a indicator on the top when un hitched it looks like a red button when hitched it pops up and if all ok should be green you kan change the friktion pads if needed alko are very good if you get intouch with them your V70 should be ok i no a frend of mine at the rallys i go to has one but he has got some spring asiters on his car as for some reason the volvos spring are soft the police fit stronger springs on there cars cos when they have all there kit in there almost on the floor the seven seeter V70 is stronger on the back the engine is well up to the job i have a old set of bathroom scales and i allways put the jocky wheel on them better then the divice the caravan club use the red plastic thing

 like this you can get better and safer ones this is ok if you have a hard surface i have seen people try to use these on grass and have got into trouble

this is a nice one and it goes on your car at the same time so you can check every thing is fine before setting off back home if using on a alko hitch just sit the hitch on it do not clamp it down




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