Does anyone know what the nose weight should be for an Abbey county Dorset 1998 2 berth, with just the battery and a 4.5kg gas bottle on board. Reason I ask is, we bought one over winter and it came with loads of extras, including a newish looking Milenco nose weight gauge. I thought I would give it a try and was amazed when it went right up the max of 200lb, 90.9kg. this cant be right surely.
"Does anyone know what the nose weight should be for an Abbey county Dorset 1998 2 berth, with just the battery and a 4.5kg gas bottle on board...."
Have a look at the weight plate on the van, usually by the door or on the A-frame.
Balance your 'van so that the nose-weight is between 4% and 7% of the weight of the 'van. But as Grampian91 says do not exceed the "Maximum Drawbar Loading" (Max vertical load on towball)specified for your car, and do not load anything heavy at the rear of your 'van as this creates a'pendulum' which can lead to a nasty snaking.
If it's a Milenco noseweight gauge then you have the best on the market to which they retail around £32 brand new. Regarding the noseweight, it isn't the caravan so much that you have to worry but more the towcar. If you have a vehicle handbook it should give you a recommended towball weight because rear springs can be stronger than other vehicles plus it's calculated regarding the rear overhang from the rear axle and the limit regarding the lift of the front end of the towcar. When you find out what the figure is then the advice is to aim for that target weight as this creates stabilty providing the caravan is loaded right. If you don't know the towball weight of the car then provide some details of the towcar and I can most probably find out. Below are some details from the Milenco website with information regarding their noseweight gauge.
OK Guys I have a problem, I bought a good set of digital bathroom scales and checked again. Its showing a nose weight of 98.2kg. Thats with just the spare wheel and a 4.5kg gas bottle in the front locker. Question, Ive had a motor mover fitted to it, and the motors are just forward of the axle, will this cause the problem?
Getting spare wheel carrier for underneath rear of caravan so spare wheel is moved to back of 'van should reduce your noseweight by 20kg or more which is probably what you want. Depending on layout of caravan you may just be able to place spare at rear inside if there is space, otherwise you can get a carrier specific for fitting under chassis.
For now just put spare right at rear inside 'van & reweigh to see how it changes things.
Taking the spare wheel out knocked it down to 88kg.if I move the gas bottle and the battery to the centre over the axle that should do it. The awning and frame is now going in the car, so only 2 loungers and a mattress topper on the floor in the front. What a pain this turning out to be, weve only had her a few months and not taken it out yet, Our old Elddis was always spot on, this Abbey must be nose heavy to start with.
Our Avondale always weighs nose heavy, and our spare wheel is right over the axel, gas bottle is in a side locker reasonably central.
we have to put the awning slightly behind the axel to get it to correct nose weight. while i know this is not great, we are at a loss as to what else to do.
i know i will probably be abused for even writing this but i am genuinely asking for advice.
------------- April-Norfolk 7nts, Oxford 2nts, Defford 2nts
May-Symm Yat 3nts
June-Defford 2 nts,Pembridge 2nts
July-Tabacconist 2nts, France 19nts
Aug -Bosworth 2nts, Winchcombe 3nts
Oct -costwolds 6nts
I don't think it is too much of a problem if the awning is just slightly behind the axle, we used to struggle to get our noseweight down on our Sterling Europa and ended up travelling with the spare wheel in the boot of the car and not in the front locker.
Went to the van today, put the spare wheel in the back by the wash basin with the awning and the frame on top of it. Checked the weight again,it read 75.9kg. B*****ks. The the wife reminded me that we need a bit of flush water in the loo so we can have stop on the way down to Cornwall. Put about 5 ltrs in the tank and checked again, whoopee, 70.1kg, that will do for me.