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Subject Topic: What does ` nose down` mean? Post Reply Post New Topic
12/3/2015 at 8:52am
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Does the terms 'nose down' that is widely used as a desirable attribute for towing relate to the floor line of the caravan or some other datum?


12/3/2015 at 9:04am
 Location: Harrogate Yorkshire.
 Outfit: Skoda Octavia 4x4 & Compass Omega 482
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The following link gives a good explanation, 'nose down' and 'nose up', when I hitch up with the correct noseweight on, my van is very slightly nose down.

http://caravanchronicles.com/guides/understanding-the-dynamics-of-towing/



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Skoda Octavia Estate 2.0TDi 4x4 (2012) towing a Compass Omega 482 (2014)


12/3/2015 at 10:55am
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Hiya and thanks

I read that paper, interesting stuff in there with some very good explanations.

On your outfit when you say the van is slightly nose down do you mean '
apparently and a bubble level on the floor would indicate a slope downwards towards the front or do you mean the towball appears lower than say the wheel centre or some other datum?

Being an engineer I'm struggling understanding some of these commonly used but apparently undefined terms.


12/3/2015 at 12:09pm
 Location: Harrogate Yorkshire.
 Outfit: Skoda Octavia 4x4 & Compass Omega 482
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The car tow ball height from the ground is within the guidelines, I have 70kg noseweight on, (car max 75kg) the car boot has a good load in, steel awning poles, 8.6kg gas bottle (upright and secure), Cadac BBQ, trolley jack, large suitcase and other bits, well within rear axle load and GVW. When hitched up it just sits right and tows very well and stable. That’s the way I have been towing for many years, never thought of it like yourself as an engineer, but would be interested in the technical dynamics. So yes a bubble indicator on the floor would indicate a sloop downwards, but the main thing is the correct height of the cars towball from the ground. Also the cars suspension, if too soft the cars back end would drop and so would the caravans nose, that's why some will put on suspension aids / assistors.

My towing ratio is 82% so a good match all round.



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Skoda Octavia Estate 2.0TDi 4x4 (2012) towing a Compass Omega 482 (2014)


12/3/2015 at 12:18pm
 Location: North Essex
 Outfit: Caravelair Alba 400
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Its not an exact science, EU directive states towball height should be between 350-420mm vehicle laden. Towbars are designed to fit car but different models of that same car may have different sized wheels/tyres so ride height might vary between models.

Modern caravans generally have slightly higher ride height that older caravans. Rubber suspension usually lasts the life of caravan but it sinks down a bit with age.

Ideally a car & caravan loaded & ready to go should look right, ie car & caravan should be level or slightly nose down. Nose up looks 'wrong'. However in practise we can only do what we can with what we have. We can load car & caravan correctly with correct noseweight & go with that whatever it looks like.


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12/3/2015 at 12:47pm
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OK understood.

The only actual legal standing I can find is the EU directive of 4percent minimum 25kgs but there seems some controversy over 4percent of what.

Clearly one could use the actual static weight of the caravan loaded and ready to go and it would be 'legal' and rather fits with my knowledge of towing much heavier weights than caravans.

My Knaus with it's normal bits and bobs and the hitch at towball height
reads 75kgs and 4percent of 1500 kgs is 60kgs so I think I will load it to maintain that static reading expecting it to be slightly higher as the car suspension squats with it's onboard load as well.

7 percent appears to me way too high at 105kgs and is over the cars limit anyway.

Thanks for the input, enlightening.



12/3/2015 at 12:52pm
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Quote: Originally posted by Octavia4x4 on 12/3/2015

<font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><font face="Calibri">The car tow ball height from the ground is within the guidelines,I have 70kg noseweight on, (car max 75kg) the car boot has a good load in, steelawning poles, 8.6kg gas bottle (upright and secure), Cadac BBQ, trolley jack,large suitcase and other bits, well within rear axle load and GVW. When hitchedup it just sits right and tows very well and stable. That’s the way I have beentowing for many years, never thought of it like yourself as an engineer, but wouldbe interested in the technical dynamics. So yes a bubble indicator on the floor would indicate a sloop downwards, but the main thing is the correct height of the cars towball from the ground. Also the cars suspension, if too soft the cars back end would drop and so would the caravans nose, that's why some will put on suspension aids / assistors.

<font face="Calibri">My towing ratio is 82% so a goodmatch all round.





Thanks for the info, I can see the rear suspension squat and its more marked than I am used to with commercial suspension systems.

I will be at about 75percent actual load factor and I think I will load to 75kgs SVL and see how it goes........    


12/3/2015 at 2:05pm
 Location: North Essex
 Outfit: Caravelair Alba 400
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You need to get away from the expression 'legal' because it is meaningless in this context. The only law that matters is the law that can be & is enforced in court.

No roadside check is going to be checking noseweight & worrying about percentages, so see that only in the context of its use to allow you to have a safe, road legal car/caravan. In the unlikely event of being stopped by Vosa in a roadside check their concern will be to check your outfit complies with construction&use regulations & you have correct driving licence for your car/caravan.

They are not out to trap you on some technicality, their concern is safety. If they decide to weigh your outfit they will most likely run it over a portable axle weigher. Provided max allowable axle weights of car & caravan have not been exceeded & it complies with every aspect of C&U law your outfit is road legal. Then they may check your licence to ascertain you can legally drive it, which is a separate issue.


12/3/2015 at 2:10pm
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Got it, Thanks.


18/5/2015 at 12:15am
 Location: stoke on trent
 Outfit: Lexus RX300 elddis crusader
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been towing with current van 3 yrs and our lexus rx300 as going away next week started getting van ready checked nose weight ( with things in normal place ) and was very surprised as I was just over 100kg! ( should be at 80kg)goes to show should check regularly
lots of things now moved around front locker almost empty bar to calorlite bottles and some wooden blocks
we have a rear fixed bed and it can be very tempting to but to much stuff under it



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