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Subject Topic: Bailey Unicorn Noseweight Post Reply Post New Topic
13/2/2011 at 9:18pm
 Location: None Entered
 Outfit: None Entered
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Hi,
I've always been a Swift man myself, but having seen the Bailey Unicorn Valencia at the SECC in Glasgow we both have been smitten with it. I always preferred Swifts before but this new Unoicorn Range looks great! I currently have a Challanger 540 which we both really like, and always thought the fixed bed and full length washroom at the rear too big a compromise to change my Swift for and losing the extra space in the middle of the van. However the Valencia has changed my mind - we both really liked it and are seriously considering a move to Bailey. However we have one problem - I have read several reports about problems with noseweight on these vans - I currently drive a Vauxhall Signum 3.0 cdti Elite which is a fantastic, economical towcar and am reluctant to change it. However the the towball limit is 78Kg and I am not sure if I can achieve this with the Unicorn - we have to be very careful to empty hot water tanks etc to achieve this weight on our 540. I have also heard some horror stories of thes vans having a noseweight of 100Kg+. I had a very co-operative dealer get his noseweight gauge out to measure it empty and it measured as 85Kg. I need a caravan mover fitted but am hoping that the 25 Kg weight for the Reich Mover may be compensated by the battery which is mounted to the rear of the axle I think. We only carry one lightweight gas cylinder in the front locker and not much else but I am just not sure I will be able to achieve an acceptable noseweight for my car.

I've even been for a test drive of a new Santa Fe which I really like, but I have to say when I got back into my smooth. powerful V6 signum I wasn't so sure I wanted to part with it just yet.

So the question is- has anybody out there managed to achieve a nosewight of around 80Kg? I dont mind careful loading but I want to avoid having to re-organise the whole interior of the van every time we move it just to achieve a safe noseweight for my car.

Any help or advice would be much appreciated. Please help.....I really want this new caravan!


13/2/2011 at 10:57pm
 Location: Polesworth Warwickshire
 Outfit: Bailey Unicorn III Valencia (LR Disco)
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The way I understand it is that the noseweight has to be at least 4% of the weight of the trailer (by law), but will travel better at about 7%.  The MTPLM of the Valencia is 1565kg.  4%  is 62.6kg and 7% is 109.55kg.  I would go for a figure between the two, aiming for the high side of this fugure.  I don't know if Bailey quote an ideal nose weight.  You need to be careful that you don't overload the rear of the van in order to bring the nose weight down too much.  The van should be loaded with the heaviest items loaded nead the axle, but the van should generally be loaded with a little more weight towards the front.

Your best bet would be to seek advice from someone who actually has a Valencia.  Careful of taking the salesman's advice too literally - they often want to sell a van, come what may.

Remember, of course that a caravan with an MPTLM of 1565kg, it is advisable that the kerbside weight of the vehicle is about 1842kg if you intend to tow at the 85% of kerbside weight recommended by the CC, C&CC, and motoring organisations etc., although in theory you could tow up to the weight stated by the vehicle manufacturer. 



-------------
David


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14/2/2011 at 9:10am
 Location: Blackburn Lancashire
 Outfit: Coachman Laser 650 and Discovery
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Surely that caravan is much too heavy for your Vauxhall, both in noseweight and MTPLM.

Jim



14/2/2011 at 4:20pm
 Location: West Berkshire
 Outfit: Bailey Unicorn Seville
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Have you also checked the kerb weight and tow weight of your car?


14/2/2011 at 4:51pm
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If its a manual the kerb weight is 1659kg and max tow 1700kg,auto is only 1300 max tow so cannot tow either of these vans.

Talking to one of my customers last week who owns a new 2 berth Bailey and is having the same problem with noseweight.

Andy



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14/2/2011 at 7:45pm
 Location: None Entered
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actual weight of car on weighbridge is 1750, which is exactly the reason I bought this car in the first place...its the massive 3 litre deisel engine that does it. Its about the only towcar other than a 4x4 you can buy for a sensible price that is heavy enough, very rapid, has low servicing costs and has every extra you could want including Sat Nav.....and you still get 35 mpg solo for normal running around and 40+ on journeys. Maybe now you can see why I dont want to get rid!  Mines worth pennies now but who cares? when I bought it at 10 months old it was half the price of a new one!

Post last edited on 14/02/2011 19:53:37



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