Message Forums

We have a Pegasus 524 with the optional chest fitted (and in place under the front window).

We have a large & small BP light gas cannister in the front.

We have a powrtouch mover & a 110Ah battery fitted.

We have lightweight chairs under the rear bed & the electrical lead, levelling ramps, awning pegs & a large hammer in one front locker. The other locker has toilet chemicals, grey pipes & empty 10 litre water container in it.

Our nose weight (measured by a Milenco guage) is 92 kg. I am amazed how much higher yours is compared to ours.

I know this may sound silly, but did the dealer on PDI fill the onboard cold water tank & then forget to empty it? That would be near on 10kg noseweight.

Move the central chest that two people use to dine off whilst sitting on the lounge benches....move the motor mover back....move the spare wheel carrier back...move the gas bottles to the washroom.....

Maybe we are losing sight of an important principle. A caravan, when constructed, has to be fit for the purpose for which it was constructed. It has to be as advertised/described. The only thing the consumer needs to do to get the nw right is to load our personal gear in a balance manner. It is not the consumers' job, under SOGA, to redesign a caravan, it is for the manufacturer to get it right and for the dealer to ensure that it is right before he sells it.

Phil

one thing I have noticed mentioned several times without a reference to its real potential problem is the Motor Mover.  several state that its quite acceptable to have one either fore or aft the wheel.  yet no one would or as far as I have seen,  advocated putting a full barrel of water over one wheel arch alone.

e.g. a motor mover weight around 40kg give or take,  and its a weight that is directly applied to one wheel area and one suspension unit, rather than where all other weight it is agreed in the vans middle, the fitting of these also may be inbreech of design gurantee. would you fit the spare wheel on the front or rear wing and accept it ? no it goes central.

I will bet that in the legal small print a mover fitted renates the design gurantee. just as fitting a extra skylight is. so I cant see there be a happy outcome to the OP's problem. what we think and view its plus and minus points the legal side of it is a very grey area, common sence plays no part in Littigation

I don't know if this helps, but in the same way as you can request a new plate for your caravan with a higher MTPLM can you ask for a higher than 100 kg rating for the hitch? Where a 4x4 with a 150kg nose weight is being used and the 7% is well over 100 kg would this not help?

My caravan is plated at 2000 kg and the 2011 models are 2200 kg but they still have to stay within the 100 kg al-ko hitch limit which is well below 7%, or isn't the 7% guide linear?

just checked with my vehicle spec and the hitch weight for a volvo estate T5 is 70kg thats low to say the least. infact several machanics and a Motorway patrol officer with Essex Traffic doubts it as far too low for that vehicle. the T5 Estate is the classic work horse thats why the police chose it over all others with the exception of the Range Rover.  at 70kg it limits its legal ability its more than capeable of greater with ease.

may have to now look towards spring assistors to comply. as the trailers and Horsebox are more and also most caravans.