Our Trailer Caravan 'noseweights' are as follows.

MIRO - Mass in Running Order. (Ex-Works)

BAILEY
Ranger 460/2 56kg
Ranger 620/6 65kg

Pageant Burgundy 65kg
Pageant Champagne 55kg

Senator Indiana 80kg
Senator Virginia 88kg
Senator Wyoming 84kg
Senator Louisiana 80kg

SWIFT
Charisma 555 53kg
Charisma 560 56kg
Charisma 570 53kg
Charisma 610 72kg
Charisma 620 68kg
Charisma 650 50kg

CHALLENGER 480 46kg
CHALLENGER 490 67kg
CHALLENGER 530 53kg
CHALLENGER 540 63kg
CHALLENGER 560 60kg

CONQUEROR 480 50kg
CONQUEROR 530 60kg
CONQUEROR 540 59kg
CONQUEROR 630 85kg
CONQUEROR 645 52kg

The rule of thumb is that the noseweight should not be any more than 7% of the weight of the trailer caravan, either laden or unladen.

When Laden, the other sensible guide is that Noseweight should always be a minimum of 75kg for stability

and should NEVER Exceed 160kg under any circumstances,100kg is seen as optimal.

Some Southern Hemisphere Manufacturers have chosen to ignore the consequences of super-heavy noseweights. 300kg is actually dangerous and ridiculous in operation on the wrong car.

WE have checked with Nissan and Mitsubishi to-day and their aftermarket Dealer supplied towbars are rated to a maximum 120kg.

And so is the potential 'Tow car of the Year', the Audi Q7 V12. The maximum load weight on the nose is 140kg, in Tare weight, and fully

laden weight. So with 1000 Newton Meters of torque on tap, this World's  best tow car can't possibly tow most of the units on offer in

NZ. 

Towbars are rarely designed for any excess over that load and could well invalidate the warranty on the towbar unit and/or towcar.

Please check with the suppplying dealer or manufacturer. Even better wind all the

legs up and see whether you can physically lift the front of the caravan.

Also consider that the combined trainweight of the complete towing outfit. ie Car and Caravan combined cannot exceed 4500kg unless

you get a HT Licence, and have both units COF'd every 6 months.

If you are unfortunate enough to have an accident whilst towing a caravan car combination of a combined gross weight of over 4500kg

you are unlikely to be covered on your insurance and liable for prosecution by the Police.

One manufacturer here refuses to publish any ex-works or Maximum Permissable weights, or personal load factors.

Even more worrying is the complete lack of Downforce Noseweight technical data.

They cite that every unit is bespoke and individual? So are, all ours when they are despatched.

All components can be weighed, and as a minimum requirement they should issue an accurate weighbridge ticket with each

unit delivered. Also one for the downforce weight on the tow ball.

Just what exactly are they trying to hide?