Recommended / Best Nose Weight Gauge

[a18041967]

Can anyone recommend a good nose weight gauge, I seem to remember there was a review in either the caravan magazine or CC magazine, but cannot find either.

 

Thanks.

[phil1041]

Can anyone recommend a good nose weight gauge, I seem to remember there was a review in either the caravan magazine or CC magazine, but cannot find either.

 

Thanks.

 

 

Bathroom scales and a lump of wood work fine!

 

Phil.

[ian dunning]

Can anyone recommend a good nose weight gauge, I seem to remember there was a review in either the caravan magazine or CC magazine, but cannot find either.

 

Thanks.

 

Hi

I remember a review in the CC magazine not too long ago, have you looked on their website?

Regards,

Ian.

[RogerL]

Any !!

 

I found the best way is to buy a cheap light noseweight gauge, ignore it's markings but add markings based on testing with domestic bathroom scales at home - this avoids the need to take the bathroom scales with you to check the noseweight before towing home - as it's always different to the outward trip!

 

If you have an assistant with a steady hand you can adjust the noseweight markings by applying the assistant's weight (or lifting the hitch) to get pre-selected readings on the scales and then mark the gauge accordingly.

 

For use with our first caravan, our gauge is calibrated using this method at 50kg and 75kg - when I changed car, I added a calibrated marking for 82kg which is the car's limit.

[Guest Tephi]

Of course the bathroom scales used for checking the nose weight can be carried in the 'vans bathroom, if you can afford the extra weight [excuse pun] for SWMBO to use

[ian dunning]

Any !!

 

I found the best way is to buy a cheap light noseweight gauge, ignore it's markings but add markings based on testing with domestic bathroom scales at home - this avoids the need to take the bathroom scales with you to check the noseweight before towing home - as it's always different to the outward trip!

 

If you have an assistant with a steady hand you can adjust the noseweight markings by applying the assistant's weight (or lifting the hitch) to get pre-selected readings on the scales and then mark the gauge accordingly.

 

For use with our first caravan, our gauge is calibrated using this method at 50kg and 75kg - when I changed car, I added a calibrated marking for 82kg which is the car's limit.

 

Hi Roger,

Good plan so long as your bathroom scales are accurate,

Regards,

Ian.

[eckytow]

The review you refer to was in the December 2008 edition of the CC Magazine. Six gauges were reviewed where the "W4 Weigh-It Extra is suggested as the best buy.

[Alan J]

I tried both type from Towsure - the plastic post type one which broke first time of using. Then tried the one that fits on the car towball - again useless as it slips. Both were useless at displaying the actual noseweight as the scale is far too course.

If you are going to use one then as post above suggests first use bathroom scales and piece of broomstick cut to correct height of car hitch position and then mark it on the guage. Most guages only go up to 80/90kg which is not enough to give a good reading when most noseweights are between 75 - 95 region.

 

I see a new one from Milenco which is "Precision Calibrated" with an "easy to read scale up to 130kg" (CC&C mag March issue)

 

Me - I just reverted back to the bathroom scales (which are also useful for measuring gas left in bottle) and keep them in the van.

[grasmere59]

As we have a bpw chassis i was looking into getting a jockey wheel with the nose weight gauge built in as fitted as standard to the newer Elddis vans,has anyone got experience of these and are they any good?

[beejay]

Electronic bathroom scales from Lidl (or was it Aldi?) about £7. 99. Self checking and accurate. I have two of the old cast iron 56lb weights so I checked the scales for accuracy and they are spot on.

[TD 42]

I tried both type from Towsure - the plastic post type one which broke first time of using. Then tried the one that fits on the car towball - again useless as it slips. Both were useless at displaying the actual noseweight as the scale is far too course.

If you are going to use one then as post above suggests first use bathroom scales and piece of broomstick cut to correct height of car hitch position and then mark it on the guage. Most guages only go up to 80/90kg which is not enough to give a good reading when most noseweights are between 75 - 95 region.

 

I see a new one from Milenco which is "Precision Calibrated" with an "easy to read scale up to 130kg" (CC&C mag March issue)

 

Me - I just reverted back to the bathroom scales (which are also useful for measuring gas left in bottle) and keep them in the van.

 

place the nose weight gauge on the bathroom scales & into the hitch cup making sure the van is level& when the scales read the correct weight mark off the gauge

[matelodave]

you can't beat a set of bathroom scales and a broomstick even cheap ones are more accurate and cheaper than a proper one. All the "proper" nose weight gauges that I've tried aren't accurate or repeatable - the springs/sleeves seems to bind unless they are perfectly vertical and the scale markings are too close together to measure closer than about 10kg. They are better than nothing if the missus won't let you use the one from the bathroom.

[Swiftcopper]

As we have a bpw chassis i was looking into getting a jockey wheel with the nose weight gauge built in as fitted as standard to the newer Elddis vans,has anyone got experience of these and are they any good?

 

Have just collected our Laser 590/4 which has a nose weight gauge on the jockey wheel already but not planning a trip until Bank Holiday at the earliest but will let you know how we get on with it after. However need to check my vehicles manual to find out just what is my actual noseweight should be first.

[ian dunning]

Have just collected our Laser 590/4 which has a nose weight gauge on the jockey wheel already but not planning a trip until Bank Holiday at the earliest but will let you know how we get on with it after. However need to check my vehicles manual to find out just what is my actual noseweight should be first.

 

Hi,

Will the built in gauge give an accurate reading as it's not actually next to the hitch, or is it? Mind if you work to that well known rule of 'Near Enough' it will save carrying a seperate gauge ,

Regards,

Ian.

[a18041967]

Thanks for all the suggestions, I have a nice set of digital scales so I'll give them a go and search for the December copy of CC magazine.

[Hedgehog]

As we have a bpw chassis i was looking into getting a jockey wheel with the nose weight gauge built in as fitted as standard to the newer Elddis vans,has anyone got experience of these and are they any good?

 

We have the BPW one on our van (even though we have the Al-Ko chassis) and it works a treat

 

T

[Swiftcopper]

Hi,

Will the built in gauge give an accurate reading as it's not actually next to the hitch, or is it? Mind if you work to that well known rule of 'Near Enough' it will save carrying a seperate gauge ,

Regards,

Ian.

The gauge is located on the 'fixing' brackets to the wheel. When I'm over at the van on the coming weekend, I will take a picture to post to show you all, perhaps someone can then explain more fully how it works.