by Holly Tribe
Caravan safety should be top of the agenda for any ‘vanner wishing to have a happy and trouble free touring holiday. To help you get to your caravan site safely, it is important to pay attention to the weight guidance put in place for aid safe towing practices.
One of these important weight restrictions refers to the maximum load exerted on the car’s towball once it has been hitched up to a caravan – otherwise know as the noseweight.
There is a fair amount of discussion concerning how to get a reliable and accurate reading of your caravan’s noseweight. But first of all, here’s a bit more about noseweights:
So, what is the noseweight anyway?
The nose weight is the maximum load your caravan can put on your car’s towball (set out by the car’s manufacturer). The suggested figure for a safe noseweight when towing is around 7 per cent of the laden weight of the caravan – this tends to be between 75kg – 100kg.
Why is it important to stick to the recommended noseweight?
Quite simply, reducing or exceeding the recommended noseweight can make the rig feel unstable when towing, particularly when driving at faster motorway speeds. The noseweight should not exceed that stated by the manufacturers who use this figure to work with in stability tests.
How does a noseweight gauge work?
Support the hitch head with the gauge – when the caravan is stable, slowly wind the jockey wheel clear from the ground so that the entire caravan is supported by the gauge, thus enabling you to take a true reading of the nose weight.
One of the most efficient ways of measuring this is to use a Caravan noseweight gauge. There are currently some excellent products on the market – below we take a look at five popular models currently available to buy online.
Milenco Precision Calibrated Nose Weight Gauge
Milenco’s Precision Calibrated Noseweight Gauge (main picture) is the only piece of apparatus to be approved and calibrated to British Standard BS7691, and has proven accuracy within 2 kilos, even after 1,000 uses. The scale goes up to 130 kilos.
- Price: £24.95
Reich Towbar Load Control
The TLC is a digital noseweight gauge which measures the weight of the hitch on the towball. The devise is positioned between the caravan hitch and the towball; this has the added benefit of measuring the weight at the correct hitch level. It is more compact than other brand offerings and has a maximum load of 109kg. The TLC comes in twin and single axle versions.
- Price: £39.99
Pyramid Nose Weight Gauge
This more traditional gauge is manufactured by Pyramid and operates on a piano wire spring. It has a large, easy-to-read scale set in heavy duty metal which is stabilised by a large round base. It also comes in a cheery yellow hue.
- Price: £19.99
OV Noseweight Gauge
The Outdoor Value noseweight gauge claims to be the only product on the market which is able to measure the weight applied 
to the tow bar directly from the towball. The unit is placed on the towball and locked into place by turning a locking ring. The trailer coupling head is then lowered onto the device to collect a reading.
- Price: £22.95
Peak-outdoor Noseweight Gauge
Here’s another simple gauge – this one is made from ABS plastic and is the cheapest on our list. It can measure weights between 50 and 100 kilos.
- Price: £11.95
