Noseweight advice

Posted on 07/11/2017 16:04 by lornalou1

Content has been removed.

Posted on 07/11/2017 16:41 by Metheven

Some find the complexities interesting, rather than being told to shove it further back with no explanation as to what effect it may have. Not everyone can achieve good noseweights without measures taken.

But your input is greatly appreciated 

Posted on 07/11/2017 12:37 by Lutz

The static noseweight, if that is what you mean by actual noseweight, only changes (decreases) as the hitch is raised and increases as the hitch is lowered, but what I was referring to were dynamic changes which most definitely affect the forces going through the hitch and towball.

Posted on 08/11/2017 09:02 by Cornersteady

only changes (decreases) as the hitch is raised and increases as the hitch is lowered,

You are being a bit too 'cavalier' for my liking here with your terminology here and jumping to a conclusion which is correct but misses out a lot of physics/maths. In effect you are describing the effect on the towball and car not what actually happened to the nose weight.

 

The actual nose weight (static as you call it) is caused by the turning moment of the end of the hitch around the CoM of the van and (like any moment) is the product of the vertical force there (weight) multiplied by the perpendicular distance to that force. So when the van is horizontal this causes the maximum moment and hence nose weight. If the hitch is raised or lowered then the horizontal distance is reduced (by the cosine of that angle) and hence the nose weight decreases and decreases the same amount for the same angle above raised or lowered. This is the ‘fact’ as proved using maths and physics. This is what happens when there is no car (Try it with your van using  the jockey wheel and bathroom scales)

However when connected to a tow ball, when the van/tow ball is raised it pulls the back of the car up and hence the perceived nose weight as ‘felt by the car’ decreases. When the towball is lowered and the van is nose down the van pushes down on the back of the car and the car ‘feels’ extra nose weight and it increases.

So you are correct but you are describing the effect of the nose weight on the car, not what actually happens to the nose weight.

In effect (pun intended) we are just looking at it from two different viewpoints (mathematician v engineers?)

PS hope this hasn't upset your day LL 

 

Posted on 07/11/2017 20:48 by lornalou1

where was the phrase "shove it" used. I have been towing for only 5 months and I know that I need to weigh the nose every time I tow, before I go to and return from site. everybody should know what the max is for their vehicle and for their van. I make sure that the weights are as near to accurate as poss even if that takes an extra 30 mins before I leave because its for my and my wife's safety and all the other road users.  

Posted on 08/11/2017 09:18 by EmilysDad

Mean while in the real world ....... 

Posted on 08/11/2017 09:28 by Cornersteady

before I go to and return from site

what do you do or take out on site that would affect the nose weight?

BTW very commendable and you can never be too safe so not any criticism at all , I haven't seen many people, actually can't think of any checking nose weight when they leave a site

Posted on 08/11/2017 09:02 by Cornersteady

only changes (decreases) as the hitch is raised and increases as the hitch is lowered,

You are being a bit too 'cavalier' for my liking here with your terminology here and jumping to a conclusion which is correct but misses out a lot of physics/maths. In effect you are describing the effect on the towball and car not what actually happened to the nose weight.

 

The actual nose weight (static as you call it) is caused by the turning moment of the end of the hitch around the CoM of the van and (like any moment) is the product of the vertical force there (weight) multiplied by the perpendicular distance to that force. So when the van is horizontal this causes the maximum moment and hence nose weight. If the hitch is raised or lowered then the horizontal distance is reduced (by the cosine of that angle) and hence the nose weight decreases and decreases the same amount for the same angle above raised or lowered. This is the ‘fact’ as proved using maths and physics. This is what happens when there is no car (Try it with your van using  the jockey wheel and bathroom scales)

However when connected to a tow ball, when the van/tow ball is raised it pulls the back of the car up and hence the perceived nose weight as ‘felt by the car’ decreases. When the towball is lowered and the van is nose down the van pushes down on the back of the car and the car ‘feels’ extra nose weight and it increases.

So you are correct but you are describing the effect of the nose weight on the car, not what actually happens to the nose weight.

In effect (pun intended) we are just looking at it from two different viewpoints (mathematician v engineers?)

PS hope this hasn't upset your day LL 

 

Posted on 08/11/2017 14:44 by

I think that I am getting a headache now.