Towing with 2.8 Landcruiser?

Hi Surfer. I haven't got a landcruiser, but regarding nose weight, would it be possible for you to reduce the nose weight by loading the rear of the van? things like aquarolls and wastemaster etc. at the rear will soon reduce the nose weight.

Good luck. 

Thanks, but we carry very little in the caravan and no aquarolls or wastemaster.  What we do carry is mainly behind the rear axle with exception of battery and gas bottle.

You will find many of these forums are populated by the same people. For me my response is the same as on CT. Stop overthinking it and worrying about a weight adjustment that is 0.1% of your caravans MTPLM…..! Landcruisers are a rare beast on a caravan site so the chances of someone with one also being on this forum are probably less than me winning the lottery tonight. 

My issue is nothing to do with the caravan MTPLM!   The concern is the vertical downward load (nose weight) on the tow ball which is actually 17% over and not 0.1%.

To adjust the noseweight on the caravan down to 120kg is an adjustment of 20kg in the van. That is 0.1% of the MTPLM. Elsewhere You have expressed concern about tail wagging the dog through fear of overloading the rear of the van. However it seems you don’t like the responses and advice you have had on the other forum to deal with your concern, so best of luck. 

Not sure why you think I did not like the responses on the other forum as at no time did I disagree with them.  I was looking for as much valid information as possible as buying another vehicle is a serious outlay.

I'm a bit confused by all of this.  Firstly, I don't understand what the relevance of having the E&P system fitted, has on the noseweight. I thought your van had heavy duty steadies fitted as standard - so that won't have changed and the only other really heavy bit are the rams and they are fitted to operate between the two sets of wheels - so how has that altered noseweight? Our van also has a MTPLM of 2000kg and I tow with a noseweight of between 90 and 95 kg, which is easily achievable - and - it didn't alter one jot after I had the E&P fitted.

Surely, the most likely 'culprit' is what's in your front gas locker and that's where I'd be looking first to get the noseweight down to within the car's capability. Dare I say Safefill - or at least some other lightweight cylinder.

Am I missing something?

Yep you are missing a few things.  I do not recall stating that the nose weight had changed so not sure where you got that idea.  Normally the nose weight is about 140kg which is about 7% of the MTPLM and gives a nice steady tow however the Jeep has air suspension and the LC does not. In effect to comply with the 120kg and to make it a safe tow I need to reduce the nose weight to 120kg. 

To get the nose weight down from 140kg to 120kg should not be as difficult as you think, as you do not need to move 20kg of stuff. You need to take into consideration how far the object is you are removing is from the axle. If you take something weighing 5kg from 2m in front of the axle to 2m behind the axle you will have got the 20kg nose weight reduction you are after.

Colin

Yep, perspective, perspective. Now get your car sorted and enjoy your caravanning instead of obsessing about 20kg!