Bailey Unicorn nose weight excessive

Knightonday
Knightonday Forum Participant Posts: 6
edited November 2 in Caravans #1

Just purchased a Bailey Unicorn Madrid V 2024. I didn't check the nose weight when I picked it up and now find that the nose weight tips the scales at 128kg. 

I suspect the dealer will say it's due to the mover, battery and gas bottles so I've worked out that as the 30kg mover is located 0.6m in front of the wheels, it only contributes 4.3kg to the nose weight (using 30 x 0.6 = R x 4.18 where 4.18 is the distance from the nose to the wheels). Similarly the 21kg battery is 1.02m forward of the wheels, increasing the nose weight by 5.12kg and for the gas bottle, increasing the nose weight by 2.51kg - the total for all these being 11.93kg. So, if I took them all out, the nose weight would be around 116kg. 

If I were to travel with them all in the caravan, I would need to counterbalance the 28kg excessive nose weight (Bailey say max nose weight should be 100kg) by having a counter balance of 44kg right at the back of the caravan. The distance from the wheels to the rear of the 'van is only 2.63m so a much larger weight is needed to counterbalance the 28kg.

I haven't contacted the dealer with this information yet but has anyone had a similar experience and did they feel the need to reject the caravan as being unroadworthy?

Fortunately my car will take 140kg nose weight and the Alko hitch will take 150kg. 

Comments

  • Lutz
    Lutz Forum Participant Posts: 1,564 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November 2 #2

    Even if the hitch will take 150kg, what is the noseweight limit of the caravan chassis? What does the weight plate quote for Axle 0 (which is the noseweight).

  • Knightonday
    Knightonday Forum Participant Posts: 6
    edited November 2 #3

    As mentioned, Bailey quote 100kg for the chassis. The plate on the side of the 'van says nothing about Axle 0. 

    My concern is that I've been sold a caravan which I should tow with a nose weight of no more than 100kg but I don't see how I can achieve this without either putting a full water barrel at the back of the caravan in the shower or maybe running with the Alde water tank (to the rear of the 'van) and the toilet water tank full. 

     

  • Lutz
    Lutz Forum Participant Posts: 1,564 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November 2 #4

    I wasn't referring to the label by the door which is for customer information only, but to the statutory weight plate which must display and document a value for Axle 0.

  • eribaMotters
    eribaMotters Club Member Posts: 1,193 ✭✭✭✭
    1000 Comments
    edited November 2 #5

    It looks like the fridge is just behind the axle and the bathroom is at the rear. By the time these are full it must help a little. Also, where is your spare wheel located? If in the front gas locker and you could carry it in the car it would help a great deal as it is typically about 22kg.

    If I have looked up the correct specification you have a very low payload for such a large van, 152kg minus 30kg mover, so only 122kg. Loading the van is going to be critical. Where you made aware of this when it was sold to you?

     

    Colin

  • Knightonday
    Knightonday Forum Participant Posts: 6
    edited November 3 #6

    Yes, fridge is behind the axle and spare wheel is also behind the axle so best that it stays there. Gas locker is at the side just in front of the axle so taking the cylinders out won't improve nose weight much. Payload should be ok as it's usually just the two of us and I put all the heavy items (awning, beer, wine etc) in the car.

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