Measuring Nose Weight

Mr H
Mr H Forum Participant Posts: 356
100 Comments
edited June 2018 in Towcars & Towing #1

I want to check the load on the nose weight and so bought a sprung loaded square calibrated gauge which has a square end. Having just had the four tow ball pads renewed I am concerned how to use the gauge without causing any damage to the pads. I am assuming the gauge fits within the space for the tow ball. Any advice would be appreciated.

Comments

  • lornalou1
    lornalou1 Forum Participant Posts: 2,169
    1000 Comments
    edited June 2018 #2

    don't put it in the hitch but on the front edge or put a piece of timber across the top first. as long as it's close to the hitch it will give a good reading.

  • ChrisRogers
    ChrisRogers Forum Participant Posts: 435
    edited June 2018 #3

    Goes in the hitch, Milenco instructions.

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
    1000 Comments
    edited June 2018 #4

    The pads are on well out of the way for such a procedure.

  • lornalou1
    lornalou1 Forum Participant Posts: 2,169
    1000 Comments
    edited June 2018 #5

    what makes you think it's a milenco??. op says his is a square gauge so I was suggesting an alternative. if he's worried about his pads then a small piece of timber between the hitch and gauge will suffice.

  • onepjg
    onepjg Forum Participant Posts: 282
    edited June 2018 #6

    Good point lornalou1

  • Mr H
    Mr H Forum Participant Posts: 356
    100 Comments
    edited June 2018 #7

    Thank you all for your advice. The weight gauge(Streetwize) I bought was obviously the very bottom of the market with fairly sharp corners. I used it with a large piece of wood on the ground and a smaller one under the hitchlock. This showed a weight of 75 Kg. Then I used the scales method picking up on exactly the same points of the hitchlock and got 105 Kg. This was with all four corner steadies up in each case. I have checked the scales against another set and they are accurate so now I do not know what to believe. For the scales method I cut a piece of 16mm chipboard virtually the size of the foot area of the scales to even out the load. The upright was 60mm square softwood with square 120mm x 16mm thick mounted on the top. This all stood on a large 16mm base to prevent digging into the grass. When in position, I calibrated the scales before raising the jockey wheel to eliminate the weight of the wooden bits on the scales. So any ideas?

  • lornalou1
    lornalou1 Forum Participant Posts: 2,169
    1000 Comments
    edited June 2018 #8

    if you know your own weight and if not go to pharmacy and get accurate reading then weigh yourself using the scales that you used for nose weight and see what the difference is, if very little then use the scales method.

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