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Nose weight?

gt_63

gt_63

VIP Member
Messages
103
Location
High Wycombe
Vehicle
T6 Ocean 204
Can anyone tell me what the nose weight (is and what it means) on a VW California Ocean 2015 ?
Ive found the following on the V5....
Revenue weight / max permissible mass - 3080kg
Mass in service - 2513kg

Technical permissible max towable mass of trailer - braked 2500kg = 2.5 tonne caravan.....

However I only need to now what weight I can hang on the tow bar for bike rack/tow bar base and box not for a caravan
Thanks in advance.....
 
The exact number should be in your cali's manual if I am not mistaken. I would expect it to be around 100KG.

Nose weight: The weight that the drawbar of your bike carrier, trailer, caravan, boat trailer or horsebox exerts on your towbar is called nose weight. This should never be too high or too low and should always keep within a certain margin. This maximum nose weight differs per car, but usually lies between 45 and 75 kg.

Found this:

The maximum allowed nose weight is established by the car manufacturer and is listed on the nameplate of the towbar and the VIN plate of the car. You will find the right weight under the maximum vertical load. In the exceptional case that the maximum vertical load on your nameplate differs from that of your vehicles VIN plate, the details on the VIN plate are leading.
 
Per page 127 of my 4-motion 204 manual (edition 05.2017) .....20210301_180434.jpg
 
gt_63 said:
Can anyone tell me what the nose weight (is and what it means) on a VW California Ocean 2015 ?
Ive found the following on the V5....
Revenue weight / max permissible mass - 3080kg
Mass in service - 2513kg

Technical permissible max towable mass of trailer - braked 2500kg = 2.5 tonne caravan.....

However I only need to now what weight I can hang on the tow bar for bike rack/tow bar base and box not for a caravan
Thanks in advance.....
Click to expand...

As others have said, 100kg

Useful to have a nose weight guage, especially if carrying heavy objects that needs to be positioned fairly accurately to keep the trailer balanced.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B004W17D94/?tag=eliteelect-21
 
gt_63 said:
Can anyone tell me what the nose weight (is and what it means) on a VW California Ocean 2015 ?
Ive found the following on the V5....
Revenue weight / max permissible mass - 3080kg
Mass in service - 2513kg

Technical permissible max towable mass of trailer - braked 2500kg = 2.5 tonne caravan.....

However I only need to now what weight I can hang on the tow bar for bike rack/tow bar base and box not for a caravan
Thanks in advance.....
Click to expand...
Which type of tow bar do you have, as that makes a difference
 
gt_63 said:
Can anyone tell me what the nose weight (is and what it means) on a VW California Ocean 2015 ?
Ive found the following on the V5....
Revenue weight / max permissible mass - 3080kg
Mass in service - 2513kg

Technical permissible max towable mass of trailer - braked 2500kg = 2.5 tonne caravan.....

However I only need to now what weight I can hang on the tow bar for bike rack/tow bar base and box not for a caravan
Thanks in advance.....
Click to expand...
You will be limited by the weight capacity of the Bike rack/Tow bar base which is normally less than the towing Nose Weight.

The Altera Strada has a 60Kgm load limit ie: 4 bikes. With the bike rack weight then probably 80kgms download on the tow bar.
 
gt_63 said:
Can anyone tell me what the nose weight (is and what it means) on a VW California Ocean 2015 ?
Ive found the following on the V5....
Revenue weight / max permissible mass - 3080kg
Mass in service - 2513kg

Technical permissible max towable mass of trailer - braked 2500kg = 2.5 tonne caravan.....

However I only need to now what weight I can hang on the tow bar for bike rack/tow bar base and box not for a caravan
Thanks in advance.....
Click to expand...
As well as the maximum vehicle nose weight, the tow bar itself will also have a maximum nose weight.
www.pfjones.co.uk/towing-weights-explained.html
 
gt_63 said:
Didn’t think of that! It’s the removable type
Click to expand...
If you have a detachable Westfalia then there is a noseweight limit of 60kg when carrying an unsupported load, such as a bike carrier.
 
Mr T said:
If you have a detachable Westfalia then there is a noseweight limit of 60kg when carrying an unsupported load, such as a bike carrier.
Click to expand...
Not sure if it matters but to be specific it’s the VW version of the detachable towbar
Would that make a difference to the max weight allowance? And yes the intention is to use a bike rack or a box and platform. The later probably holding the most weight - awning plus golf clubs .... approx 50-60kg
 
I have just checked the static load on the coupling head of my caravan (which is a modern Swift caravan) and that is 100kg . My X5 had a max load on the ball of 100kg this seems a sort of standard but I know some 4x4 like Range Rovers have a greater load and smaller cars have less.

So think the VW is sort of an industry standard, after all it is basically a van and used by all sorts of trades people many of whose pull trailers, and some you see on the road look really overloaded.

A nose weight gauge is essential in my view
 
Mr T said:
If you have a detachable Westfalia then there is a noseweight limit of 60kg when carrying an unsupported load, such as a bike carrier.
Click to expand...
Can you provide a reference for this statement pse @Mr T . Can only find reference to 100kg nose weight limit for that specific bar. Think the factory fit option ‘Towbar – removable and lockable’ is the Wesfalia? Be disappointing if it is 60kg for bike rack on the factory fit, may have to rethink the bike carrying solution.
 
Last edited:
gt_63 said:
Not sure if it matters but to be specific it’s the VW version of the detachable towbar
Would that make a difference to the max weight allowance? And yes the intention is to use a bike rack or a box and platform. The later probably holding the most weight - awning plus golf clubs .... approx 50-60kg
Click to expand...
VW fit Westfalia as far as I know.
 
Kernowboy said:
Can you provide a reference for this statement pse @Mr T . Can only find reference to 100kg nose weight limit for that specific bar. Think the factory fit option ‘Towbar – removable and lockable’ is the Wesfalia? Be disappointing if it is 60kg for bike rack on the factory fit, may have to rethink the bike carrying solution.
Click to expand...
I was informed of this when looking to get a tow bar fitted. Westfalia issued a statement to approved fitters regarding this revised nose weight limit.
 
Mr T said:
I was informed of this when looking to get a tow bar fitted. Westfalia issued a statement to approved fitters regarding this revised nose weight limit.
Click to expand...
Thanks. Just checked the PFJones website which doesn’t offer up any limit other than the 100kg nose weight for the Westfalia but does state that it can take all bike carriers. Seems like a fairly fundamental detail that needs to be understood; there must be 1000s of people driving round with 4 bikes (c.13-15kg each) on a rack (c.20kg) just as I intend (intended!) to do. So clarification from VW required; I’ll see what they have to say.
 
Kernowboy said:
Thanks. Just checked the PFJones website which doesn’t offer up any limit other than the 100kg nose weight for the Westfalia but does state that it can take all bike carriers. Seems like a fairly fundamental detail that needs to be understood; there must be 1000s of people driving round with 4 bikes (c.13-15kg each) on a rack (c.20kg) just as I intend (intended!) to do. So clarification from VW required; I’ll see what they have to say.
Click to expand...
Yes there doesn’t seem to be an unsupported load mentioned, only an S load I think they call it. I went to Phil Taylor Towbars on recommendation from others on the forum, I asked for a Westfalia detachable and they would happily fit it but asked if it was for a bike carrier, which it was so they brought to my attention the statement issued from Westfalia regarding this unsupported load maximum. So I went with a Tow Trust detachable which has a 100kg unsupported nose weight.
 
Have emailed VW so we’ll see what they come back with. Will post when received.
 
jimmywease said:
The fitting instructions appear to indicate 60kg max for bikes, but it’s a little unclear:

View attachment 74579
Click to expand...
Good spot. Seems to say max. 60kg of bikes which ties in with the Westfalia (and also the likes of Thule) bike rack max. payload; and implies the weight of the bikes is in addition to the weight of the bike rack itself. Which is fine and as expected if that’s the case, but as you say very unclear.
 
Kernowboy said:
Good spot. Seems to say max. 60kg of bikes which ties in with the Westfalia (and also the likes of Thule) bike rack max. payload; and implies the weight of the bikes is in addition to the weight of the bike rack itself. Which is fine and as expected if that’s the case, but as you say very unclear.
Click to expand...
I wonder if it’s the cantilever action of a bike rack which puts more pressure on the ball connection with a turning motion were as as trailer/caravan just applies a downward force close to the mounting on the vehicle
 
The following is from VW customer care in response to my query:

Thank you for your patience whilst I obtained the information you requested.

I can now confirm that the detachable tow-bar nose weight does reduce from 100kg when using an unsupported load such as a bike carrier, the lower nose weight being 65kg.

I hope this information is helpful. If I can be of any further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me on the details provided.

So that adds another number into the pot, but doesn’t help me with 4 bikes and a 20kg rack. Would really have been useful to have that info available at point of order, and before I invested in a Thule XT3 and 4th bike attachment. Be interesting to see if they come back to you with same info @JandA but it looks like it’s back to the rear door rack for me; fortunately hadn’t got round to selling it!
 
Kernowboy said:
The following is from VW customer care in response to my query:

Thank you for your patience whilst I obtained the information you requested.

I can now confirm that the detachable tow-bar nose weight does reduce from 100kg when using an unsupported load such as a bike carrier, the lower nose weight being 65kg.

I hope this information is helpful. If I can be of any further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me on the details provided.

So that adds another number into the pot, but doesn’t help me with 4 bikes and a 20kg rack. Would really have been useful to have that info available at point of order, and before I invested in a Thule XT3 and 4th bike attachment. Be interesting to see if they come back to you with same info @JandA but it looks like it’s back to the rear door rack for me; fortunately hadn’t got round to selling it!
Click to expand...
Hi Kernowboy, I asked specifically in relation to towing a caravan the prospect of a lower weight restriction worried me however my dealer checked with a couple of technical people and they confirmed it is 100kg which is generally standard, he didn’t mention carrying a bike rack but as I have said in a previous post I can see why a bike rack might be lower (although I had never thought of it until it was mentioned here) due to the bending moment on the hitch because the rack in in effect acting like a cantilever . (Brought back memories of my structures lessons when I was doing my HND in building..lol) I also have a Thule bike hitch bike rack so I was interested to know more but as there is only ever my wife and me away in the camper there will only ever be 2 bikes on the rack and each weighs around 15 kg as they are carbon fibre. However what are we going to do when we decide we are too old to peddle and should buy electric bikes....heavy construction and the addition of heavy batteries...a whole new game plan needed.!!!
 
Kernowboy said:
The following is from VW customer care in response to my query:

Thank you for your patience whilst I obtained the information you requested.

I can now confirm that the detachable tow-bar nose weight does reduce from 100kg when using an unsupported load such as a bike carrier, the lower nose weight being 65kg.

I hope this information is helpful. If I can be of any further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me on the details provided.

So that adds another number into the pot, but doesn’t help me with 4 bikes and a 20kg rack. Would really have been useful to have that info available at point of order, and before I invested in a Thule XT3 and 4th bike attachment. Be interesting to see if they come back to you with same info @JandA but it looks like it’s back to the rear door rack for me; fortunately hadn’t got round to selling it!
Click to expand...
Thanks for sharing that excellent piece of research - 65kg it is!
Btw - I’ll be interested in your XT3 - ‘bagsy that’! You might aswell make get something for it rather than cluttering up your garage
 
We’re all happy to believe what VW customer Care say now then :D
On a more serious note, glad the factual information I was given and shared is correct, +/- 5kgs.
 
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