Operating instructions

11
6. CARAVAN AND TOW VEHICLE.
Choosing the right car and caravan combination for safe
and stable towing is both an art and a science. It may
seem complicated to the newcomer, but a few minutes
spent understanding the basic principles, common terms
and denitions in use will be worthwhile in ensuring your
enjoyment of the caravan.
Caravan and Towing Vehicle Terms
Maximum Technically permissible laden mass: As stated
by the vehicle manufacturer. This mass takes into
account specic operating conditions including factors
such as the strength of materials, loading capacity of
the tyres etc. It is the maximum that the caravan can
weigh on the road.
Under no circumstances should the maximum
technically permissible laden mass of the
caravan be exceeded.
Mass in Running order: Mass of the caravan equipped
to the manufacturer’s standard specication and certain
items of essential habitation equipment.
User Payload: The difference between the maximum
technically permissible laden mass and the mass in
running order.
The user payload includes:
Personal effects: Those items which a user can choose
to carry in a caravan and certain items of habitation
equipment which are not included in the Mass in Running
Order or Optional Equipment.
Personal effects will include the wheel lock,
jack and television if NOT supplied as standard
with the caravan.
Optional equipment: Items made available by the
manufacturer over and above the standard specication
for the caravan.
The masses relevant to your model of caravan can be
found at the back of this book.
Please take care to ensure that you have
allowed for the masses of all items you intend to
carry in the caravan. E.G. optional equipment,
essential habitation equipment and personal
effects such as clothing, food, sports equipment etc.
The actual laden mass of the caravan as towed should
thus not exceed the maximum technically permissible
laden mass. The actual laden mass can be measured on
a public weighbridge.
Please note: Weighbridges although regularly checked
can give varying (inaccurate) results.
Nose Weight: The weight of the part of the caravan that
is supported by the rear of the towing vehicle. This is
sometimes dened as the “static load at the coupling
head.” The maximum nose weight for a caravan will be
limited by either the towing vehicle tow hitch limits or the
maximum load to which the caravan hitch is specied.
The towing vehicle and towing hitch
handbooks/manufacturers must be consulted
for their specication prior to towing.
The maximum static nose weight for all Bailey
Caravans is 100Kg. This should never be
exceeded regardless of whether the towing
vehicle’s upper limit is greater.
It is recommended that the nose weight should be
varied to nd the optimum for towing dependent upon
the actual laden weight of the caravan. Experience has
shown that the nose weight should be approximately 7%
of the actual laden weight (i.e. between 50 and 100Kg).
Measurement of the nose weight
Nose weight may be measured using a proprietary brand
of nose weight indicator. Such equipment is obtainable
from your Bailey Dealer.
Another simple method is to use bathroom scales and
a suitable piece of strong timber as a platform to rest
the tow hitch on. The timber can be placed vertically
between the caravan tow hitch and the bathroom scales.
The timber should be of such a length that when the
caravan tow hitch is lowered onto it, using the jockey
wheel, the caravan oor is horizontal. The weight can
then be measured. When taking the measurement the
jockey wheel should be raised and the corner steadies
lowered until they are just clear of the ground.
Kerb weight: The weight of the towing vehicle as dened
by the vehicle manufacturer.
This is normally:
• With a full tank of fuel
• With an adequate supply of other liquids incidental
to the vehicles propulsion
• Without any drivers or passengers
• Without any load except loose tools and equipment
with which the vehicle is normally provided.
• Without any towing bracket.
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