Operating instructions
10
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 denitions 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 specic 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 specication 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 supplied as
standard with the caravan.
Optional equipment: Items made available by
the manufacturer over and above the standard
specication 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 dened 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 specied.
The towing vehicle and towing hitch
handbooks/manufacturers must be
consulted for their specication 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 dened 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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