I'm assuming this is the maximum hitch load, what about the rest?
Any help please?
I've been towing OK with a 70kg load but my new car has a limit of up to 80kg which I would prefer.

IMG_20170422_101522127.jpg - Bild entfernt (keine Rechte)

OK, Zul. Stützlast max. 75 in full means Zugelassen Stütuzlast max. 75kg which translates to an authorised maximum of 75kg on the Jockey Wheel. - can be read as hitch.

Mindeststülast 4% der Anhangelast translates to Minimum load on the hitch of 4% of the trailer (caravan) towing weight. In other words, if your Eriba has an allowable maximum towing weight of 1000kg then the minimum weight on the hitch should be 4% of that i.e. 40kg. In reality, though, I think you'd find it pretty nigh impossible not to achieve this minimum figure although, prefer it or not, your 80kg preference is taboo.

mehr als 25kg nicht notig translates to more than 25kg is not necessary.

Zul. Stütlast des Zugfahrzeugs beachten translates to observe the maximum allowable weight on the towing vehicle or, in other words, on the tow ball which in your stated case is 80kg although as already mentioned there is a manufacturers maximum of 75kg anyway and this lower figure takes preference.

The Grammar is different to the English language so I have not translated word for word because it would sound crazy but rather what is meant.

Edited to better indicate/correct the term Mindeststüzlast

Great explanation Deeps, thanks :)

Interesting that it's the weight on the jockey wheel, not the hitch. I have a different jockey wheel fitted to the original so I'll check the maximum load on that.........if I can find the paperwork.

You have to remember what I mentioned, Ray, regarding translations and Grammar etc. Stutzlast can be interpreted in a number of ways and it's what is really meant that is the important thing to note.

When in English we refer to hitch weight we are essentially referring to the weight on the front end although we accept that readings taken directly under the Jocker Wheel will be at variance with the tow ball socket even if only slightly.

I think in the example that we have been discussing I'd tend to stick with tow ball socket and forget about the Jockey Wheel bit. For instance, if we want to buy a Jockey Wheel over here it's a Stützräder than we order.

I agree that it does all sound a bit confusing especially when they state that one should observe the Stützlast of the towing vehicle and of course they are referring to the weight on the tow ball in this case because the car doesn't have a Jockey Wheel lol.

OK, thanks for the advice Deeps. Looks like I can meet halfway and go to 75kg if I want.

Having said all that, I sometimes struggle to even get 70kg without piling stuff up right in the front of the van :)

I've also been struggling to get a decent weight up front with both our previous Triton and now the Troll. However, the recent purchase of the AL-KO Premium Jockey Wheel has really helped out in this regard. Yes, I know it's not cheap and it's weight scale is probably no more accurate (maybe less) than a set of bathroom scales but the extra 4-5kg weight over and above the standard Jockey Wheel certainly makes a difference.

OK, thanks for the advice Deeps. Looks like I can meet halfway and go to 75kg if I want. It's worthwhile noting of course that if say you are taking a weight reading from the Jockey Wheel and obtain the 75kg maximum then due to dynamic load variations the actual weight on the tow ball socket (hitch) will be less.

A bit clunky but I check my noseweight with some old bathroom scales and bits of timber at the hitch itself. Just have to make sure that the load is spread evenly over the scale surface and that the scale sits evenly on a nice flat piece of wood.

Can I add a confused to this question please - based on what I have understood from other threads and the van manual?

Using my Triton as an example
MTPLM 1000kg

MIRO - 780kg
Payload - say 120kg - travelling light.
Mass on the road = 900kg
4% of that is 36 kg
My Car/Tow Hitch is rated at 75kg
So my noseweight would be the lower of the 2 = 36kg

I'd really appreciate confirmation that my calcs are right or wrong before heading off to the wide snowy, subarctic depths of Dorset next week.

Nearly right.

MIRO (or MRO) = Mass In Running Order = Unladen weight as stated by the manufacturer PLUS any dealer extras etc fly screens etc. It is recommended to obtain a reasonably accurate figure for this by taking the caravan to a Public Weighbridge.

MTPLM = Maximum Technically Permissible Laden Mass = 1000kg in your case.

So yes, based on the above you could load your own equipment up to a maximum of 120kg - Allowable Payload - which would bring you up to the MTPLM of 1200kg.

Maximum User Payload = MTPLM minus MIRO

Not sure where the 900kg is coming from because my understanding of MAS (Maxiumum Authorised Mass) is really the same as MTPLM so what are you adding or subtracting to arrive at a figure of 900kg?

The maximum permissible nose weight or hitch weight call it what you will i.e. weight on the tow ball is a figure separate from all the above. My own Troll has a 1300kg axle with the same MTPLM although we call all things somewhat differently at my end lol. However, in keeping with all of the more modern Touring models it has a maximum nose weight (Stützlast as we refer to it) of 100kg. I can't advise where you would find this figure - handbook maybe? Our caravans are registered vehicles in their own right complete with registration documents upon which this figure (the maximum nose weight) is printed. My vehicles tow ball states a figure (maximum) of 88kg and it is the lowest of these two figures - 100kg and 88kg - that I should aim to achieve for maximum stability (theoretically).

Anything lower than this (88kg in my case) could theoretically lead to instability with the lowest 4% figure of the maximum towing weight (in my case 4% of 1300kg = 52kg ) to be considered absolutely dangerous and should obviously be avoided at all costs. In practical terms, however, I think you'd have to be carrying a couple of awnings at the rear of the caravan in addition to any luggage in order to get anywhere near this 4% figure and I think you'd notice it by the rear end of the car lifting off the ground etc. In your case with an MTPLM of 1000kg the 4% figure would equate to 40Kg i.e. it is not recommended that you have a nose weight less than this figure but not greater than the 75kg limit of your cars tow ball.

In summary, and in your case, if your cars tow ball is rated at a maximum of 75kg then this is the figure (theoretically) you should be aiming to achieve in order bring about maximum towing stability. Hope this clears things up a bit.

Thank you

My reading was that MTPLM was the sum of MIRO (vehicle basic) plus Payload (my extras and stuff)

So with MIRO of 780kg and a payload of 120kg I'd get to 900kg on the road (under the 1000kg MTPLM)

I understand that the MTPLM must not be exceeded under any circumstances.

The 4% comes from advice elsewhere in the forum so that's where I get to the 36kg.

I understand I need to get the noseweight as close to the towbar max as possible but 75kg - I think I'd struggle to do that - I'll know shortly when we've finished loading.

Quote: rambling robin wrote in post #10

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Thank you

My reading was that MTPLM was the sum of MIRO (vehicle basic) plus Payload (my extras and stuff)

So with MIRO of 780kg and a payload of 120kg I'd get to 900kg on the road (under the 1000kg MTPLM)

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Putting the mathematics and MIRO etc to one side for the moment, after 35 years of towing caravans I have found the best stability is achieved by having the maximum noseweight that your caravan hitch and car's tow bar will allow.
Thus with my current rig, my tow bar is limited to 70kg and the caravan appears to be rated at 75kg (thanks for the clarification Deeps) Thus I load the van to give me no more than 70kg noseweight.
My new car's tow bar can be loaded up to 80kg but I can't exceed the 75kg caravan limit so I will endeavour to load to a noseweight of 75kg (the smaller of the two limits)
I find it strange that Hymer have stated that a minimum of 25kg is OK, on an undulating road I would imagine that the caravan could lift the back wheels of the car off the road!

Quote: Ray Lawrence wrote in post #12

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I find it strange that Hymer have stated that a minimum of 25kg is OK, on an undulating road I would imagine that the caravan could lift the back wheels of the car off the road!

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