Ball weight What are the actual laws regarding the ball weights of caravans ?
Is it 10% of the weight of the van, and is that 10% a Legal requirement ?
or is it just a measurement that gets bandied around at Happy hour?
I think it is legal a requirement and if I'm wrong it could cost me a CASK of wine
Rebards Brian
ozjohn said
07:59 PM May 19, 2014
There is no legal requirement to have 10% ball weight or any other percentage, but legally it must not exceed the max ball weight specified by the vehicle and tow bar manufacturer. The other legal requirements is that the laden van must not exceed the ATM, GTM and any ball maximum ball weight specified by the van manufacturer.
Note: The vast majority of van manufacturers only include the ball weight of the van in its TARE condition, why I'll never understand, but a small number now also include a maximum ball weight so that owners do not overload the Drawbar.
For Australian built vans a recommended 10% ball weight (10% of laden van) has proven to be a reasonable good starting point for safe towing, but longer/heavier vans may perform better with ball weights up around 15%. In the U.S. where some of the vans are longer than ours they recommend 15 - 20% The Euro manufacturers generally recommend around 6%, but their vans are generally lighter with heavy items situated over the axle and a legislated or recommended max speed of 80kph.
Personally I err on the heavier side of 10%
Cheers, Ozjohn.
PS> Better go buy that cask of wine.
-- Edited by ozjohn on Monday 19th of May 2014 08:01:11 PM
bab600 said
08:19 PM May 19, 2014
You are right I owe a cask of wine 2 litres or 4litres
that is the question. thanks for your quick response Ozjohn
Regards Brian
Baz421 said
08:24 PM May 19, 2014
bab600 wrote:
You are right I owe a cask of wine 2 litres or 4litres
that is the question. thanks for your quick response Ozjohn
Regards Brian
Well Brian you offer a 4l and help drink it 50/50 and you have still only lost 2l,,,lol.
Ball weight What are the actual laws regarding the ball weights of caravans ?
Is it 10% of the weight of the van, and is that 10% a Legal requirement ?
or is it just a measurement that gets bandied around at Happy hour?
I think it is legal a requirement and if I'm wrong it could cost me a CASK of wine
Rebards Brian
There is no legal requirement to have 10% ball weight or any other percentage, but legally it must not exceed the max ball weight specified by the vehicle and tow bar manufacturer.
The other legal requirements is that the laden van must not exceed the ATM, GTM and any ball maximum ball weight specified by the van manufacturer.
Note: The vast majority of van manufacturers only include the ball weight of the van in its TARE condition, why I'll never understand, but a small number now also include a maximum ball weight so that owners do not overload the Drawbar.
For Australian built vans a recommended 10% ball weight (10% of laden van) has proven to be a reasonable good starting point for safe towing, but longer/heavier vans may perform better with ball weights up around 15%. In the U.S. where some of the vans are longer than ours they recommend 15 - 20%
The Euro manufacturers generally recommend around 6%, but their vans are generally lighter with heavy items situated over the axle and a legislated or recommended max speed of 80kph.
Personally I err on the heavier side of 10%
Cheers, Ozjohn.
PS> Better go buy that cask of wine.
-- Edited by ozjohn on Monday 19th of May 2014 08:01:11 PM
You are right I owe a cask of wine 2 litres or 4litres
Regards Brian
Well Brian you offer a 4l and help drink it 50/50 and you have still only lost 2l,,,lol.