Caravan Nose Weight Gauge

What the heck is a caravan nose weight gauge and why should I worry about my caravan’s nose weight?

Something else that should be checked (I know, it seems never-ending) is the caravan nose weight. This is the downforce placed on your tow bar whilst towing and depends on how the caravan is packed. It goes hand in hand with checking how much stuff have crammed in your front locker, for those of you that have one! To check this you can use a caravan nose weight gauge.

We tend to pack the same stuff every time we go away so I’m confident I know I’m good to go with the amount of stuff I pack and that the nose weight will be fine, but it doesn’t hurt to check. The nose weight is literally how much your caravan weighs at the point where the Towbar hooks on. To weigh this you need a little gadget called a caravan nose weight gauge (you could technically use bathroom scales too.) A few other things need to be taken into consideration whilst you’re about it… ( The Caravan’s nose weight should be around 7% of the Actual Laden Weight (the weight of the caravan including all the stuff you cram in it…) )

Vehicle’s Nose Weight Limit

This is the maximum amount of weight your car can handle at the tow bar. You’ll find this in your vehicle’s owners manual.  You’ll need to find out what the maximum nose weight is for your car.

Tow Bar’s Limit

The tow bar, might well have a different limit to the nose weight limit of the car, make sure you’re not exceeding it. It might be on your Towbar, or in the documentation that came with it.

Caravan Chassis Limit

Have a look on your hitch, it should be clearly stamped, as an ‘S’ number stamped on the AL-KO hitch.

MTPLM

Maximum Technically Permissible Laden Mass. Easy for you to say. Your caravan plus your deck chairs, awning, food, clothes anything you put in your caravan. Maximum fully laden weight. This can be found on a sticker at the side of your caravan.

Finding the perfect match there are websites such as https://www.towcheck.co.uk/towing that allows you to enter your car and caravan details and inform you if it’s a good match to not. Once you know what your nose weight should be you can measure it with something like this :

Bestseller No. 1

Purely Outdoors Nose Weight Gauge For Caravans & Trailer – Calibrated Nose Weight Indicator for Safe Trailer Towing – Durable and Accurate Caravan Noseweight Tool (Plastic Base Plate)*

• ACCURATE AND RELIABLE NOSE WEIGHT MEASUREMENTS – The Purely Outdoors Caravan Nose Weight Gauge provides precise weight readings from 50kg to 100kg with 3% calibrated accuracy, ensuring your load remains within your vehicle’s safe towing capacity.
• DURABLE AND VERSATILE DESIGN – Features a sturdy plastic base to prevent sinking into soft ground or gravel, making it suitable for various terrains. The lightweight yet robust construction ensures long-lasting performance and easy portability.
• SOFT-TIP PROTECTION FOR HITCH SAFETY – Equipped with a soft-tip end to protect your hitch from scratches or damage during use, prolonging the life of your towing equipment.
• EASY-TO-READ GAUGE FOR QUICK SETUP – The graduated markings make it simple to check your caravan or trailer’s nose weight at a glance, reducing setup time and enhancing towing safety.
• PROMOTES LEGAL AND SAFER TOWING – Stay compliant with towing regulations by accurately measuring your load before every journey. The Purely Outdoors Nose Weight Gauge helps ensure balanced loads for smoother, safer trips.

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SaleBestseller No. 2

Precision Calibrated Nose Weight Gauge Caravan trailer, silver*

• Milenco Calibrated Nose Weight Gauge Caravan trailer

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SaleBestseller No. 3

Maypole Nose Weight Gauge For Caravans and Trailers 50-100 kg Calibrated Easy to Read Scale*

• Trailer or caravan nose weight indicator gauge
• Soft tip to prevent damage to your trailer or caravan’s hitch
• Calibrated easy to read gauge
• 50-100Kg scale
• Accuracy within 3%

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Bestseller No. 4

Liberty Leisure Calibrated Nose Weight Gauge for Caravans and Trailers – Accurate Aluminium Caravan Nose Weight Scale with Detachable Plastic Foot for Safe Towing*

• Precision Measurement: Ensure safe towing with our calibrated aluminium nose weight gauge, designed for caravans and trailers. Accurately measures up to 100kg with long-lasting, stamped-on weights.
• Durable and Reliable: Crafted from high-quality aluminium, this nose weight gauge is built to last. The detachable plastic foot provides stability, ensuring accurate readings every time.
• Compact and Portable: With a compact size of 420mm x 35mm and weighing just 600g, this nose weight gauge is easy to store and carry, making it an essential caravan accessory for every trip.
• Weather-Resistant: Designed to withstand outdoor conditions, this caravan nose weight gauge ensures reliable performance in all weather, giving you confidence in your towing setup.
• Easy to Use: Perfect for both beginners and seasoned caravaners, this nose weight gauge offers hassle-free operation with clear, permanent markings for quick and accurate weight assessment.

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Bestseller No. 5

Red Noseweight Gauge (K4)*

• The nose weight gauge measures the hitching weight of your caravan.
• Please check with your hand book of your car or van the maximum hitching weight allowed. Sometimes, this weight is marked on the actual tow hook.
• Shows measurements from 50 – 100 kg.
• To use put hitch of caravan on gauge to find correct weight – this is essential for safe towing
• Easy to use. Strong & Durable. Easy to store.

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Caravan Nose Weight Gauge Summary

That’s quite a bit to take in. What you need to do first is to find your target nose weight. This is going to be around 7% of the actual weight of the caravan, which is no mean feat to find out of course. If you google it they’ll tell you to take your caravan to a weighbridge, weight it. Put all your stuff in that you take on a typical trip and weigh it again. Realistically though, being pragmatic, you can select the lowest figure out of the tow bar limit, the nose weight limit on your car and the chassis limit on the ALKO hitch and pick that as a number. It might be, for instance, 75kg or even 150kg.

Once you have your ideal weight, get your nose weight gauge, or of course, bathroom scales and weigh it.

And Finally…

If you like your technology, you might quite like one of these…

Reich Campingbedarf Digitale, 22664*

• Maximum Load 115kg
• Accurate to +/- 3%
• Temperature Range 0-50°c
• Requires 2 x 1.5v AAA batteries
• Dimensions 170 x 68 x 120.5mm

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*Last update on 2025-10-18 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API