Vertical load
Nose load is the force that acts on the towing device of the towing vehicle in the case of trailers without sufficient axle spacing (e.g. car trailers with only one axle or an axle spacing less than 1 meter; semi-trailers, center-axle trailers) . The manufacturers of trailers and towing vehicles stipulate the maximum permissible drawbar loads. The lower of the two values determines the maximum permissible vertical load.
Permissible vertical loads for car combinations are usually in the range of 50 kg to 100 kg, while agricultural equipment, construction machinery and trucks are max. 2 t if they are moved within the scope of the StVO / StVZO .
The German legislator prescribes a minimum vertical load of 4% of the actual total weight of the trailer for common car combinations; however, it does not need to exceed 25 kg ( Section 44 StVZO).
The total loads on trailers must be distributed in such a way that a vertical load in the permissible range is achieved. The decisive factor for this is the pre-dimension of the center of gravity (distance between the center of gravity or load application point of the trailer and the wheel contact point), which is related to
can be calculated, where b (m) denotes the center of gravity, A (N) denotes the vertical load, I (m) denotes the drawbar length and G (N) denotes the trailer load. The actual vertical load can be determined with a vertical load scale .
In order to achieve a sufficient vertical load even with empty trailers, the axle is usually attached behind the trailer's center of gravity.