Nosey Lesson

Not too sure the empty nose weight is of any relevance as it’s the loaded nose weight that matters. Nose weight can easily be adjusted by the way the caravan is loaded.

Although a nose weight of 75kg is a little light its still 75% of the maximum the hitch can take.

A useful warning. Sorry you were caught out. When I bought our present tow car 14 years ago there were a number that I discounted as having a 75kg or 80kg hitch load rather than 100kg.  

Nose weight can easily be adjusted by the way the caravan is loaded.

May or may not be easy to adjust but if ex works is 120kg as some Bailey models (no doubt others) were said to be I would find it more than a tad inconvenient and a time wasting faff redistributing load every time that I moved off.  

I have been fortunate in being able to simply store stuff where I wanted them to be during usage (except aquaroll and wastemaster) and the resultant nose weights have been fine without need to adjust. 

What this data would give you is a base line, a starting point, an indication of what car may match or not.

So 15 years towing and every caravan/car combo you had could have been overloaded on the hitch as you never checked any of them. Makes you think how many older caravanners are still doing the same, just hitch up and go.  I don't mean age I mean 20/30 years of towing.

Just chance that when an accident occurs the investigation is not too thorough, to note that the hitch and towbar were exceeding the manufactured limits

15 years ago I was still able to judge by picking up the hitch and hefting up and down 

I wouldn't have thought that 85kg instead of 75kg would have made that much difference. My Vauxhalls only had a nose weight max of 75kg too & I towed our Lunar Delta (which looks to be a similar weight to your Swift) with ease & no drama at the max 60mph ...

and I used the same precision & method as EasyT to gauge the 'van's nose weight.

I fully agree. If such a comparatively small change in noseweight results in such a marked difference in the way the outfit handles there must be something else wrong somewhere, too. On one occasion I towed my 1800kg single axle behind the car with probably less than 50kg noseweight and although I did feel the difference, it was nothing to get too concerned about. I just had to be that bit more careful, that's all. Even with my current car I am limited to 80kg noseweight and it tows like a dream.

I wouldn't have thought that 85kg instead of 75kg would have made that much difference.

It would to me if it meant faffing to achieve (say) 75kg instead of 90+kg when loaded to suit me.