troopy tow ball weight

Submitted: Tuesday, Nov 12, 2002 at 01:00

ThreadID: 2351 Views:5830 Replies:9 FollowUps:10

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sang

I have a 96 HZJ75 diesel landcruiser troop carrier and intend to tow a 1800Kg caravan with tandem axles with a tow abll weight of 180 Kg. Can anyone please advise the suitablility of this setup in regard to towing capacity and legal max. tow ball weight ?

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Reply By: OziExplorer - Tuesday, Nov 12, 2002 at 01:00

Tuesday, Nov 12, 2002 at 01:00

180kg is major tow ball weight. You would have to contact the towbar manufacturer and Toyota.

The towbar may have a specification plate on it, but as you ask, it obviously does not. The majority of towbars are only rated at *max* 100kg's tow ball weight.

If you towbar does not have a manufacturers plate on it, you would be basically forced to buy a new one that is approved for that towball weight.

You will end up/need a weight distributing hitch. Not cheap! They would also be able to advise you about your vehicle.
www.haymanreese.com.au/

AnswerID: 8423

Follow Up By: Oziexplorer - Tuesday, Nov 12, 2002 at 01:00

Tuesday, Nov 12, 2002 at 01:00

Just looking on the Haymanreece website under index:
Safer Towing
Hayman Reese Weight Distributing Hitches are available in, 550 (250kg), 750 (340kg) and 1,000(455kg) capacity ball load weights.

FollowupID: 4077

Follow Up By: Sang - Tuesday, Nov 12, 2002 at 01:00

Tuesday, Nov 12, 2002 at 01:00

Thank you for your prompt reply.
Isn't Max. tow ball weight specified by the motor vehicle manufacturer i.e. Toyota. No matter what what tow bar you put on, one is not to exceed the tow ball weight specified by the vehicle manufacturer.
Sang

FollowupID: 4078

Follow Up By: Oziexplorer - Tuesday, Nov 12, 2002 at 01:00

Tuesday, Nov 12, 2002 at 01:00

Sang, my new Mitsubishi came with a whole lot of paper work about tow ball weights and towing. The towbar is stamped with max towball weigth and design approval number.

What does your Toyota manual say?

FollowupID: 4081

Reply By: rojac - Tuesday, Nov 12, 2002 at 01:00

Tuesday, Nov 12, 2002 at 01:00

My hjz75 stocky towbar's plate says max tow 2000kgs with a max tow ball weight of 200kg

AnswerID: 8437

Reply By: mudgutz - Tuesday, Nov 12, 2002 at 01:00

Tuesday, Nov 12, 2002 at 01:00

toyota to my knowledge have nothing in their manuals to state towball max weight , i have looked for this several times in prados and cruisers
manuals specifically in regard to this question......if it helps the 75 will tow 3500 kgs with trailer brakes you will need the right bar fitted for this
the stock towbar from toyota is good for 2000 kgs only and i have heard only 150kgs down weight thrown about but dont take this as gospel.

i have a 2000 kg bar for sale for a 75 if you need one, with a new square hitch, pin and ball...$150 email me if your interested

AnswerID: 8438

Reply By: Steve - Tuesday, Nov 12, 2002 at 01:00

Tuesday, Nov 12, 2002 at 01:00

Sang; Just wondering how you get a unit/ van with a towball weight of 180kgs onto the tow ball/ hitch ? Are we all talking the same language in this debate? Reckon Dean Lukin would be a busy boy lifting this sort of weight onto a towbar?

AnswerID: 8446

Follow Up By: Member - Cruiser1 - Tuesday, Nov 12, 2002 at 01:00

Tuesday, Nov 12, 2002 at 01:00

Tandem axles, jockey wheel, easy really - if you know how to reverse...

FollowupID: 4091

Reply By: Steve - Tuesday, Nov 12, 2002 at 01:00

Tuesday, Nov 12, 2002 at 01:00

Well of course, ... but I was using the age old 'principle' that 50 kgs of weight over the towball was the way to go when towing anything sensible so was only suggesting that that sort of weight over the hitch was a recipe for disaster...

AnswerID: 8450

Follow Up By: Member - Cruiser1 - Wednesday, Nov 13, 2002 at 01:00

Wednesday, Nov 13, 2002 at 01:00

Sorry, Steve.
I thought you were taking the p**s. No offence meant :)

FollowupID: 4095

Reply By: John Eggenhuizen - Tuesday, Nov 12, 2002 at 01:00

Tuesday, Nov 12, 2002 at 01:00

Hi Sang,
Any towbar maunfactured after 1992 must have a compliance plate. this will be situated somewhere on the bar and it will state the maximum towing capacity of the towbar and the maximum downward weight on the towball.

I think you will find that the towbar will be in the range of 2,500kgs for towing capacity and 250kgs ball weight.

When setting up your new van for towing, ideally you should have about 10% of the trailer weight over the towball. therefore if the van weighs 1600kgs fully laden then you should have around 160kgs over the ball.

Like all things, towbars and towballs are governed by Australian design rules. So check out to see if you bar has a compliance plate, that will tell you the whole story.

AnswerID: 8456

Follow Up By: Sang - Tuesday, Nov 12, 2002 at 01:00

Tuesday, Nov 12, 2002 at 01:00

Hi John and all others who reply to my original query.
Thank you all for your advice.
My troopy is ex-Telstra and came with a towbar stamped manufactured for Telstra by QTB (I think), rating is 2500 Kg. But no tow ball weight mentioned.
I rang NRMA to enquire about tow ball weight so I'll be good for insurance coverjust in case. Their technical department says for HJ70 (NOT 75) up to 96 lwb and troop is 120 Kg. For HJ78 manufactured between 96 (??) to now is 350 Kg.
I approach a Jayco Caravan dealer to enquire about buying a 21 feet van tare weight 1830 Kg with approx. ball weight 190 Kg. The sale person say I cannot tow this van because my max tow ball weight limit is 120 Kg. (no matter what tow bar I put on) probably quoting NRMA and I will have insurance problem.
Now I am all very confused as to what I can tow.
Further comment would be greatly appreciated
Sang

FollowupID: 4094

Follow Up By: Oziexplorer - Wednesday, Nov 13, 2002 at 01:00

Wednesday, Nov 13, 2002 at 01:00

Sang contact Haymanreese direct, not one of their *.* agents.
If anybody can give you the correct advice, Haymanreece will.

FollowupID: 4096

Reply By: Hoffy - Wednesday, Nov 13, 2002 at 01:00

Wednesday, Nov 13, 2002 at 01:00

My standard Hayman R bar on 92 Toyota L/C has a max towball weight of 125kg?. When used with the HR weight distribution hitch this increases to 250 kg. From the mouth of HR

AnswerID: 8466

Follow Up By: Sang - Wednesday, Nov 13, 2002 at 01:00

Wednesday, Nov 13, 2002 at 01:00

Hi Hoffy,
If Toyota specify max. tow ball weight is 120 Kg. Would it be illegal to tow anything with a tow ball weight greater than 120 Kg whether you use a load equaliser or not. I think the cops and insurance company will view it as such.
Sang

FollowupID: 4103

Reply By: Hoffy - Wednesday, Nov 13, 2002 at 01:00

Wednesday, Nov 13, 2002 at 01:00

Sang

My undertanding of the rules is without any weight distribution the maximum towball weight is 120kg. Using the 10% of gross weight rule the max towed weight would be 1200kg to remain legal. When fitted with a weight distribution hitch of correct proportions the gross towed weight can be 2500 kg. That is my understanding of the issue. Reading diccussions in caravan magazines indicate that this information is correct. HR can confirm this also.

I think insursance companies would take a hard look at things in case of an accident and use incorrect set up as an excuse to refuse insurance. A few weeks ago I saw a Nissan Pulsar towing a 17ft van. To boot it had no weight distribution. How legal was that???

AnswerID: 8471

Follow Up By: Scott - Wednesday, Nov 13, 2002 at 01:00

Wednesday, Nov 13, 2002 at 01:00

Sang,

I was in the same boat as you a couple of months ago as I have a 93 Diesel Troopy with the standard toyota towbar and plan to tow a 18ft caravan around Oz commencing January next year. I spent considerable time and effort trying to work out what towing set up I needed. In the end I took it to Caravan Accessories in Sydney and had a new HR adjustable towbar and 550kg WDH fitted. The advice that has been given above is good. Check with HR ASAP but I think you will need to go the same way I have.
Cheers
Scott

FollowupID: 4105