Preparing a Vehicle for Towing Feedback

Submitted: Monday, Nov 05, 2007 at 17:28

ThreadID: 51309 Views:4022 Replies:4 FollowUps:4

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Tow Vehicle Setup

Everyone who intends to tow a caravan, or indeed any sort of trailer, needs to be aware that various tow vehicle and trailer combinations can behave in slightly different ways and certainly different

Kerrod

the towing ball height is an interesting one. i have experienced a wide gap between the heights of vans, off-road trailers and boats. the variation can be a pain in the you know where. i am interested to know what standards are applied in the manufacturing process for all these items in Australia. if there are standards they don't seem to apply very broadly.

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Reply By: Andrew from Vivid Adventures - Monday, Nov 05, 2007 at 17:55

Monday, Nov 05, 2007 at 17:55

I don't know about standards buy I know that i want my offroad trailer drawbar up as high as necessary for a level ride with 285/75R16s on it

AnswerID: 270179

Reply By: disco1942 - Monday, Nov 05, 2007 at 18:45

Monday, Nov 05, 2007 at 18:45

The following is from this link

12.2.1 50mm Ball Couplings

Ball couplings used on trailers with an ATM of up to 3.5 tonnes must comply with the Australian
Standard AS 4177.3-1994 and be installed so that the height of the centre of the body of the ball
coupling is between 350mm and 420mm from the ground when laden.

PeterD
Retired radio and electronics technician

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AnswerID: 270194

Follow Up By: David from David and Justine Olsen's 4WD Tag-Along - Monday, Nov 05, 2007 at 20:09

Monday, Nov 05, 2007 at 20:09

That's correct, but the diagram above is not really about towball height, more about the effects of incorrect loading.

FollowupID: 533212

Follow Up By: disco1942 - Monday, Nov 05, 2007 at 23:27

Monday, Nov 05, 2007 at 23:27

David

Kerrod commenced his post with "the towing ball height is an interesting one." I just gave him the reference to the standards. There are a lot of off road camper trailer and caravan manufacturers who build their vehicles with their couplings to that standard.

PeterD

PeterD
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Follow Up By: David from David and Justine Olsen's 4WD Tag-Along - Tuesday, Nov 06, 2007 at 07:53

Tuesday, Nov 06, 2007 at 07:53

Peter,

perhaps I posted in the wrong spot. I was referring to the origional post which shows the diagram of poorly loaded trailer.

David

FollowupID: 533268

Reply By: Rock Ape - Monday, Nov 05, 2007 at 20:44

Monday, Nov 05, 2007 at 20:44

Don't know how you could address this problem with standards. My troopy has a 650mm drawbar height, my other bucket of puss has a 300mm drawbar height.

AnswerID: 270231

Follow Up By: Member - Christopher P (NSW) - Tuesday, Nov 06, 2007 at 12:27

Tuesday, Nov 06, 2007 at 12:27

Better springs, or getting a two inch lift in the rear wheels which would pick up the backe end almost 200mm approx.

Kings spring or ironman!!!!

If you go that way might aswell do the whole lot

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Reply By: Member - Howard (ACT) - Tuesday, Nov 06, 2007 at 16:37

Tuesday, Nov 06, 2007 at 16:37

Just measured up the 80 series, bottom of reciever is 520mm from ground. the tongue raises the tregg hitch another 180mm.
allowing for a couple of inches sag when the trailer goes on I would be looking at a towing height around 650mm( bottom of block).
the trailer sits flat at that height and tows well.

Dont think it would ever be an otpion to tow behind the crapadore.
Tow bar on it is only 350mmabove ground.

cheers
Howard