tow bar height
Submitted: Monday, Jul 07, 2008 at 21:15
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clark griswald
Hi guys i'm new to caravaning i just bought a jayco 2002 outback camper trailer and i am towing it behind a commodore
sedan.
It has a trig hitch, as its a outback van not the standard lower version it sits a lot higher than the tow bar height and tows at a angle
all info ive read on the internet is about raising the caravan height not what i need which is raising the tow bar height to match the caravan height what sort of tow bar accesories can i buy to raise the height to match the van please regards Clark???????
Reply By: Outa Bounds - Monday, Jul 07, 2008 at 21:29
Monday, Jul 07, 2008 at 21:29
Hey Clark, I don't have an answer for you. But we recently came across the same situation - our new Forrester mated with an Off Road Camper trailer! Obviously the forrester is a lot lower than our cruiser was.
I know in the past Hubby always used to run the tongue with the highest part upwards. I'm sure there are special tongues (or inserts?) you should be able to buy if you have a 2" hitch receiver?
I look forward to reading any solutions just in case we decide to keep the camper (selling at the moment).
AnswerID:
314298
Reply By: Member - RobG J (WA) - Monday, Jul 07, 2008 at 21:30
Monday, Jul 07, 2008 at 21:30
Clark,
There are some height adjustable hitches available. Go to a caravan dealer or repaire and I'm sure they will put you on the right track.
AnswerID:
314299
Reply By: Member - Reiner G (QLD) 4124 - Monday, Jul 07, 2008 at 21:32
Monday, Jul 07, 2008 at 21:32
To find out how much you need to rise you need to
park your trailer behind the car both level. Measure the difference between the towball centre and the coupling centre ......and let us know.
Reiner
AnswerID:
314302
Reply By: Notso - Monday, Jul 07, 2008 at 21:34
Monday, Jul 07, 2008 at 21:34
Hayman Reese make one but I doubt that you'll get enough height to bring the van level.
Make sure you try before you buy.
AnswerID:
314303
Reply By: Member - Duncs - Monday, Jul 07, 2008 at 22:00
Monday, Jul 07, 2008 at 22:00
Maybe you will just have to buy a 4wd to tow it.
Then you can go to a worse place to get bogged. :0)))))
As others have suggested invert your goose neck so it raises the towball by about 2" and it will solve most of your problem.
Duncs
AnswerID:
314311
Reply By: Gronk - Monday, Jul 07, 2008 at 23:53
Monday, Jul 07, 2008 at 23:53
You can get hitches in all sorts of heights ( assuming you have a square reciever )
Do as said before to determine the diff in height between what you have now, then take it to a caravan place and look up their catalogue and find one with the extra height you need and then pay the money ( I bought one .....was approx $100 )
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Member - Lewis K (QLD) - Tuesday, Jul 08, 2008 at 07:13
Tuesday, Jul 08, 2008 at 07:13
Clark,
As you are not going to go off road, play safe. Change the hitch to a normal ball and use a WDH (Hayman Reece). This will allow you to use the full adjustable head of the WDH to match the van hight with the tug and also allow the use of bars to redistribute weight back onto the front
wheels. Much safer option.
Lewis
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: titl4 - Tuesday, Jul 08, 2008 at 08:55
Tuesday, Jul 08, 2008 at 08:55
IMO the WDH as suggested is the best option. There's no need to change the Treg /Trigg hitch though unless you want to for other reasons.
Cheers ........ Alan
FollowupID:
580351
Reply By: Wizard1 - Tuesday, Jul 08, 2008 at 08:45
Tuesday, Jul 08, 2008 at 08:45
It posses the question as to why one would buy and outback version to tow behind a Commodore in the first place?
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: DIO - Tuesday, Jul 08, 2008 at 10:41
Tuesday, Jul 08, 2008 at 10:41
Didn't realise that there were any rules relating to what type/style of van one chooses to tow behind their mode of transport. By your comment, are you implying that four wheel drives should only tow off-road vans ?
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Follow Up By: Hairy (NT) - Tuesday, Jul 08, 2008 at 12:39
Tuesday, Jul 08, 2008 at 12:39
"Didn't realise that there were any rules relating to what type/style of van one chooses to tow behind their mode of transport."
No Dichead...there isnt! And no one suggested there was.....
It sounded like an question or an opinion to me.....
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580385
Reply By: A J - Tuesday, Jul 08, 2008 at 10:30
Tuesday, Jul 08, 2008 at 10:30
clark griswald - if you have a haymen reece type set up you can purchased adjustable slides - the one I have has about five different height adjustments on it and you could turn the slide over to get more adjustments.
Recommend go to a trailer or caravan retailer and investigate options.
A J
AnswerID:
314352
Reply By: clark griswald - Tuesday, Jul 08, 2008 at 18:38
Tuesday, Jul 08, 2008 at 18:38
thanks everyone for their input
looks like im on the right track( outback or not)
you all are good people for replying exactly what aussies are renown for helping each other
ps to the person who mentioned why buy an outback for a
sedan
reason i got it for a great price simple.
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Graham H (QLD) - Saturday, Jul 12, 2008 at 13:58
Saturday, Jul 12, 2008 at 13:58
And now you have to spend money to get it out of the driveway safely.
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Follow Up By: clark griswald - Saturday, Jul 12, 2008 at 22:36
Saturday, Jul 12, 2008 at 22:36
i dont understand what you mean graham what money
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Follow Up By: Member - Graham H (QLD) - Saturday, Jul 12, 2008 at 22:53
Saturday, Jul 12, 2008 at 22:53
Well you say you bought it cheap but now you find things dont fit etc so it costs you to fix it. So perhaps bargains arent always what they seem.
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Follow Up By: clark griswald - Saturday, Jul 12, 2008 at 23:15
Saturday, Jul 12, 2008 at 23:15
Sounds like your a loney man and just send crap back to peoples questions,
IT MUST HURT YOU TO KNOW IT TOWS FINE i JUST DID A 1000 KS AND SAT ON 100 KPH TO 110 KPH IN A BREEZE. I WAS JUST AFTER ADVISE THATS ALL, AND IT WAS EXTREMELY CHEAP AND IN PERFECT NICK SO AND TOWS FINE ,IM LAUGHING AND YOUR BITTER GOOD LUCK.
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Graham H (QLD) - Monday, Jul 14, 2008 at 10:01
Monday, Jul 14, 2008 at 10:01
Actually I couldnt care less.
This is a
forum for peoples different opinions and thats what you get by posting here.
Its rude to shout and it is "advice" you were after
FollowupID:
581363