towing height at hitch low on Colorado
Submitted: Wednesday, Jul 20, 2011 at 18:40
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gprs12
HI All,
new to this site and had a search but couldn't find an answer to my question.
I had recently bought a camper trailer that was supposed to be rated as "4WD" but the height between the wheel and
the arch was quite low.
the axle WAS on top of the leaf springs, so basically I flipped the axle around so that now it's below the leaf springs.
the height is now 100mm higher ( approx) but that now means that where the 4WD hitch connects to the towbar it is 100mm higher than the original level at the front.
I can't attach images, so I'll try with letters!
----------------before-----------------------
IIIIIIII
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII___IIIIIIIIIIIII
O O O
----------------after---------------
IIIIIII IIIIIIIII
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII__T O
O O
The trailer in the above diagram is supposed to be at an angle, pointing down at the tow point.
I have an "all angle" 4WD hitch (is that what it's called?)
my question is, is this o.k. to tow like this?
my wife and I are driving north west to the
birdsville races and then down the
birdsville track.
thanks for any help
Reply By: Sand Man (SA) - Wednesday, Jul 20, 2011 at 21:40
Wednesday, Jul 20, 2011 at 21:40
I have a Colorado and I think I know what you mean.
My camper is an offroad model and reasonably high.
I currently have a slight downward angle on the draw bar of the camper.
I have an adjustable Hayman Reese hitch receiver but it is as high as I can take it without compromising the clearance between the top of the coupling pin and the surface of the tailgate when lowered.
To get the set-up as level as possible, I am going to replace the 265/75/16 tyres on the trailer with 245/70/16 size to match the vehicle. Not only will this lower the trailer height a little, but it will give me identical wheel/tyre sizes to provide two spares of the same size.
As a general guide the coupling height should be within 3 inches higher or lower than the horizontal plane of the drawbar.
AnswerID:
460464