Anyone had issues with a detachable Witter Tow Ball unlocking?

[Gafferbill]

https://tow-trust.co.uk/FAQNew

 

[otherclive]

https://tow-trust.co.uk/FAQNew

A good set of QAs which brought some new info to me.

 

[Hutch]

https://tow-trust.co.uk/FAQNew

Thanks for that Bill, but strangely Q2 contradicts Q1 , And states you can get the receiver housing checked for size,and if satisfactory get a new detachable towball unit.

 

[Ukdave2002]

Witter, like many other towbar manufactures use ACS components

Home - ACS Systems

Welcome Acs Towbar Systems BV – Detachable towbar solutions ACS towbar Systems ACS Towbar Systems is one of the largest detachable towbar system manufacturers in Europe. We have built a reputation for supplying the highest quality products on the market. ACS products are aesthetically pleasing...

www.acs-systems.nl

I have a TT system that also uses ACS system, as I tow a caravan with an ALKO hitch (no grease) and numerous trailers that require a greased tow ball I decided that to save any chance of contaminating the ALKO pads I'd get a second swan neck, was met with the same feedback that swan necks were not sold separately to Joe public because of the potential wear issues. To cut a long story short I bought a used one off Ebay for £15, it even came with a bag & key.

Using a micrometer, I measured all the important dimensions of the used swan neck, compared to the new one and they were with the H7/h6 spec that clearance fit components demand.

I can understand in these days of litigation why firms will err on the side of caution, but with a bit of common engineering scene applied its not a problem.

If you require spare keys (and there are only 10 in the range, so not that secure especially as they key number is marked on the lock! but better than nothing and will deter the opportunist thief), don't go to a towbar firm, use a key specialist, who will provide the for half the price:

Witter ACS Towbar Keys - Replacement Keys Ltd

Replacement keys cut for ACS Class A50-X Witter detachable towbars We use the latest up to date electronic technology for cutting keys to code. Code Series from ACS01 to ACS10 Your lock code is located on the face of the lock Please read our tow bar guide to help you operate the key in your...

www.replacementkeys.co.uk

 

[Dustydog]

All the above posts have certainly come as surprise to what I thought.
Just as well I don’t remove the swan neck these days. Saves wear on the bits🤪🤪

 

[Gafferbill]

......just as an aside you have to be so on the ball nowadays!

My new to me towcar ...a 2016 Santa Fe was supplied in Immaculate condition by a garage who fitted new tyres to the front being a make I have never heard of. The rear tyres and spare are Hankooks supplied when the car was new, so 7 years old as proven by their date stamp.
Surprisingly the Hankooks still have 1/3 tread left at 49k miles.

Hyundai warn that this set up is a complete no no for the computer controlled 4 wheel drive system on the Santa Fe.
New tyres should only be bought as a pair and fitted to the rear axle.
Best case scenario is to fit new tyres all round.
Thus I will be fitting 4 new Michelins and utilising one of the new tyres the garage fitted on the spare.

 

[RogerL]

......just as an aside you have to be so on the ball nowadays!

My new to me towcar ...a 2016 Santa Fe was supplied in Immaculate condition by a garage who fitted new tyres to the front being a make I have never heard of. The rear tyres and spare are Hankooks supplied when the car was new, so 7 years old as proven by their date stamp.
Surprisingly the Hankooks still have 1/3 tread left at 49k miles.

Hyundai warn that this set up is a complete no no for the computer controlled 4 wheel drive system on the Santa Fe.
New tyres should only be bought as a pair and fitted to the rear axle.
Best case scenario is to fit new tyres all round.
Thus I will be fitting 4 new Michelins and utilising one of the new tyres the garage fitted on the spare.

In the ideal world, ALL 4wd vehicles should have their tyres regularly moved diagonally and front-back every 5,000-10,000 miles to keep the wear even - and then replaced as a set of 4 - however in the real world the regular swaps incurs extra cost or extra time and the hit of 4 tyres all at once is too much for many family's cash flow.

 

[otherclive]

......just as an aside you have to be so on the ball nowadays!

My new to me towcar ...a 2016 Santa Fe was supplied in Immaculate condition by a garage who fitted new tyres to the front being a make I have never heard of. The rear tyres and spare are Hankooks supplied when the car was new, so 7 years old as proven by their date stamp.
Surprisingly the Hankooks still have 1/3 tread left at 49k miles.

Hyundai warn that this set up is a complete no no for the computer controlled 4 wheel drive system on the Santa Fe.
New tyres should only be bought as a pair and fitted to the rear axle.
Best case scenario is to fit new tyres all round.
Thus I will be fitting 4 new Michelins and utilising one of the new tyres the garage fitted on the spare.

My two Subarus had to have tread depth between the tyres maintained at 1mm or less. A non repairable puncture could lead to having to buy four tyres. My two Haldex cars seemed more tolerant of tread depth variations from to back, and in my Sorento and Pajero if you fitted two new tyres they would go on the rear axle. I know this is the norm for 2WD cars but for the Sorento and Pajero it was to protect the 4wd system. I cannot recall what my Discovery 2 required as frustration led to an early parting of the ways before any tyre replacement was required.

 

[Buckman]

In the ideal world, ALL 4wd vehicles should have their tyres regularly moved diagonally and front-back every 5,000-10,000 miles to keep the wear even - and then replaced as a set of 4 - however in the real world the regular swaps incurs extra cost or extra time and the hit of 4 tyres all at once is too much for many family's cash flow.

We were advised the opposite however the new Continental tyres have done less than 7000 miles so still fairly new. Previous Continentals on rear did over 35k and still had a reasonable amount of tread, but below 3mm.

 

[ProfJohnL]

In the ideal world, ALL 4wd vehicles should have their tyres regularly moved diagonally and front-back every 5,000-10,000 miles to keep the wear even - and then replaced as a set of 4 - however in the real world the regular swaps incurs extra cost or extra time and the hit of 4 tyres all at once is too much for many family's cash flow.

I think that is a sensible suggestion especially for the 4x4' with 3 lockers, as uneven tyres could wind up the transmission. Also with several more modern vehicles that have extensive traction control, different effective tyre diameters caused by wear could begin to compromise the Electronic stability and traction systems function.

 

[JTQ]

All the above posts have certainly come as surprise to what I thought.
Just as well I don’t remove the swan neck these days. Saves wear on the bits🤪🤪

It was precisely wear caused by leaving the unloaded Brink [ later becoming Thule] detachable tow hook in Discovery 3 & 4s that reportedly lead to that design's issues. They fretted by rattling across the unloaded clearances, wearing things such that when used loaded things stared to smashed up the reciever!
It is not necessarily a bright idea to use stuff differently to what it was designed for.

Just it took time for that advise to make the handbook; bit like advising that hot coffee or hot sink tap water could be, well, "hot", so use as intended.

 

[Hutch]

On my 2014 Santa Fe, the Hankook K115 tyres lasted 48kmiles and I replaced them with 3mm tread left. I had swopped front to rear at 25k miles then repeated at 40 k. Next tyres were nokian weather proofs. Same procedure but only lasted 38 k miles. Now on Hankook K 117. Very good on wet grass, just rotated last month when I replaced the handbrake module at 90 k miles.
Save myself £1000 but a beast of a job.

 

[Hutch]

On my 2014 Santa Fe, the Hankook K115 tyres lasted 48kmiles and I replaced them with 3mm tread left. I had swopped front to rear at 25k miles then repeated at 40 k. Next tyres were nokian weather proofs. Same procedure but only lasted 38 k miles. Now on Hankook K 117. Very good on wet grass, just rotated last month when I replaced the handbrake module at 90 k miles.
Save myself £1000 but a beast of a job.

Bit miffed with the Santa Fe, as I had to replace a track rod end at 80 k miles and now the handbrake module at 90 k.
But I think I will keep it. Never have to top up the oil in 10k or 20 k miles during the COVID 4 years.

 

[Saxo Appeal]

I believe the below is what is being sent to me.

I would presume they wouldn't sell separate neck parts if it wasn’t ok

ZQE3011 Detachable Neck Kit | Witter Towbars

Witter Towbars, ZQE3011 Detachable Neck Kit

www.witter-towbars.co.uk

 

[Buckman]

I believe the below is what is being sent to me.

I would presume they wouldn't sell separate neck parts if it wasn’t ok

ZQE3011 Detachable Neck Kit | Witter Towbars

Witter Towbars, ZQE3011 Detachable Neck Kit

www.witter-towbars.co.uk

Our Jeep came with a towbar already fitted, but no one wanted to supply the tow ball so had to have new towbar fitted. At that point I decided that due to physiclal issues it would be better to have a fixed towbar.

 

[Saxo Appeal]

I thought you said that you were to receive a full towbar kit including wiring.

No I thought that’s what he said, but when he emailed me it was stated ‘neck kit’

Then I updated my post above

 

[otherclive]

No I thought that’s what he said, but when he emailed me it was stated ‘neck kit’

Then I updated my post above

I’ve just deleted my post as I thought I had got my facts wrong. But either way it looks as if you are sorted.

 

[Paullus1959]

At the risk of repeating myself, I mentioned in another post that TowTrust states that their detachable towbar should not be left attached to the vehicle for longer than ten days to avoid it seizing inside the receiver.
I don't know if this is the same for other manufacturers.

 

[otherclive]

At the risk of repeating myself, I mentioned in another post that TowTrust states that their detachable towbar should not be left attached to the vehicle for longer than ten days to avoid it seizing inside the receiver.
I don't know if this is the same for other manufacturers.

Cannot recall that requirement when I used Witter. It was often left on for longer than ten days when on longer holidays, then the time to get van ready for returning to storage site when we got home. But in general it was detached when I had finished with it.

 

[Buckman]

At the risk of repeating myself, I mentioned in another post that TowTrust states that their detachable towbar should not be left attached to the vehicle for longer than ten days to avoid it seizing inside the receiver.
I don't know if this is the same for other manufacturers.

On our previous Jeep we always removed the tow hitch even when on site for 2 - 3 days. Cannot recall if it was recommended, but it did save a few shins.

 

[Paullus1959]

I have in fact left mine in place for several weeks but, never through the Winter months though when salted roads may exacerbate the risk of seizing.

 

[Dustydog]

I’m towing on Monday. Thereafter I’ll remove it, hopefully! Looking at the Westfalia videos the neck looks tapered so it shouldn’t be loose. WD 40 to hand for the lock!

 

[otherclive]

I’m towing on Monday. Thereafter I’ll remove it, hopefully! Looking at the Westfalia videos the neck looks tapered so it shouldn’t be loose. WD 40 to hand for the lock!

I hope it’s this WD40 product you use and not the much derided” Multi Use (original) product😂

Dry PTFE Lubricant

Anti-Friction Dry PTFE Lubricant provides enhanced lubrication, leaving a dry clear film that won’t attract dirt.

wd40.co.uk

Says he who has been using WD40 since I owned this car with no discernible problems over the years.

 

[Dustydog]

I hope it’s this WD40 product you use and not the much derided” Multi Use (original) product😂

Dry PTFE Lubricant

Anti-Friction Dry PTFE Lubricant provides enhanced lubrication, leaving a dry clear film that won’t attract dirt.

wd40.co.uk

Says he who has been using WD40 since I owned this car with no discernible problems over the years.

View attachment 5724

Oh Clive! There’s only one WD 40😉😉

 

[otherclive]

Oh Clive! There’s only one WD 40😉😉

Dusty,
If only !!!