Clarification on Towballs

[Gagakev]

Sorry this topic keeps coming up.
Went to a towbar/ball specialist today to get my fridge relay checked, and need a complete new loom!! The wires have been squashed and a panel bolted down on top of them, behind the rear seat,

Any way I asked the fitter about the direction of the bolts and he said it doesnt matter but with the nuts on the inside it is more pleasing to the eye, he then took the cover off my towball and asked why it was clean, me saying proudly i have a alko caravan hitch, his reply that is NOT a alko towball!!
So had to buy another one, and contacted the dealer where purchased and he agreed I stipulated a ALKO ball
he then contacted the caravan dealer who supplied it, the caravan dealer's reply
" It is compatible as we supplied you with a spacer it keeps the hitch away from the body of the towball itself,and in the early days that is what was used as the caravan hitch was made for a few years before the ball."
Now my understanding is that the height is what matters, what are your thoughts,

Picture shows the alko one (half cleaned) fitted to truck and the one they supplied loose

 

[Sproket]

Have a read of this from Alko

It explains the reasons hmy:

 

[Damian]

The Al-Ko hitch head requires the extended neck towball to allow articulation of the hitch when travelling, so it is not just the distance from the car that matters, it is the extra allowance in the neck which is important.
The ball you currently have in your hand is not the right one for the Al-Ko hitch I am afraid.
The one attached to the truck is the right one but see below about the "spacer"

Also, the "spacer" that you have fitted is a drop plate, not a spacer,and it is fitted with the wrong holes used as the raised part will interfere with the hitch head.
The towbar/ball fitter obviously does not know what he is doing.
The correct spacer,if the towbar allows for a spacer at all should only be the same size and shape as the bolted area

 

[Gagakev]

The Al-Ko hitch head requires the extended neck towball to allow articulation of the hitch when travelling, so it is not just the distance from the car that matters, it is the extra allowance in the neck which is important.
The ball you currently have in your hand is not the right one for the Al-Ko hitch I am afraid. This is what we took off today
The one attached to the truck is the right one but see below about the "spacer" This is the new one

Also, the "spacer" that you have fitted is a drop plate, not a spacer,and it is fitted with the wrong holes used as the raised part will interfere with the hitch head.
The towbar/ball fitter obviously does not know what he is doing.
The correct spacer,if the towbar allows for a spacer at all should only be the same size and shape as the bolted area

Damien, I know I have the drop plate and between the drop plate and the tow ball there is the spacer,, not really visible in the photo and it is the shape of the as the bolted area,

You can see the spacer in this photo and the drop plate is welded to the arm

 

[Damian]

Hi Kev,
I see that in the second picture the spacer and the ball fixed to the top holes of the end plate of the towbar, presumably that 4 hole plate is a factory fitted item and not an addition since?
The first picture shows the ball fitted to the lower holes, which will cause problems for the hitch head.
It also looks that the space is not needed as the distance from the back of the van is considerable.

 

[Gagakev]

Hi Kev,
I see that in the second picture the spacer and the ball fixed to the top holes of the end plate of the towbar, presumably that 4 hole plate is a factory fitted item and not an addition since?
The first picture shows the ball fitted to the lower holes, which will cause problems for the hitch head.
It also looks that the space is not needed as the distance from the back of the van is considerable.

Hi Damien,
the second picture is the original position and I dropped it to get the height at 400mm, my last vehicle was 375mm so thought I would get as close to that as poss, yes the drop plate is a factory fitted item.
Apparently the spacer is too keep the hitch head away from the drop plate, but would not be needed if it was in the top holes of the drop plate as in the last picture, cheers Damien