Help!!! Kia Sorento Towball Height

[sgtzara]

Just had my towbar fitted today in preparation for collecting my caravan (2005 Elddis Crusader Typhoon) on Tuesday.

I opted for a Westfalia swan neck towbar which they ordered in as I had one fitted to my previous car (Nissan Primera Estate) which I thought was more pleasing on the eye.

One thing that the fitter raised which is now really starting to play on my mind is the tow ball height.

He says that most 4x4's have quite a high tow ball height and because of this, he felt the flange towbar was better because it can be adjusted down, whereas the swan neck can't.

He is a caravanner himself and tows with a Range Rover with a flange tow bar fitted in the lower setting, 19".

His concern is that when I'm towing the van, the van will probably sit nose up and we all know the problems that can cause. He said my tow ball is 21", I measured it outside on the flat and from ground to the top of the tow ball I made it 51cm (20"). With me plonked in the boot of the Sorrie (90kg), the distance from the ground to the top of the towball changed to 48cm (19").

Any advice to re-assure me would go a long way ... i.e.

Does anyone else tow with a Westfalia Swan Neck?

What do you think of it?

Any problems with the height of it?

What height is your towball from the ground?

Thanks as always.

 

[Lutz]

Firstly, a slightly nose-up attitude of the caravan is not, in itself, formula for disaster. Contrary to common belief it does not make the outfit any less stable so long as the noseweight is adjusted to suit the actual towball height. The only real disadvantage of a nose-up attitude is the consequent reduction in ground clearance at the back of the caravan.

However, having said that, the EC Directive states that the centre of the towball shall be 385

 

[Dustydog]

SF

My 05 Sorento has a Kia OME tow bar fitted, not the swan neck. The towball height is exactly 18" using your measurement method.

Both my Pageant Vendee and now my TA Wyoming ride perfectly level. My Sorie came with self levelling suspension which is not fitted to the new face lift Sories.

So like Lutz says there will be some settlement when loaded which will bring you to pretty well my tow ball height which I know is perfect.

I honestly don't think you have anything to worry about.

Cheers

Dustydog

 

[RayS]

Firstly, a slightly nose-up attitude of the caravan is not, in itself, formula for disaster. Contrary to common belief it does not make the outfit any less stable so long as the noseweight is adjusted to suit the actual towball height. The only real disadvantage of a nose-up attitude is the consequent reduction in ground clearance at the back of the caravan.

However, having said that, the EC Directive states that the centre of the towball shall be 385

 

[Lutz]

The 'loophole', as Ray S calls it, has not been closed. However, even if a Land Rover Discovery is classed as an off road vehicle, it does not necessarily follow that the Sorento does too.

According to EC Directive, a vehicle must fulfil the following conditions if it is to be classed as off road:

1. At least one front axle and at least one rear axle designed to be driven simultaneously including vehicles where the drive to one axle can be disengaged,

2. at least one differential locking mechanism or at least one mechanism having a similar effect and if they can climb a 30 % gradient calculated for a solo vehicle.

3. In addition, they must satisfy at least five of the following six requirements:

-the front incidence angle must be at least 25

 

[sgtzara]

Thanks for the advice folks.

I feel somewhat re-assured and fingers crossed all will go well when I pick the van up on Tuesday.

Thanks again,

Shaun.

 

[otherclive]

I have a Brinkmatic Classic removable towbar and with a Sorento the van rides ever so slightly nose up when underway. The pre-facelift Sorento has self-leveling suspension made by Sachs which works by hydraulic pressure that is self-generated by the car's movement so it takes a little distance for it to re-level itself. Some towbar manufacturers failed to take this into account. So a towball height that gives nosedown when staticaly loaded may still see the van's nose come up a mite. Even though mine rides ever so slightly nose up in 5 years I hav enever had any cause for stabilty concerns. But with 62% ratio I would not expect anything to be noticeable.

 

[GeorgeB]

Lutz,

According to the technical spec of my sorrie 55 plate (05) pre face lift model, it exceeds all the specs required to classify it as an "Off Road Vehicle" mind you with the current tyres fitted I for one wouldn't take it seriously Off road even though I was taught to drive in the Army in the Royal Corps of Transport & at one stage used to teach officer cadets how to drive off road!