Hitch dampers.

[RayS]

I suspect the hitch damper on my van may need replacing. The caravan appears to brake hard when I brake the car and tends to thump into the back.
Testing the damper I can push the hitch in using both hands with arms braced back onto my legs. This is fairly easy. The hitch will also retract partly when given a good shove with a foot. Trying to get a bit more technical, I've used a luggage scale to pull back the hitch horizontally and it takes around 40 to 45lb to do this. The hitch resumes full extension within about 5 seconds when relaeased.

Can anyone comment on whether this sounds like a worn out damper. Unfortuneately i do not have access to another caravan to do a comparative test.

Assuming it is worn, is replacement straight forward ( reeasonably capable and plent of tools) and does it really require two sets of hands - perhaps to keep the damper compressed while it is fitted.

Advice appreciated.

 

[Sproket]

Are your brakes & brake linkage adjusted correctly ?

Seem to remember something like this happening to my Hymer & it turned out to be the brakes required adjusting.

 

[Damian]

Hello Ray,
To test the damper, push it in as far as it will go then watch and see if it returns to its starting position on its own, slowly and smoothly.
If it does, it is OK, if it does not, it has failed.

Changing is not too difficult but requires the hitch head to be removed and possibly the damper housing to be partially removed to get the old one out and new one in, then the hitch head refitted withthe damper caught by the rear head bolt,,,fiddly but achievable.

If the damper checks out OK , then your brakes are not correctly adjusted and not coming on when they should.