tow ball height

[popupJohn]

Can someone remind me please.

The tow ball fitted to the new 4X4 seems rather high and I`m bu**ered if I can find the correct ball heights listed anywhere. I do know that there is a legal tolerance for max. and min. height. At the moment pert of the numberplate seems slightly obscured.

Thanks in advance for replies

 

[Alan Partridge]

385mm, +/- 35mm.

 

[Lutz]

The height that Alan states applies to the car in the fully laden condition only, not at kerbweight. By the way, it's measured to the centre of the towball.

BUT, 4x4's are exempt from this requirement for a standard towball height, so you may need a drop plate to achieve the necessary dimension.

 

[popupJohn]

Many thanks.

Its just a case of measuring now and getting a suitable drop plate

 

[mcghee]

Lutz, I was told by a mate a few weeks back (he's a towbar fitter) that drop plates are now illegal, thanks to type approval of towing brackets.

Presumably its because the bracket would need to be type approved with the drop plate fitted.

I'd be interested if you have any further information on that, as my towball on my ml270 is slightly higher than I'd like.

 

[Rodone]

I believe the same applies to 'spacer's' that some people fit to accomodate some types of bike rack etc..

 

[colin-yorkshire]

hi all

what drop plates and spacers are now illegal since when???

if thats the case then 50% of us are bu****d.

I have got both on and will continue to use them because without the ball is too high and the van is not level under tow also does this mean that scott and bulldog stabilisers are illegal as they use a dropp plate which is in fact a spacer when fitted behind the ball??

sod em pop up john use what ever works to get your outfit level and no plate clear.

who the hell is going to police it anyway??

colin

 

[MalcolmL]

Since the new towbar regulations came into being, it has possibly been dodgy to fit bike racks, drop plates etc. My towbar fitter checked the paperwork for the particular towbar he was fitting to my car and found that it had been approved to include an additional flange of such and such a thickness so there was no problem.

 

[Lutz]

Spacers and drop plates are illegal unless they are approved by the towbar manufacturer as they must be taken into account in the homologation. However, if this is the case, there is no law against using them. As I said, 4x4's are exempt from the standard towball height requirement so there must be a way of lowering the towball legally, if necessary, to be able to tow a caravan more or less in a level condition.

 

[Lutz]

hi all

what drop plates and spacers are now illegal since when???

if thats the case then 50% of us are bu****d.

I have got both on and will continue to use them because without the ball is too high and the van is not level under tow also does this mean that scott and bulldog stabilisers are illegal as they use a dropp plate which is in fact a spacer when fitted behind the ball??

sod em pop up john use what ever works to get your outfit level and no plate clear.

who the hell is going to police it anyway??

colin

Whether they are illegal or not is of secondary importance but if an accident occurs when towing and the insurance company finds out about a non-approved drop plate or spacer they could refuse to honour a claim.

 

[RayS]

How about asking the Technical Department at LandRover or other 4x4 maker ?

 

[WatsonJohnG]

This is the Witter spec for the Nissan X Trail towbar

EC Type Approved: Yes Tow Ball: Flange 4 Bolt

EC Type No: 00-5017 S Value (kg): 100

Max Towing Capacity (kg): D Value (kN): 9.93

Max Coupling Packer (mm): 25 Cycle Carrier: ZX88 or ZX89

Max Drop Plate Size (mm): 0 Spare Wheel Location:

It says drop plate mm 0 so its as well to check what the manufacturer says even with a 4 X 4

 

[WatsonJohnG]

More from Witter

Can I fit a 'drop plate' to an EC Type Approved towbar? Only if the towbar has been submitted and tested for EC Type Approval using a 'drop plate'. Some Witter towbars for 4WD off road vehicles have been tested in this way, e.g. Range Rover, Land Rover Discovery and Defender, the new Mitsubishi Shogun and Mercedes M Class. Your local Witter specialist will be pleased to advise you.