towball height

[sean_374372683]

Hi, im looking to buy our first caravan so came on the forum for advice, when looking into weights of caravans etc i thought i would check the height of my towball on my ford focus and found its quite high at 465mm to the centre of the ball. I believe its supposed to be between 350-420mm.

Without actually hitching a caravan i dont know how much the suspension would drop.

The towbar was ordered for my car, its fitted correctly, so why would it be so high?

Apparently you can get drop plates to lower the ball, has anyone used these before? or am i going to have to get a different towbar fitted?

thanks for any advice

Sean

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hi Sean,

You do not say what your tow vehicle is. But for tow cars there are regulations. ( Some 4x4 are exempt or subject to different regulations)

For tow cars, the height of a tow ball should be between 350 and 420mm from the floor to the center of the ball when the trailer is hitched and loaded.

The is no point in measuring the towball without the trailer as the suspension will obviously not be compressed.

Don't forget that the nose weight is also important, as is the load of luggage and passengers in the car.

Drop plates are not legal on towcars because they are not approved.

 

[sean_374372683]

Hi thanks for the reply.

I didnt realise that the height to the ball is measured when your hitched and the car is loaded.

So if it measures 465mm unloaded does it sound about right that it will drop into the correct height when hitched up?

My car is a 2006 Ford Focus diesel if that helps

cheers

 

[ProfJohnL]

Sean,

I will assume that an approved towbar and hitch have been fitted to your car. I will also assume that the car has not been modified to raise or stiffen the rear suspension, in which case we are talking about a standard approved car.

The fact that the tow ball is above the upper limit with no trailer attached is reasonable, and it is likely the hitch will settle within range when a caravan or trailer is correclty hitched.

As I pointed out before, it is important to have the trailer correctly loaded to give an appropriate nose load. You will have to check with cars handbook, or in its absence the dealer or manufacturer for the nose load weight limits, of both the car and the trailer.

whilst on paper it looks about right, You will have to try it and see.

 

[vernon]

The towball height on my VW Tiguan measured 19.5 in (495 mm)floor to top of ball, but my Avondale Dart sits level.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hello Vernon,

Ride attitude is not important provided sufficient nose weight, and from a legal perspective that you have not over underloaded the nose weight, and that the tow ball sits between350 and 420mm. measured to the centre of the ball when loaded and attcahed to the tow car.

 

[rob_jax]

Sean,

If you want to roughly confirm the tow-ball height - simply have someone who weighs around 75kg sit on the boot lip - and then measure again. It won't be precise or accurate, but should give you a sense that it's going to be OK.

And then check it with your caravan...

Robert