Volvo XC60 Dealer fit towbar and Swift Sprite 2025 with Alko ATC

[Javert]

Hey all,

Recently ordered a new (first) caravan and I am now looking to make sure the towbar that we have is suitable.

We have a 2024 model Volvo XC60 T8 with the dealer official tow bar that was ordered with the new car. Dealer did not ask any questions about what type of towbar to fit or what caravan we would be using.

The Caravan we have ordered is Swift Sprite Special Edition 4EB. It has Alko ATC included with the caravan.

I am a bit confused about the towbar compatibility. There are some websites which says that you cannot use Alko ATC with a "flange" towbar, but when I look at the photos of my Volvo towbar it's looking more like the photos I've seen of flange ones than swan neck - i.e. the neck below the tow ball is quite thick and not that long.

On the other hand quite a few people on Facebook groups said that they use the official Volvo towbar with Alko ATC no problem.

I am probably panicking over nothing but should I maybe ask the dealer if I can bring the car and hook up to an identical caravan to make sure that it's ok?

 

[otherclive]

A normal mechanical Alko stabiliser requires a slightly longer necked towball. It can be fixed or detachable. The reason for the slightly longer neck is to allow adequate articulation movement between the Alko stabiliser and towball. The Alko ATC is totally separate from the stabiliser and doesn’t connect with the towball at all. It takes an electric supply from the cars socket and works by measuring caravan movement which will then activate the caravan brakes if required to control swaying.

https://towsure.com/products/towsure-alko-towball-50mm?srsltid=AfmBOopeO_Fo9ovtoB0H8TMUzjNlPfDI9AjU2nIPNPUVg8anKXJE_GKW

 

[Javert]

A normal mechanical Alko stabiliser requires a slightly longer necked towball. It can be fixed or detachable. The reason for the slightly longer neck is to allow adequate articulation movement between the Alko stabiliser and towball. The Alko ATC is totally separate from the stabiliser and doesn’t connect with the towball at all. It takes an electric supply from the cars socket and works by measuring caravan movement which will then activate the caravan brakes if required to control swaying.


View attachment 7821

https://towsure.com/products/towsure-alko-towball-50mm?srsltid=AfmBOopeO_Fo9ovtoB0H8TMUzjNlPfDI9AjU2nIPNPUVg8anKXJE_GKW

I probably should have mentioned it's a retractable towbar.

 

[otherclive]

Looks to have the slightly longer neck compatible with the Alko stabiliser. If you have any doubts check with Volvo, or did it come with a User Manual?

 

[Javert]

Looks to have the slightly longer neck compatible with the Alko stabiliser. If you have any doubts check with Volvo, or did it come with a User Manual?

I will contact the dealer to check with them. I did not get any detailed user manual with the towbar - all I have is a one page certificate withe the EU certifications for Volvo towbars.

There is also a sticker underneath the car confirming Type E549, 140KG nose weight, and ACPS Automotive and a few other numbers that means nothing to me.

 

[otherclive]

This should help explain it. I’d be very surprised if it wasn’t compatible with the Alko stabiliser as for caravans they are these days pretty well 100% fitted. 60mm is the key dimension from Center of ball to base of neck. See diagram in link.

Towball Guide

 

[Javert]

This should help explain it. I’d be very surprised if it wasn’t compatible with the Alko stabiliser as for caravans they are these days pretty well 100% fitted. 60mm is the key dimension from Center of ball to base of neck. See diagram in link.

Towball Guide

This was my thinking too - it seems like almost every caravan these days comes with Alko so it would be a real surprise if not, but I have emailed the dealer to get confirmation anyway. I assume also that when I pick up the caravan the caravan dealer will tell me if there are any issues that he can see.

 

[otherclive]

Measuring your towball as per the link in my above post will provide the answer to that question. To my “eye” it looks fine, but a simple measurement will confirm it.


PS the link also provides dimensions for the horizontal distance from the towball to the vehicle. This is different fir different models of stabiliser, but yours is likely to be a 3004. Don’t be concerned if when the caravan stabiliser goes close to the car when it’s fully engaged. It happens on some cars. Just needs care when hitching and unhitching. In the case of the latter the hitch can sometimes creep forward when you unhitch. So I used to just drive the car very slightly forwards to uncompress the hitch spring with chocks in front of the van wheels. Only talking an inch or two, not feet.

 

[Javert]

Measuring your towball as per the link in my above post will provide the answer to that question. To my “eye” it looks fine, but a simple measurement will confirm it.


PS the link also provides dimensions for the horizontal distance from the towball to the vehicle. This is different fir different models of stabiliser, but yours is likely to be a 3004. Don’t be concerned if when the caravan stabiliser goes close to the car when it’s fully engaged. It happens on some cars. Just needs care when hitching and unhitching. In the case of the latter the hitch can sometimes creep forward when you unhitch. So I used to just drive the car very slightly forwards to uncompress the hitch spring with chocks in front of the van wheels. Only talking an inch or two, not feet.

Thanks - this cleared things up a bit because someone posted on facebook that the clearance has to be 68mm. From what you are saying the 68mm is the towball to vehicle clearance, but the towball base of neck clearance is still 60mm. Phew! Trying to measure that as best as I can, it seems to be exactly 60mm (it's at least a lot more than 48mm), so not exactly a lot of safety margin but it just about is enough from what I can see. The distance to the bumber is more than 68mm so that should be ok.

 

[otherclive]

Thanks - this cleared things up a bit because someone posted on facebook that the clearance has to be 68mm. From what you are saying the 68mm is the towball to vehicle clearance, but the towball base of neck clearance is still 60mm. Phew! Trying to measure that as best as I can, it seems to be exactly 60mm (it's at least a lot more than 48mm), so not exactly a lot of safety margin but it just about is enough from what I can see. The distance to the bumber is more than 68mm so that should be ok.

It only needs 60 mm neck length to work as designed by Alko, unless perhaps you plan on doing a few victory rolls. More is not always better.

Good luck with the new caravan.