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Chat & Social => The Bar - General Chat => Topic started by: Guardian. on January 22, 2007, 09:26:23

Title: tow ball heights
Post by: Guardian. on January 22, 2007, 09:26:23

just one more quick question for you all.
how far of the ground should a tow ball be.(for off roaders)
i know what it really should be, but i know off roaders have different requirements to standard.
so a few of your  opinions would be gratefull and i will probably pull the answer out of a hat!
it should be just the standard as fitted to any car or standard 4x4 so to tow a caravan or trailer, but i dont want to fit them up a foot from the ground, and get moans there to low, obviously they will be adjustable but i need a starting point.
thank you

Title: Re: tow ball heights
Post by: laser_jock99 on January 22, 2007, 13:30:30

Quote from: "guardian off road product"

just one more quick question for you all.
how far of the ground should a tow ball be.

Depends on the height of the towing 'eye' of what you want to tow- so that it tows reasonably level.

I have to use two 6" drop plates to keep my boat trailer level. If I go out offroading I just undo two bolts the whole lot is off!

Those multiple hole adjustable thingies built into the towbar itself are availably but they must be a total bl**dy hinderance offroad- acting like big plough!

Title: tow ball heights
Post by: Darren on January 22, 2007, 15:36:02

Surely tow ball height is dictated by the trailer being towed rather than the towing vehicle? The standard height is about 450mm (18 inches in old money) regardless of whether the vehicle is an off-roader or an ordinary car. Off-roaders usually need longer drop plates, off course...

Unless you mean just for recovery purposes? In which case, level with the rear crossmember would be the ideal, I guess.

Title: tow ball heights
Post by: UKJeeper on January 22, 2007, 15:44:14

Quote from: "Darren"

Surely tow ball height is dictated by the trailer being towed rather than the towing vehicle?

Unless you mean just for recovery purposes? In which case, level with the rear crossmember would be the ideal, I guess.

I agree. As far as towing a trailer goes, you want the trailer to be as level as possible. I have to use a 8" drop hitch on my Wrangler as its SOA, so much higher than usual. My Cherokee uses a "stock" hitch, which is level with the receiver.

However when i'm recovering a vehicle (or being recovered), i use a simple hook which drops into the receiver.

Title: tow ball heights
Post by: Lostboy on January 23, 2007, 11:32:19

So is that 18" to the top of the 50mm ball or to the centre of it? Just asking because my drop plate is not dropped enough, and causes hassle when towing twin axle trailers. Time for some more modifications.

Title: tow ball heights
Post by: Range Rover Blues on January 25, 2007, 03:03:59

Standard height is about 17/17 1/2 inches off the floor, so 18 inches on a new car unloaded is about right.  Some manufacturers (Brian James trailers) are lower, like our car trailer which look about 15 inches.

It's safer to tow nose down than nose up too :wink:

Title: tow ball heights
Post by: Guardian. on January 25, 2007, 09:39:05

i perhaps wasnt very clear!, i did mean distance from towball to ground, sorry.
this is the only measurement that really matters, as trailer and caravan companies all built to the same basic specs, spose i should have just got up out me chair with a ruler and gon and measured a trailer.
as for recovery eyes, you want them nice and high out the muc, good.
see what i can do.
ta.

Title: tow ball heights
Post by: laser_jock99 on January 25, 2007, 12:58:56

Quote from: "guardian off road product"

trailer and caravan companies all built to the same basic specs,
ta.

That's something I wouldn't assume. The three things I have to tow are all different heights. Hence the need for adjustment. What you don't want if your tow car is also your offroad car is one of those towbars with a bank of pre-drilled holes stretching down to the tarmac!

(http://auto-gadgets.co.uk/photos/disco_rear1.jpg)

Offroading with one of these fitted would be a real hinderance (reversing out bomb holes!!). I'd put the mounting holes as high as possible then use removable drop plates for when I'm towing.

http://www.autow.co.uk/trailer_parts/drop_plates_prices_212.html

Title: tow ball heights
Post by: Guardian. on January 25, 2007, 17:17:43

It doesnt really matter how low these hang as they are detachable! so once you pull of the tarmac, unhitch your caravan, you will pull out the 2 pins and the whole towbar arrangement comes off, just leaving the tank guard.

Title: tow ball heights
Post by: jjsaul on January 25, 2007, 20:53:07

all the things ive towed are different

rrc - no lift, 235/70R16 tyres

my small trailer- near bottom of drop plates
car trailer - near top of drop plate
other car trailer - somewhere in the middle
overall difference of about maybe 8 inches