This is a better explanation of towball load

[Hedgehog]

https://youtu.be/nHKWsVYWruU



If you think it should always be less than 100kg, then you have it wrong.

If your tow bar/ball states max80kg... Then you need a better towbar.

Sent from my S60 using Tapatalk

[ThysleRoux]

If that ball can handle 350kg downward mass, it must be able to withstand a snatch recovery !!!

[Mike Nel]

https://youtu.be/nHKWsVYWruU



If you think it should always be less than 100kg, then you have it wrong.

If your tow bar/ball states max80kg... Then you need a better towbar.

Sent from my S60 using Tapatalk

100% correct.

And I like it where he shifted the load to demonstrate what happens to the weight distribution onto the tow ball.

[KurtG]

Who is dumb enough to install a tow bar with less than 120kg max vertical load rating?

[Hedgehog]

Who is dumb enough to install a tow bar with less than 120kg max vertical load rating?

Sent from my S60 using Tapatalk

[Mad Manny]

Interesting...

[BushWacker]

Ive heard from Bosal Engineer that
trailer towed at speed over speed
humps , through undulations etc
(eg where vehicle rising back up off
max downspring as trailer nose dives
down ) ...
that a force of a matter of TONS
may be exerted on tow hitch area ...

[Ricof4e]

Who is dumb enough to install a tow bar with less than 120kg max vertical load rating?

Those of us who has no need to tow a heavy trailer.

[Sennin]

Who is dumb enough to install a tow bar with less than 120kg max vertical load rating?

Those of us who has no need to tow a heavy trailer.

You do realise that a tow bar isn't just fitted as a camping applications/recovery point. Sometimes it actually gets used for proper work, i.e transporting bobcats,other vehicles, heavy loads i.e Tiles ..... and then you definitely don't want your equipment failing

[ThysleRoux]

BOSAL conducts a CARLOS 3-D test on all towbars during development.

This includes a 100 000 cycle test where a hydraulic ram is used to move the drop plate 100mm back and forth to test endurance and strength. I think any of their towbars can handle 350 kg with ease, although most vehicle chassis may not be able to.

[Sennin]

BOSAL conducts a CARLOS 3-D test on all towbars during development.

This includes a 100 000 cycle test where a hydraulic ram is used to move the drop plate 100mm back and forth to test endurance and strength. I think any of their towbars can handle 350 kg with ease, although most vehicle chassis may not be able to.

this reminds me of my 1984 Mazda 323 where the towbar was attached only to the sheet metal of the boot only realised this when I got rear ended in varsity, and I had zero damage thanks to the towbar, but the Volvo had to be towed away with a massive hole thru its radiator thanks to my towball.

[Ricof4e]

Who is dumb enough to install a tow bar with less than 120kg max vertical load rating?

Those of us who has no need to tow a heavy trailer.

You do realise that a tow bar isn't just fitted as a camping applications/recovery point. Sometimes it actually gets used for proper work, i.e transporting bobcats,other vehicles, heavy loads i.e Tiles ..... and then you definitely don't want your equipment failing

I do realise that, but if I do not transport bobcats, other vehicles, heavy loads etc. I do not have use for a towbar with more than 120kg vertical load rating. Horses for courses.

If a person does any of the above with an inadequate towbar, then he/she is a moron.

[BushWacker]

BOSAL conducts a CARLOS 3-D test on all towbars during development.

This includes a 100 000 cycle test where a hydraulic ram is used to move the drop plate 100mm back and forth to test endurance and strength. I think any of their towbars can handle 350 kg with ease, although most vehicle chassis may not be able to.

... yes ...
“although most vehicle chassis may not be able to.”...

On a recent trip an Isuzu KB250 towing a
fully lade (venter style) Glider trailer
had inadequate trailer clearance to cross a sandy banked stream bed and so charged at speed ... got through but ploughing trailer
exerted to much force on tow bar and chassis main rail member which broke ! Yes the main
longitudinal chassis member...

[Paul#25]

I'm reviving an older thread here rather than starting a new one with a similar topic.
I recently bought a digital pull scale that was needed for another job that I was doing. With it's range up to 600kg I thought I'd used it to check the coupling weight of our Xplorer caravan. The Xplorer's are known to have a heavy nose weight in standard trim so I interested to see what I found with our one. I built a frame to hang the scale from with the hitch at about the height it will be when hitched to the Disco.

The first reading I took was with the caravan setup as it had been left after we unloaded it after the last trip. I didn't move anything to it's normal stowage position before taking the reading which read 242.35kg.

The next reading was taken after I'd put a full #7 gas cylinder and a Cadac braai with a cast iron grill plate in its place in the right hand after stowage under the bed. This gave a weight of 210.35kg which shows how much of a change in nose weight you get by adding weight at the opposite end of the caravan. The gas cylinder and Cadac braai definitely don't weight 32kg.

I'll update the nose weight of the van when we have done out packing for the trip on Wednesday next week.

[Paul#25]

I have finished loading everything into it's correct place for our trip. The full tent that we only take along for longer stops is loaded on the floor over and just behind the axle.
The first photo is before I started loading all the additional items with all of the normal equipment in its place.

The second photo is after I've finished loading and the van is ready to be hitched up to the Disco.

This is as close to the "legal" 150kg that I can get without redesigning the Xplorer. I'm happy with this hitch weight.