Towbars

[Throbbinhood]

I've got a 1993 GQ RB30 Wagon, it's got a Hayman Reese towbar on it. Ball weight on the bar is 120kg, yet tow weight is 2.5t from memory. Is this right? 120kg seems awful light. From reading online, some patrols were only allowed a ball weight of 120kg, so it's not so much the towbar but the car itself?

My 1500kg camper is around 100kg ball weight, and that's with water in the rear tank. I imagine when it's empty at the end of a trip, the ball weight would increase. I'm doing my best to get some of the weight towards the rear but I'm running out of things to move. Thoughts?

[mudnut]

Be careful as you still need the 60/40 percent loading in what ever you tow.

[dom14]

I've never given any thoughts on this.
I thought if the engine and tranny can handle the trailer or the camper, the weight on the tow ball is ok?!
120kg sounds low, 'cos I get the feeling a typical 1500kg camper would weigh fair bit more than 120kg at the drawbar eye.
I can see too much weight on the toe ball means vehicle stability can be affected, but also thinking bit of weight at the drawbar eye means it's firmly attached to the tow ball/tow hitch/tow bar!!??

I'm thinking about using the bathroom scale to measure the weight at the drawbar eye.

For some reason, I feel safer with the camper having bit more weight at the drawbar eye than 120kg.
Typical tow hitch should be able to handle a weight well above that, should it not?
After all, I've seen motorbike racks fitted to tow bar hitches.

[dom14]

I found below document pretty useful.

https://www.nhvr.gov.au/files/201603...awbar-eyes.pdf

[dom14]

Be careful as you still need the 60/40 percent loading in what ever you tow.

What did you mean by 60/40% loading?

[BillsGU]

The rule of thumb is that 10% of the towed vehicle's weight should be on the tow ball (so with a caravan that weighs 2.5T there should be about 250 kg on the towball). My Patrol came with a standard Nissan towbar and the attached plate said the maximum weight was 200 kg. When I purchased a larger off road caravan my only option was to change the tow bar for one that was plated at 350 kg. The guy that changed the bar over said he could not see any difference in material or manufacture in the bars - except for the compliance plate - but I want to make absolutely sure I am legal.

[dom14]

The rule of thumb is that 10% of the towed vehicle's weight should be on the tow ball (so with a caravan that weighs 2.5T there should be about 250 kg on the towball). My Patrol came with a standard Nissan towbar and the attached plate said the maximum weight was 200 kg. When I purchased a larger off road caravan my only option was to change the tow bar for one that was plated at 350 kg. The guy that changed the bar over said he could not see any difference in material or manufacture in the bars - except for the compliance plate - but I want to make absolutely sure I am legal.

I guess I'll have to look into this myself, 'cos I've added more weight to the small camper by doing work on it.

I was planning to add a large tool box on the drawbar & and install a battery there as well as leave some tools.
Now, I have to think long & hard about that.

Thanx Throbbinhood for bringing this up.

I guess, it's about time I check the load rating on my towbar. I'm also thinking, existing towbar can be strengthened by adding
reinforcement, but getting a compliance plate would be an issue, wouldn't it?

[BillsGU]

I'm also thinking, existing towbar can be strengthened by adding
reinforcement, but getting a compliance plate would be an issue, wouldn't it?

Those days are gone. I spoke to the guy that changed mine over about reinforcing it. He said there was no way he would do it. He said even if he did I would have to get an engineer's certificate which would most likely cost more than the tow bar.

People can think they are getting away with this sort of stuff - but when something goes wrong (such as an accident) would you really want to give your insurance company an excuse? Also, heaven forbid, if it was a serious accident (serious injury or death) and it was your fault - the law would come down on you like a ton of bricks!

I have thought about this for some time and that is why I have had a GVM upgrade done and I am 100% legal. I have also weighed the car and caravan on a triple section weighbridge to make absolutely certain. I keep the paperwork in my glove box to prove it all.

[Throbbinhood]

I don't have a total weight of the camper, but empty from factory they are supposed to be about 700kg's. I did a bit of basic math on it (70L water tank, 25kg fridge+ 10-15kg food, 40L jerry can's, dual batteries, plus roughly 100-200kg of camping gear). So thinking roughly 1000kg for the camper. I try to keep around 100kg on the towball (so under the 120kg ball limit, but at the 10% downball weight). I just get an axle stand and put it at the tip of the trailer, on a set of home scales to measure (obviously taking the weight off the jockey wheel). When I come home without water, I move a couple of things forward to keep the weight on the towball.

I think I should be fine for now. The ATM for the trailer is 1500kg anyway so I'm not too keen on carrying much more gear. If I do I'll have to look at changing the towbar anyway.

[Throbbinhood]

Does anyone know if towbars have a SWL and WLL type ratings? Like, 120kg downball could be the SWL, but the WLL might be double that or similar?