Tow ball questions??

[nat_89]

Just wondering when looking at vehicles in Europe and so forth they have tow balls that can fold up electronically i.e.: when looking at the Range Rover Vogue Accessories video on youtube shows a different style of tow ball system then he presses a button and it folds up. Is there any reason we don't get them in Australia such as dont handle the weight or we have different laws around it or something does anyone know??

[ADMIRAL]

Haven't seen the video. Can you post a link ? Generally though, the vans in Europe are lighter, and the conditions they tow them under are not as rough as we put them through out here.

I believe they won't allow a you to tow a weight heavier than the tow vehicle, where as in OZ it can be 1.5 times the weight of the tow vehicle. More data anyone ?

[Yeats]

It's probably to do with ADR compliance issues. I run a Uk Dixon Bate towbar on one of my cars with a UK towball. But it is regarded as illegal because it hasn't been ADR tested. I'm sure the reverse is true for an Aussie towbar used overseas.
Towing in the Uk used to be limited to the manufacturers maximum towing capacity. So if the car maker specified a ridiculous towing weight, you were allowed to tow it! I think the rules have changed in the last couple of years and now they have some sort of 'Gross train weight', which is also related to when you got your driving licence. Just to make life complicated...
I thought that in NSW you weren't allowed to tow more than the weight of the tow vehicle. But I could be wrong. I'm a little out of date as I have just come out of jail because of a five year sentence for numerous towing offences...
I failed to tow the line.

[Jojo]

Most Land Rover vehicles are allowed to tow a 3,5 t trailer legally with a standard 50mm ball, even in Europe...:)

[nat_89]

Haven't seen the video. Can you post a link ? Generally though, the vans in Europe are lighter, and the conditions they tow them under are not as rough as we put them through out here.

I believe they won't allow a you to tow a weight heavier than the tow vehicle, where as in OZ it can be 1.5 times the weight of the tow vehicle. More data anyone ?

Im not sure just looks awesome how easy it is and so forth here is the link check it out. Be careful you might start drooling hahaha gorgeous car!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iK8z_h0dtaQ

[Dougal]

Most euro tow-balls are rated to only 150kg ball weight. Where in Au/NZ they can go up to 350kg ball weight.

If you only need 150kg with a 50mm ball then the Euro items will do the job just fine.

[460cixy]

UK tow balls are a joke here's an example http://www.national.co.uk/global/viewblogimage.ashx?ImageID=1&BlogID=287

[Dougal]

UK tow balls are a joke here's an example http://www.national.co.uk/global/viewblogimage.ashx?ImageID=1&BlogID=287

I followed your link, but couldn't find the joke. Care to expand?

[nat_89]

Most euro tow-balls are rated to only 150kg ball weight. Where in Au/NZ they can go up to 350kg ball weight.

If you only need 150kg with a 50mm ball then the Euro items will do the job just fine.


UK tow balls are a joke here's an example http://www.national.co.uk/global/viewblogimage.ashx?ImageID=1&BlogID=287

Thats probably the reason we don't see them here then I'm guessing the tow ball down weight i wasn't aware as to why i hadn't seen them and i liked the idea of how it just goes away at a buttons press.

I know they do look a bit odd but i was just keen to know why we didn't have them here.

[460cixy]

I followed your link, but couldn't find the joke. Care to expand?


Looks a lot like a donkeys doodle hanging out the back of the car fine if your in to that sort of thing. But also looks like a stiff breeze would snap one off

[DiscoMick]

Our old Disco is rated to tow 3500kg which is about a tonne more than its weight.

[Dougal]

Looks a lot like a donkeys doodle hanging out the back of the car fine if your in to that sort of thing. But also looks like a stiff breeze would snap one off

They are designed and rated to tow 3,500kg with 150kg of ball-weight. Go ahead and try to snap it off.

[460cixy]

They are designed and rated to tow 3,500kg with 150kg of ball-weight. Go ahead and try to snap it off.

Ball weight 20kg more then I weigh that's impressive I guess there all the rage over there along with pressed steel couplings

[frantic]

It's probably to do with ADR compliance issues. I run a Uk Dixon Bate towbar on one of my cars with a UK towball. But it is regarded as illegal because it hasn't been ADR tested. I'm sure the reverse is true for an Aussie towbar used overseas.
Towing in the Uk used to be limited to the manufacturers maximum towing capacity. So if the car maker specified a ridiculous towing weight, you were allowed to tow it! I think the rules have changed in the last couple of years and now they have some sort of 'Gross train weight', which is also related to when you got your driving licence. Just to make life complicated...
I thought that in NSW you weren't allowed to tow more than the weight of the tow vehicle. But I could be wrong. I'm a little out of date as I have just come out of jail because of a five year sentence for numerous towing offences...
I failed to tow the line.
No in NSW its the recommended maximum by manufacturer, so most of the 4wd utes and wagons from every builder are between 2.5-the 3.5ton maximum, all well over the vehicles actual weight.

[Lotz-A-Landies]

Most Land Rover vehicles are allowed to tow a 3,5 t trailer legally with a standard 50mm ball, even in Europe...:)Most modern Land Rovers.
The non-ABS Range Rover classic with ARB or Hayman Reece tow bars were rated at 4,000kg
The Perentie 110 is rated at 1,200kg.
The series 4cyl forward control (ENV diffs) are rated at 1,800kg drawbar pull.
The series 6cyl forward control are rated at 1,975kg drawbar pull.
Not sure about the other series but all are rated below 2,000kg.All can be further limited by the rating on the tow bar/ball assembly.

[Dougal]

Ball weight 20kg more then I weigh that's impressive I guess there all the rage over there along with pressed steel couplings

Are you really trying to mock something you know nothing about?

Towbar shape has nothing to do with the couplings used.

[460cixy]

Are you really trying to mock something you know nothing about?

Towbar shape has nothing to do with the couplings used.

Yeah your on to me I know nothing I bow down to you oh wise one bloody kiwis all the same

[JDNSW]

Most modern Land Rovers..
.......

Not sure about the other series but all are rated below 2,000kg.

All can be further limited by the rating on the tow bar/ball assembly.

From Series 3 Owners manual (1978) but probably much the same for all Series:-

Cross country 1020kg
Road & track unbraked 500kg
Override brakes 2040kg
Four wheels and independent power brakes
Petrol 4080kg
Diesel 3060kg

Towbars did not require marking with rating (or anything else) before about 1990.

John

[ADMIRAL]

Im not sure just looks awesome how easy it is and so forth here is the link check it out. Be careful you might start drooling hahaha gorgeous car!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iK8z_h0dtaQ

Just the slightest bit pretentious!!! Talk about the Chardonnay set!

[DiscoKym]

From Series 3 Owners manual (1978) but probably much the same for all Series:-

Cross country 1020kg
Road & track unbraked 500kg
Override brakes 2040kg
Four wheels and independent power brakes
Petrol 4080kg
Diesel 3060kg

Towbars did not require marking with rating (or anything else) before about 1990.

John

I notice in my Disco 2 Owner's Manual it says 1000kg off road. I see it is a rating used and recognised since the 1970's... I have started reading the same in camper trailer magazines so it looks like the non Land Rover set is realising this some 40 years after Land Rover.

Found a few Camper Trailer salesmen don't like you calling their off road camper trailers dirt road because they weight too much...

[Lotz-A-Landies]

From Series 3 Owners manual (1978) but probably much the same for all Series:-

Cross country 1020kg
Road & track unbraked 500kg
Override brakes 2040kg
Four wheels and independent power brakes
Petrol 4080kg
Diesel 3060kg

Towbars did not require marking with rating (or anything else) before about 1990.

JohnI notice in my Disco 2 Owner's Manual it says 1000kg off road. I see it is a rating used and recognised since the 1970's... I have started reading the same in camper trailer magazines so it looks like the non Land Rover set is realising this some 40 years after Land Rover.

Found a few Camper Trailer salesmen don't like you calling their off road camper trailers dirt road because they weight too much...
Owners Maintenance Manual, September 1966, re-issued August 1967.
Page 118 - General Data
Maximum drawbar pull:
Engine | Regular | reg StnWgn | Long W/B | Long StnWgn | 110 F/C | 110F/C 6 cyl
Petrol. | 1,800 kg | 1,800 kg | 1,600 kg | 1,600 kg | 1,800 kg | 1,973 kg
Diesel | 1,497 kg | 1,497 kg | 1,315 kg | 1,315 kg | 1,800 kg | n/a Interesting that there are such vast differences in John's SIII books.

Now that raises the question: Does drawbar pull equate to a maximum trailer mass (ATM)? Or: Does it equate to the maximum effort that can be applied to the tow coupling? i.e. the tractive effort required to move the trailer (irrespective of the unsprung mass).

In relation to the comment about being further reduced, if for example a rated tow ball is fitted then irrespective of the specifications of the vehicle or the rest of the hitch the max trailer will be reduced to the max of the ball. e.g. 1 7/8" balls are rated as low as 2000lbs (907 kg)

Addit: Just found this, likely the same as the originals.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/

[Dougal]

Now that raises the question: Does drawbar pull equate to a maximum trailer mass? Or: Does it equate to the maximum effort that can be applied to the tow coupling? i.e. the tractive effort required to move the trailer (irrespective of the unsprung mass).

For heavy trucks tow bars are rated under braking of 1G with the trailed load acting forwards and downwards at a 20 degree angle.
There are limits on material stress in that situation.

The forces you can put on a towbar when the tow vehicle just hit something is far in excess of any pulling force you can apply. The major safety concern is to keep the tow vehicle and trailer attached in that worst-case situation.

[DiscoMick]

Yeah, a beautiful vehicle, but I don't think I fall into their target market, somehow.