Thread: Confused - D3/D4/RRS Towball Weight

Originally Posted by THE BOOGER

Some people believe you must have 10% of the trailer weight on the towball for it to tow correctly so a max tow weight of 3500kg means 350 kg on the ball

Rule of thumbs are seldom right and bloody hard to retract after decades of use.

Originally Posted by THE BOOGER

Some people believe you must have 10% of the trailer weight on the towball for it to tow correctly so a max tow weight of 3500kg means 350 kg on the ball

It's really only a guide, it's recommended that it be 7% to 15%, of coarse this will depend on your load, why put 350kg on the ball with a 3500kg van, me personally I'd be trying to keep it under 200kg.

My camper is 1500kg, my ball weight is 65kg, I know it's not heavy, but still I have no problems being under the "rule of thumb"

Baz.

Yep 350 is a lot personally I try and keep it at a weight i can lift

Last time I weighed my ball weight it came in at 380kgs, nearly had a fit ! I new it was heavy but that was ridiculous. The 80 series with a WDH had handled it with no problems, 18ft van but now known to have a heavy ball weight, and not only mine. ( van comes in at around 2.6 to 3000kgs)
I suspect that I have got it down to around the 300 mark, anyway the D3 had no problem with it over Easter, but was not fully loaded for an extended trip.
Will weigh it before we take off again.

DD

P.S. You think some of us have a problem ? look at this one, brand new ball weight too high and it is on the market ! ball weight 436kgs !!

2011 28 FT CUSTOM BUILT ISLAND STAR OPAL CARAVAN | Caravan & Campervan | Gumtree Australia Charles Sturt Area - Seaton

Referring to the van in the above link, it was "custom built" who designed something with that ball weight ? and what is anyone going to do with it ?

Probably convert it to a fifth wheeler for well under $10k, would be a cheap unit at that, I can't think of anything else you could do with it. probably come it at around 3500kgs all up.

Not my cup of tea !

DD

All those lower ball weight limits relate to the EU type tow attachments. See attached image.

Originally Posted by Glynhouse

Last time I weighed my ball weight it came in at 380kgs, nearly had a fit ! I new it was heavy but that was ridiculous. <snip>

You need to re-position some of the gear inside the van to balance it a little better.

Moving one 20Kg box from the front of the van to behind the inter axle mid point could take 40Kg off your towball weight.

Originally Posted by Fatso

Just wondering if anyone is using a 350kg ball weight , been thinking about this as it is an enormus omount weight to be hanging off the back of any normal 4x4 vehicle , some scarey facts , 350kg can = some of the following , 350lts or 77gallons of water , just imagine nearly 2x200 ltr drums sitting on your towball , 771 pounds , or a third the weight of a Hyundi Getz the mind boggles. this can not leave much usable carrying capacity for any thing much else !! . Would hate to have to leave the beer behind .

So far so good. 345kgs with a triple axle horse float at 7metres in length. Almost always attached to the car. Vw toaureg also towed this with factory springs, but used a wdh.
Have ordered a Mitch hitch today, so will need a hitch to go back down to the low level needed to keep the float level. Mitch hitch is perfect for the camper, but very high for the float.
Have been worried about the structural integrity of the LR hitch....apart from other things such as brake switches.
Brett.....