Thread: Tow Ball weights.

As I understand it, the vehicle type/model/etc., has nothing to do with tow ball weight.

It's the rating of the actual tow hitch fitted to the vehicle. Some tow hitches have a lower ball weight limit, others - better/stronger/ etc., have higher ball weights.

The rating for the vehicle is the weight that can be towed,

As I say this is how I understood it - I may be wrong (which I often am) and I will be happy to be corrected.

Originally Posted by ladas

As I understand it, the vehicle type/model/etc., has nothing to do with tow ball weight.

It's the rating of the actual tow hitch fitted to the vehicle. Some tow hitches have a lower ball weight limit, others - better/stronger/ etc., have higher ball weights.

The rating for the vehicle is the weight that can be towed,

As I say this is how I understood it - I may be wrong (which I often am) and I will be happy to be corrected.

Not quite true - vehicles have a designed tow ball weight - usually found in the spec section of the handbook.

As well, tow bars also have a designed tow ball weight - hopefully they match but if not, the lower number applies.

For example - a Disco 1 has a designed tow ball weight of only 120kg (it is in the handbook) and the appropriate Hayman Reece tow bar has the same rating. If you make mods to your car a certified engineer can raise the rating, likewise if you can get the bar manufacturer to raise the rating that is marked on the bar.

So you need to know the tow ball weight appropriate from the specs and also the designed tow ball weight of the bar to determine the actual tow ball weight of the towing system.

Garry

Ladas is mostly correct and if you have a rated towbar fitted which was built after 1987 then it should have a tag rivited to it with the maximum ball weight and maximum load.

most 50mm solid tow balls have around a 5000kg limit but that is lateral load and it is your tongue that needs to be rated for ball weight.

Im pretty sure that Hayman Reese built a hitch for the 130 which was rated to 4000kgs but I think the max legal limit was 3500kgs.

Check your hitch and then go to the weigh bridge with an axle stand and just unhitch the van and weigh it by sitting the nose of the hitch on the axle stand and the wheels of the van off the bridge as well as un hitching and driving the vehical off the bridge as well.

most of the time it wont be much over 500kgs ball weight for a heavy trailer so if you can get a set of scales that reads above that you may be able to do it at home.

Originally Posted by ladas

As I understand it, the vehicle type/model/etc., has nothing to do with tow ball weight.

It's the rating of the actual tow hitch fitted to the vehicle. Some tow hitches have a lower ball weight limit, others - better/stronger/ etc., have higher ball weights.

The rating for the vehicle is the weight that can be towed,

As I say this is how I understood it - I may be wrong (which I often am) and I will be happy to be corrected.

Some time in the eighties manufacturers started to specify towball weights, but before this none was usually specified. The actual figure will depend on factors like the chassis strength, the load carrying ability of the rear suspension, how far behind the rear wheels the tow hitch is. And of course, the tow hitch has to be rated for the same figure or more.

So the 130 will have a figure, which is usually given in the manual.

John

My towbar has the weight stamped on it and so does most caravans,boat,horse floats.My defender has a tow ball weight of 175kg,so thats 1750kg on the ball or up to 4000 if I fit a pindle hook. Pat

What's about a Pintle hook?? How can they increase the weight rating from 1750 to 4000 kg. Surely the vehicle has to be able to tow/ handle the weight before the tow aparatus??

I don't know,it's just what it said on the plate. Pat

Originally Posted by sumo

What would be the tow ball weight allowance on a single cab chassis 130 defender 95 model?. I get confused here with landys as they have such a good towing allowance. I have a 18ft tandem windsor windcheater van about 1500kgs, but it has a relatively short drawbar and feels real heavy up front when using the jockey wheel. the landy plods along with it quiet well really (Good ol tdi 300 ) but i'm a bit worried about the legal weight on that tow ball. Any info apreciated.


Cheers Sumo

Well lots of comments etc and no direct answer for you...

Here it is:

Braked Trailer max mass: 3500kg
Un Braked Trailer Max mass: 750kg
Recommended max ball weight: 150kg

Easy.... No guessing.... Hope that helps.....