Tow Ball Max Weight and Scooter Racks.. (ALKO) (1 Viewer)

[QuantumX]

So..

Question after a little research it seems most Tow Hitches installed on MH have a max Tow Ball weight of 100kg (i have only looked at ALKO Chassis), with this in mind i don't see how any towball based scooter rack can carry any scooter even the lightest of ones?

I know these racks have adapter plates that fit to the tow ball flange, but the rating of the tow hitch chassis is still 100kg regardless?

Am i missing something? if that's the case all scooters in my mind need to be in a MH Garage or on a wheeled trailer?

 

[StitchesnFluff]

I got a bolt on made by easylifter

 

[pappajohn]

I don't think it's a weight limit in the tow bar/ball max strength sense but more a stability weight limit for towing.
Too much nose weight can have the same effect as not enough......tail wagging the dog......but as there is no trailer to sway it won't have the same meaning or limit.

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[Badknee]

I took my tow bar off completely, it is 100mm box section but only 3mm wall thickness so I welded a 5x25mm bar underneath to strengthen it plus two more hangers to fasten to the chassis.

 

[tonyidle]

So..

Question after a little research it seems most Tow Hitches installed on MH have a max Tow Ball weight of 100kg (i have only looked at ALKO Chassis), with this in mind i don't see how any towball based scooter rack can carry any scooter even the lightest of ones?

I know these racks have adapter plates that fit to the tow ball flange, but the rating of the tow hitch chassis is still 100kg regardless?

Am i missing something? if that's the case all scooters in my mind need to be in a MH Garage or on a wheeled trailer?

I've tried to research this after reading your post. The best information I found (from Caravan & Motorhome Club and several towbar manufacturers) is that the weight of any towbar mounted accessory should be subtracted from the S value on the type approval plate and what is left becomes the maximum noseweight that can be applied by the caravan or trailer. So the suggestion in your first paragraph about scooter and motorcycle racks appears to be correct. Maybe a user of such a rack has already obtained a definitive answer?

 

[QuantumX]

So I spoke to two tow-ball installers about Alko chassis and got the same response if your vehicle is after 2012 or later you need type approved tow-ball, and these are not available above 100kg (for Alko), so they cannot be used with scooter racks because you wont get a rack and scooter below 100kg, if you want a scooter rack on these it should have a separate fitting to the chassis.

Its seems basically if your MH is after 2012 and Alko Chassis it will have a towbar rated at 100kg means there is no way any scooter rack can work.

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[funflair]

If you are thinking about the totally self supporting scooter racks as in no wheels on the road then I would say that you are right in they cannot and should not be fitted to a type approved tow bar. The clue I believe is in the name "tow bar" it is a bar designed for towing which is a straight pull through the bar directly into the chassis the downward load is limited by the 100kg Max figure. Bolting something else to the towbar fixed plate and then adding a massive cantilever effect was never in the design calculations.

In my view a scooter rack should be designed to go straight to the chassis legs which of course must be up to the job as well.

Martin

 

[QuantumX]

So with that bit of research i'm now going to look for a simple compact trailer. Time for a show me a picture of your bike trailer thread on here

 

[Bepto]

What about something like Sawiko load carriers? was looking at them earlier today.

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[Moonchild]

I have posted this elsewhere. Alko Sawiko bolted to the chassis - not towbar.

 

[Stealaway]

I always thought it was the actual tow ball not the tow bracket. How much weight can the two bolts take?

 

[Moonchild]

What two bolts?

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[RowleyBirkinQC]

What two bolts?

The two bolts which secure the tow ball to the tow bar?

If it’s compatible and you have the requisite payload, there is a Sawiko rack for sale on here...

https://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum/threads/sawiko-scooter-cycle-rack.166266/