Towbar height

[DaveHobson]

Hello. I’ve recently had a towbar fitted, with a detachable swan-neck tow ball. First time out this weekend, the bottom of the swan-neck grounded, on 3 occasions. Once on a speed bump (not surprising perhaps), but the other two times just on uneven surfaces. Do you think the towbar has been fitted too low? (Unladen, there is 18 cm clearance.) Do you have a towbar on your mh? If so, how high is it?
Thanks,
Dave.

 

[TOAD on Tour]

This is from Towbar Express website:

The EC Directive Regulation Number 55 (The standard that all towbars are designed to) states that the tow ball height should be between 350 and 420mm from the ground with the vehicle in a 'laden' state.

 

[jockaneezer]

Aren't they all set at "shin height" ?

 

[poppycamper]

I have had numerous detachable gooseneck towbars albeit on cars and yours does seem to have an excessive vertical distance from ball to connecting point.
Yes looking g at it I would say it is very close to the road..

 

[David and Sally]

We used to get grounding at times, like coming on/ off a ferry, into or out of a garage forecourt eg. That was a fixed bar on a Burstner

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[Lenny HB]

The ball height is probably about right but the design of that bar looks total rubbish. Not fit for purpose, doesn't look useable to me I think I would be demanding a replacement or refund.

 

[Despicable]

The lowest part of my detachable Witter set-up is part of the bracket at about 27cm above ground level (AGL). The lowest part of the swan neck is over 32cm AGL. I've only grounded twice: once while (stupidly) turning right out of Salisbury Hudson Field's campsite and the other having gone down a rather steep slope in Brixham.
The difference between your's and mine is that you 'feed' the swan neck thingy upwards, where mine is horizontal.

 

[DaveHobson]

The ball height is probably about right but the design of that bar looks total rubbish. Not fit for purpose, doesn't look useable to me I think I would be demanding a replacement or refund.

Interesting! In what way ‘rubbish’? It seems to do the job (apart from the problem I posted about), and it’s a Witter towbar, which I thought to be a reputable company. What should it look like?

 

[DaveHobson]

The lowest part of my detachable Witter set-up is part of the bracket at about 27cm above ground level (AGL). The lowest part of the swan neck is over 32cm AGL. I've only grounded twice: once while (stupidly) turning right out of Salisbury Hudson Field's campsite and the other having gone down a rather steep slope in Brixham.

Thanks - quite a bit higher than mine then.

 

[DaveHobson]

This is from Towbar Express website:

The EC Directive Regulation Number 55 (The standard that all towbars are designed to) states that the tow ball height should be between 350 and 420mm from the ground with the vehicle in a 'laden' state.

Thanks. I’ll check the actual ball height on mine.

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[Just smiffy]

I wouldn’t be going on any ferries with that….

 

[rb62]

Maybe they found a horizontal one wouldn't fit

 

[Lenny HB]

Interesting! In what way ‘rubbish’? It seems to do the job (apart from the problem I posted about), and it’s a Witter towbar, which I thought to be a reputable company. What should it look like?

The detachable section is mounted below the main if it was mounted centrally on the bar you wouldn't have a problem. I have a detachable Witter bar on my car I'm sure it mounts centraly on the bar, can't hack as I'm in Spain.

I'm surprised Witter would produce a bar with an abismal design like that

 

[BouncyBoatFolk]

I follewed a furrow the other day and thought somebody was preparing a seed bed for some "Rock Roses"
As others have said, yes to low, and eventually may lead to damage to the chassis extenders it's affixed to.
Mike.

 

[Despicable]

Maybe they found a horizontal one wouldn't fit

View attachment 742631

I reckon it will. If you have a close gander at the OP's image, the bracket is held in place by two bolts. The bracket has two 'spare' holds to turn it horizontal. IMHO, obviously.

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[jockaneezer]

As Despicable says, the "receiver" is held in place by those 4 short bolts (two per side) and could be rotated 90° to the horizontal, but you'd then need a ball with a "straight" tongue. It looks like they've given you a ball that would be useful on a different vehicle with a more "intrusive" bumper shape.
Maybe take it back and get them to rotate the receiver and try a straight tongue hitch, cos that's gonna be a right pain?

 

[DaveHobson]

I wouldn’t be going on any ferries with that….

We are, in a couple of weeks! Fortunately, only with a bike carrier, easily removed, but still, there seems to be something wrong here!

 

[DaveHobson]

As Despicable says, the "receiver" is held in place by those 4 short bolts (two per side) and could be rotated 90° to the horizontal, but you'd then need a ball with a "straight" tongue. It looks like they've given you a ball that would be useful on a different vehicle with a more "intrusive" bumper shape.
Maybe take it back and get them to rotate the receiver and try a straight tongue hitch, cos that's gonna be a right pain?

That sounds sensible. Thanks.

 

[Just smiffy]

I bet a dealer fitted it….

 

[DaveHobson]

Thanks for all the helpful replies, which I shall be quoting to Witter when I contact them tomorrow. What they’ve spec’d and fitted us clearly not right.
Dave.

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[pelican]

The crossbar also looks very low as do the side plates . Ours tuck up under the bodywork.

 

[chesterfield hooligan]

I wouldn't like to put any weight on that tow bar and drive up the road it doesn't look right. It looks like it would need a horizontal fitting

 

[lunarman]

Hello. I’ve recently had a towbar fitted, with a detachable swan-neck tow ball. First time out this weekend, the bottom of the swan-neck grounded, on 3 occasions. Once on a speed bump (not surprising perhaps), but the other two times just on uneven surfaces. Do you think the towbar has been fitted too low? (Unladen, there is 18 cm clearance.) Do you have a towbar on your mh? If so, how high is it?
Thanks,
Dave.

View attachment 742617 View attachment 742618

Hi David the Baileys are built on a low line chassis and it looks like the (wrong) tow bar has been incorrectly fitted. I think it should be fitted through the grey part of the valance. There is a vertical line on the lefthand side that may define the line of the chassis and shoule be cut out to allow the tow bar to be fitted through it. This is how it was on my Bailey 740.

 

[Lazyboy]

Hi David the Baileys are built on a low line chassis and it looks like the (wrong) tow bar has been incorrectly fitted. I think it should be fitted through the grey part of the valance. There is a vertical line on the lefthand side that may define the line of the chassis and shoule be cut out to allow the tow bar to be fitted through it. This is how it was on my Bailey 740.

In my humble opinion that is not the correct bar for that set up. As stated above I believe it should come through the rear valance as per lunarman's post. Also the Bailey vans I have seen all appear to have fairly long overhangs which will exacerbate the problem.
As Lenny said, not fit for the intended purpose. If left as is it will always bottom out on very minor inclines, declines and general uneven surfaces.

 

[Winchester123]

18cm is a bit low if you have a long overhang like I do. It does look plenty strong enough though.
Easy solution.
The bracket that takes the removable towbar can be fitted horizontal or vertical. Yours is vertical. If you change to a horizontal fitting with a straight removable tow ball, that would gain you about 5cm which should make all the difference.

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[DaveHobson]

Thanks again to everyone for your help and advice. Witter have responded very promptly, and are sending out the horizontal neck and a mobile fitter to swap it over. They’ve apologised profusely for the error, and hopefully all will now be well.

 

[Landy Andy]

Good news
And if you require more ground clearance then consider air assist if you don’t already have it. It has given me a lot of extra clearance under my tow bar.

 

[pappajohn]

the "receiver" is held in place by those 4 short bolts (two per side) and could be rotated 90° to the horizontal

No it can't ....but I see what you mean.
There are no other fixing holes in the side plates, the hole lower down is for the break away cable.

My swan neck, though not removable, comes horizontally from the bar and is 17" to the top of the ball and 9" to the bottom of the neck.

 

[Despicable]

No it can't ....but I see what you mean.
There are no other fixing holes in the side plates, the hole lower down is for the break away cable.

My swan neck, though not removable, comes horizontally from the bar and is 17" to the top of the ball and 9" to the bottom of the neck.

Undo Bolts; turn Bracket 90 degrees; insert Bolts through Holes. Simples.

 

[the1andonly]

Suspect you are sorted now, just to confirm yours is low my lowest point on a lowline chassis Rapido is 300mm 12"