Max ball weight on 120

[scojohara Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close scojohara]

I remember reading this on PP in the past but I can't find it now. What is the Max ball weight that is allowed on the Prado?
Scott

[John Member Find all posts View Profile Close John]

250, from memory.

[scojohara Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close scojohara]

Thanks for the reply John. We have just purchased a caravan and intend on using a weight distribution hitch. How many people are using these with the toyota bar? I have done it in the past but the one toyota bar that snapped a while back has put the wind up me a bit. I guess I am just working out if it is worth changing the bar or not.
Scott

[John Member Find all posts View Profile Close John]

Hi Scott.
My car has the factory towbar (which has had reports of breakages). I towed a Coromal PC546 tandem offroader (about 1900+ kg) for about 10,000km with no problems at all. I was using the HR 550lb setup. I have Polyairs fitted to the Prado as well. From memory, the ball weight was somewhere around 165-170kg, well within the Prado's limits.

I guess a couple of thousand of those k's were dirt/off road. Whenever I was negotiating sharp driveways or undulating terrain (such as going into a campsite) I would disconnect the bars, and if spending a reasonable time on tracks/terrain, increase the pressure in the Polyairs to help compensate for the weight on the towbar.

I never had any of the reported problems, but one thing I didn't like was the WDH tow head sitting several inches out from the receiver. I reckon that introduces an additional levering/twisting moment to the receiver, creating unnecessary stress in that area, which may have contributed to the reported breakages. (Just my theory) If I ever get another caravan I'm going to have an additional hole drilled in the WDH head so that it sits flush up against the receiver.

My feeling is that as long as you use the setup sensibly, you should be fine. There must be hundreds, if not thousands of factory bars fitted to the fleet out there.

Regards.

[scojohara Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close scojohara]

Thanks again John, that sort of information is exactly what I was after. All very exciting, picking the van up tomorrow so I will see how it all goes.
Scott

[scojohara Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close scojohara]

I ended up getting the Haymen Reese weight distribution hitch and the car and the van are sitting very flat. They are sorting out electrical stuff between the two atm so I am looking forward to see how it travels after work tonight.

[Schaffer Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Schaffer]

Some other threads to look at for reference:
Towbar Ratings
Towbar ball weight

[scojohara Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close scojohara]

Thanks Schaffer, I will have a look
Scott

[nimbus1 Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close nimbus1]

The towbar fitter should have put a little sticker inside "B" pillar after fitting the genuine towbar. Specs on my sticker say: 250kg ball weight, 2500kg tow capacity. It also specifies "towing only". I interpret this as meaning not for recovery?

Kind regards, Bob