Hitch for towbar too high when towing a caravan.

[Black120 Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Black120]

Just wondering anyone else who tows a van with there Prado if the have an issue like mine. I have the van hooked up with an adjustable hitch which is set all the way down. My van is sitting level at the moment with no weight on the distribution hitches. I'm going to lift my Prado this week and i need to drop my towball height down more. Anyone have a solution to this? Here is a picture to see what i mean.

[zutta Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close zutta]

HMM, I did have an issue with mine after lift until i started using the hayman & Reece adjustable WDH.

Mind you i was on bottom hole for adjustment.

After lifting mine i had to drop 2 holes down, which obviously you can't

How many mm does your lifters give you? you could try backing off a link, it's your van so only you will know how it feels slightly high at front.

You could always test the theory before you lift it to see how the van handles before you have to pay to have lift kit removed.

I would adjust hitch up 40mm and back off 1 chain link or whatever works on lifters and see how it looks and handles.

Good luck

[QUICKY Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close QUICKY]

Hayman Reece make the hitch in two other sizes ,longer drop, so you can lower your toe ball. Not cheap, in the 200-250 range I think

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

I know a guy who had his van axles changed to under the springs instead of over them after he got his Prado lifted, figured he may as well lift the van at the same time.

Cheers Andrew

[Heath74 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Heath74]

What about a spacer between the caravan hitch and drawbar?

[dagree Member Find all posts View Profile Close dagree]

Had this one on my previous 100 series after lifting it..... It's the 100mm drop shank similar to what QUICKY mentioned and not cheap. Worked a treat and a pity your not local as looking at selling it

[Black120 Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Black120]

Zutta when i hook the van on it drops the car about 20mm, the chains have no tension on them at all they are just hanging there. If i go up 1 chain link it start to sway at 90km/h. I'm doing the lift kit myself so i don't have to pay anyone.

Quicky its cheap compared to loosing a caravan lol.

AJ its funny you say that because the axles are offset in a Z pattern to make the van sit lower so i could just flip them over and it would lift it about 4 inches i think.. I did think about it.

Heath i don't really want to do that.

Dagree pity i couldn't have got it lol, that's what I'm after, I know its not cheap but its better than having a van that sways and is uncomfortable to drive and can make things dangerous.

Thank you all for your input much appreciated.

[Guest Close Guest]

The spacer idea sounds good. What are the implications/negatives?

[120D4D Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close 120D4D]

Zutta when i hook the van on it drops the car about 20mm, the chains have no tension on them at all they are just hanging there. If i go up 1 chain link it start to sway at 90km/h. I'm doing the lift kit myself so i don't have to pay anyone.

Quicky its cheap compared to loosing a caravan lol.

AJ its funny you say that because the axles are offset in a Z pattern to make the van sit lower so i could just flip them over and it would lift it about 4 inches i think.. I did think about it.

Heath i don't really want to do that.

Dagree pity i couldn't have got it lol, that's what I'm after, I know its not cheap but its better than having a van that sways and is uncomfortable to drive and can make things dangerous.

Thank you all for your input much appreciated.

Blacky - why are you running the WDH if you have no tension on the bars then? Why not just a standard drop-down hitch - you could get one made up for less than a hundred bucks. Plus with the tow-bar recall you're not 'supposed' to use non genuine WDH's anyway...

I question having no tension on the bars and sway if you do load them up, something is not right there.
What is your ball weight, van GVM and length?

[120D4D Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close 120D4D]

What about a spacer between the caravan hitch and drawbar?

Do you mean to space away from rear of the prado or down?

I would think spacing the tow ball further away from the rear of the tow vehicle would have a big impact on driveability and the tail of the prado would bob up and down much more.

[Limo Guy Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Limo Guy]

Looking at your photo of your hitch and van, if you have overrun brakes according to ADRs you shouldn't be using a weight distribution hitch.
Weight distribution hitches interfere with the brake operation and a van light enough to have this type of brake doesn't require them.

[Guest Close Guest]

Do you mean to space away from rear of the prado or down?

I read it as spacing it down. Probably by using a 2" SHS same as that used for towbar tongues.

[Black120 Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Black120]

I have no weight in the van, when its loaded it drops enough to put some light weight on the WDH. If i lift the chains up and lift the back of the car with the WDH it sways due to not enough down weight on the ball (with no weight in it) Yeah i know about the towbar recall. Length is 18 foot and I'm not sure on GVM I'm going to weight it next week. Amts i dont believe it would be real safe to space the coupling off the draw bar 2 inches, you would need 200mm long bolts to start with. The brakes still work with the WDH on there you can feel them working. I chose this type so the chains can move still, i couldn't find anywhere in any rules that say you cant use them together. Anyways i have found a towbar hitch that will drop far enough for what I'm after, ill see how it goes, planning on fitting the lift kit Friday night and then i'll hook the van back up and see if i need the WDH or not.

[120D4D Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close 120D4D]

When you weight it blacky be sure to get the ball weight separate to the total weight - I'm guessing you've got little to no weight on the ball and probably have something like tool boxes, A/C or bike rack on the rear or something heavy inside, aft of the axle(s)?

If you can't reach at least 5% of the van's weight over the ball you need to rethink your loading of the van. I note the gas bottle and jerry holder on A frame, perhaps have the both full when you put it on a weighbridge.

I know the override brakes will work with the bars on as the chains will allow a bit of give but I'm not sure you'll need the WDH once you have a lift in (with presumably heaver springs too).

[Black120 Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Black120]

I will get both weighed, there is nothing on the rear of the van except for the spare wheel, i think its just a very balanced van. I have just mounted 2 jerry holders and lpg holder on the front, even inside the van there is nothing in the rear, water tank is empty and ill leave it empty until i get where im going.