Go Back   The 75 and ZT Owners Club Forums > Social Forums > Touring Boating Camping & Caravan Forum
Register FAQ Image Gallery Members List Calendar Mark Forums Read
Notices

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 24th April 2016, 21:14   #1
Chezza
Avid contributor
 
75 cdti se tourer

Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: sheffield
Posts: 137
Thanks: 0
Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post
Default Low towbar

Hi all we have just picked up our first caravan, an abbey 418 gts
i was told that these vans are nose heavy without loading.
problem is that my conny diesel tourer seem low on the tow ball when the van is on. the conny had new springs and shock a couple of years ago.
\the jockey wheel catches speed bumps at o mph are the swan neck tow bars higher? don't think i can live with this

Last edited by Chezza; 10th May 2016 at 21:14..
Chezza is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 24th April 2016, 21:43   #2
RPWC
This is my second home
 
RPWC's Avatar
 
75 model car

Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Newcastle upon Tyne
Posts: 20,169
Thanks: 4,008
Thanked 5,083 Times in 3,114 Posts
Default

Don't think they are, have you pulled the jockey wheel as high as it will go ? Ie the side bars of the wheel,need to be in the slots of the jockey wheel tube,before raising it as high as it can go.. You can get drop plates,but not raise plates, in other words you can drop the tow hitch, but not raise it. Towing regulations apparently. The 75 has a low tow point anyway, both of mine have had a lower towing position. Abbey caravans are heavy.
__________________
Cheers. Rich…
RPWC is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 24th April 2016, 21:49   #3
Chezza
Avid contributor
 
75 cdti se tourer

Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: sheffield
Posts: 137
Thanks: 0
Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post
Default Towbar

The jocky is at the top and in the slots, i wondered if anybody else has this problem
Chezza is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 25th April 2016, 06:11   #4
Billy1mate
Posted a thing or two
 
120d M Sport

Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Sunny Weymouth
Posts: 1,815
Thanks: 153
Thanked 142 Times in 121 Posts
Default

Have you slackened the jockey wheel assembly pinch lever off (when fitted to your car and not before) and lifted the whole jockey wheel assembly up and retightened?
Billy1mate is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 25th April 2016, 06:49   #5
rich17865
This is my second home
 
rich17865's Avatar
 
Transit Connect

Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Crewe
Posts: 9,532
Thanks: 868
Thanked 1,619 Times in 1,095 Posts
Default

It's not the jockey wheel, it's the tourer rear springs. They just aren't the right size in my view.

I had the same issue.

Measure the distance from the centre of the wheel to the top of the wheel arch when the car is unladen. Let us know in millimetres what it is.

I have fitted Grayston spring assistors and Mad helper springs. The problem is now gone.

In hindsight, I think heavy duty rear springs would have been a better idea.
rich17865 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 25th April 2016, 08:43   #6
mbrenn
Loves to post
 
Rover 75 Saloons Conn SE 2.0L V6 (2001) & Conn 2.0L CDTi (2003)

Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Dungannon
Posts: 489
Thanks: 109
Thanked 110 Times in 100 Posts
Default

Swan neck towbars are higher. I have two. I've no experience of tourers/caravanning but previous posts suggest springs are a big factor.
mbrenn is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 26th April 2016, 12:05   #7
dad1uk
Loves to post
 
dad1uk's Avatar
 
No Rover at the moment = Vauxhall

Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Birmingham
Posts: 278
Thanks: 99
Thanked 75 Times in 55 Posts
Default

I had this problem, I fitted two Heavy Duty Springs from Euro Car Parts -no more problem.

What is the height of your tow bar ball from the floor?
I have measured from the floor to the centre of the ball and it is 415mm.

According to this blurb its about right.....

What is the correct height for the coupling head on a trailer or caravan?
A height of 385mm to 455mm is stipulated by the EC Directive if the trailer or caravan is in laden condition. Laden condition refers to a trailer loaded to the maximum specified mass in this instance. The mass must also be distributed evenly over the loading area.
__________________
Simon.

Last edited by dad1uk; 26th April 2016 at 12:07..
dad1uk is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 27th April 2016, 14:35   #8
JonMs
Avid contributor
 
Rover 75 CDTi Tourer

Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Ilkley
Posts: 152
Thanks: 39
Thanked 26 Times in 21 Posts
Default

I also have this problem. It meant that I couldn't use a leaf spring type stabiliser because the bracket on it lowered the ground clearance even further causing it to bottom out. I have fitted new standard springs at the rear but still bottom out occasionally. I wish I'd got the heavy duty springs.
JonMs is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 27th April 2016, 16:56   #9
RPWC
This is my second home
 
RPWC's Avatar
 
75 model car

Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Newcastle upon Tyne
Posts: 20,169
Thanks: 4,008
Thanked 5,083 Times in 3,114 Posts
Default

I have a tourer,caravan and leaf Spring stabiliser,and had no bother.,afaik the springs and shockers are standard, had the car since Nov 14, so nothing modified in my ownership.
__________________
Cheers. Rich…
RPWC is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10th May 2016, 20:35   #10
Chezza
Avid contributor
 
75 cdti se tourer

Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: sheffield
Posts: 137
Thanks: 0
Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post
Default Low towbar

well after some research i found my caravan nose weight to be 100kg unladen
i wanted to beef up the springs but don't want to alter the geometry of the car
so if i spread the load when fully laden should drop the nose weight and higher the back end.
What do you reckon??
Chezza is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT. The time now is 19:57.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright © 2006-2023, The Rover 75 & MG ZT Owners Club Ltd