'Van attitude under tow - towbar query
 

The van is finally finished and we've booked our first long weekend away in a few weeks time.

It'll be the first time I've towed this van anywhere since bringing it home early last year and I'm a little bit worried about its attitude/pitch while being towed. All information I've read suggests the van should be level or slightly nose down. However, as you can see from the photo this van seems to sit nose up and will probably be a bit more nose up since I've changed the rear shocks on the car since.

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/c...psb3ea75e7.jpg

My question is: is a drop plate on the towbar the way to go (don't really want to if I'm honest) or will this cause clearance issues with the Alko hitch? Alternatively, is it possible to replace the drawbar bit of the towbar with one that has less of an upturn after it protrudes past the rear bumper of the car?

Or should I just accept it the way it is and quit worrying?

have a read,
http://www.witter-towbars.co.uk/faq/...ry.aspx?id=448
mike

is the van loaded in that picture

Thanks for posting that information, Outnumbered, a big help.

In the picture the van is not quite fully laden but not far from it, just lacking personal effects and a few other bits n bats but has the gas, awning and spare tyre etc.

Keep in mind that the rear shocks on the car were very tired when that pic was taken, they've been changed since so I expect the coupling height to be higher still.

Just been out to do a quick measure of the towball height: approx 450mm from the ground to centre of the towball. The car isn't laden admittedly but that seems quite high to me given that the information just posted has the upper tolerance at 420mm.

Think I'll have to take the car for a second opinion this weekend. Perhaps a new towbar neck is needed, if you can get 'em?

As long as you have got suitable nose weight on the hitch I would have thought it would be ok.

not trying to teach you to suck eggs where is the awning and the other heavy bits.
mike

No worries Mike, I try to keep all the heavy stuff on the floor over the axle, slightly forward if the nose weight is a bit light depending on other stuff in the van.

That may be true. The last van I had, a Hobby Prestige 560, towed slightly nose down so this nose up phenomenon is unknown to me. The Hobby towed well and was very stable but I also had a different car back then so can't say what the towball height was.

As I understand it though, if the van sits nose up then it causes air pressure under the front of the van at speed which effectively creates lift reducing the nose weight which in turn can cause stability issues.

Like I say, all unknown to me which is why I thought best to ask and get a heads-up.

Thanks for all replies so far guys.

What about putting the awning in the boot? that will put a bit extra weight over the rear axle, which might drop the nose enough.

I've towed with a slightly nose up van and didn't have any stability probs. Noseweight for my 02 V70 is 75kg and I try to go to 70kg and it keeps it level, and haven't had any issues with stability, but i put the awning in the boot along with the dog. When we go for a fortnight I use a roof box set as far back as I can, 1 - it adds extra weight to the car, and normally over the rear axle, and 2 with it being far back I can get to it from the rear easily.

I also had to put new shocks on the rear of mine, and it didn't make much difference, but when car is laden, it will probably be more level.

I would check that the attitude of the car has not changed when you changed the rear shocks, as you say the height is at 450mm, 30mm higher than max standard height. A small increase in at the rear wheel position would amplify by the time you get to the ball.
Another thing to check is the front shocks etc are not tired and lowering the front which will have the same effect.
Shame you do not have the ball height before the shocks where changed.