Have just taken delivery of my new Octavia estate (2.0TDi) with removable tow bar. Have just tried it with my Brian James Clubman 4 wheel trailer (towing a Caterham) and the tow ball is too high for the trailer to sit level - the rear wheels of the trailer are clearly taking more load than the fronts.

 

The top of the tow ball is  about 480 mm above the ground with the trailer hitched, with a nose weight of about 70Kg.

 

To sit level, the tow ball needs to be more like 410mm above the ground

 

Any suggestions for how to get the trailer to sit more level?

 

Thanks!

 

Is it possible to unbolt the trailer tow hitch and shim it up raising the level to meet you towbar.

Since the legislation (EC directive 94/20) states the tow ball must be between 350 and 420mm above the ground, take it back to whoever fitted your towbar as its not the right one.

Found this

http://www.witter-towbars.co.uk/towbars/faq8.php

Just had mine fitted to my Scout and the ball height is 20" 510mm hate to think what a trailer would look like attached to that!!! Good job I only use it for a bike rack. I am in conversation with the fitter and Westfalia about it being the wrong bar for the car.

Roger,

I know it's a long time ago, but did you get anywhere with this? I have a Scout too, and the ball is at 510mm too....

I am having problems with a caravan sitting very nose-high.

 

T

Mine is too high as well, I fitted rough road market rear springs, they are probably like the Scout ones.

 

I have a drop plate but even at maximum its not enough.

 

However.......................................................................

 

I am someone that frequently abuses the towing and weight limits, the rear of the Octavia is relatively lightly sprung, if the trailer is heavily loaded and the load is biased to the front (increased nose weight) and if my estate load volume is full of heavy stuff the combined effect is to compress the rear springs enough to bring the towball height down to 400mm and everything is level and tows very well.

 

So whilst my drop plate is fitted I have left the towball at its normal too high height and only drop it if I am towing an unladen trailer with no significant load in the rear of the vehicle.

On 18/03/2019 at 20:47, tintinandcharlie said:

Roger,

I know it's a long time ago, but did you get anywhere with this? I have a Scout too, and the ball is at 510mm too....

I am having problems with a caravan sitting very nose-high.

 

T

Hi T.

I never did get an answer to this from Westfalia, but have since towed a trailer with it and although, when empty, it did look a little nose up, when the load went in, it did level up quite well. Not a big load either, so I guess the springs on the Scout are soft enough to allow the ball to drop an inch or two! And of course, if you keep the load towards the front, as you should, then this must help too. Hope this helps. Oh, and I will have another measure of ball height, as now the Scout is approaching three years old, with 45K miles, the springs may have lowered a little with time. (and pothole dodging!)

Roger.

Just found this.....

 

Furthermore from the permissible ranges and laden definitions it can be seen that the difference can be extreme e.g.

- Towball at 350mm (fully laden vehicle) and trailer coupling at 520mm (not untypical of an unladen trailer)……a difference of 170mm!

- Towball at 510mm (unladen long suspension travel vehicle) and 385mm trailer coupling height (for fully laden trailer)…..a difference of 125mm!

 

Maybe the Scout is classed as "long suspension travel vehicle"

26 minutes ago, rogerdyer said:

Just found this.....

 

Furthermore from the permissible ranges and laden definitions it can be seen that the difference can be extreme e.g.

- Towball at 350mm (fully laden vehicle) and trailer coupling at 520mm (not untypical of an unladen trailer)……a difference of 170mm!

- Towball at 510mm (unladen long suspension travel vehicle) and 385mm trailer coupling height (for fully laden trailer)…..a difference of 125mm!

 

Maybe the Scout is classed as "long suspension travel vehicle"

Probably, as it has been raised by 30mm over a standard Octavia.

I'm installing some commercially available spacers to raise the hitch relative to the drawbar of the van, thereby lowering its front and raising its rear. Currently the towball centre is at 510mm, and the caravan hitch at 350, so I have 160 difference and more than one layer may be required...

https://www.towsure.com/coupling-spacer-block