Yeti owners, what is your towball height?

[J.R.]

Title says it all really, what is the height of your towball from the ground to the centre of the ball when uncoupled and the vehicle not loaded?

 

Is yours a 4x4 or Outdoor model?

 

Is it a factory towbar or aftermarket? Swan neck or fixed flange?

 

Mine is a 4x4 Outdoor model and I fitted an aftermarket flange fit towbar, the towball was already high but it looked correct and the drop plate I have used for years would have looked really naff, it was also high enough for me not to bark my shins on it, as I only tow one goods trailer now and the mobile site hut which has a variable height drawbar I decided to raise the coupling by 50mm on my trailer, it wasn't actually enough but when both the car and trailer were loaded it would have been level.

 

Today I replaced my rear springs, the ride height looked OK with the driver side slightly lower, sure enough the very end of the coil had broken.

 

Now with the new springs my towball is at 535mm high and above the centre of my knee!!!!!!!

 

I will need to add another 100mm to the trailer coupling to make it level yet the front & rear ride height of the vehicle look just fine, a bit Tonka Toyish but with only a 1/2" rake from front to rear.

 

I get the impression that a removable or retractable towball would be at the correct height, it may look naff but wont be seen when retracted whereas perhaps the flange fit ones are made to look correct and the owner must use a drop plate.

 

Over to you!

[Kenny R]

Don’t know if this thread is of any use to you...

 

[Llanigraham]

What exactly do you mean about Outdoor or 4x4 models? Of more importance is what engine is fitted.
All the 4x4 diesels use the same rear springs. I'm not sure about the 110 2 wheel drive, and the 1.2 certainly have different rear springs, as does the Greenline.

So the question is, have you fitted the correct rear springs, and have you fitted them correctly? They need to go a particular way around to sit in their "seats".

There is also the fact that any spring needs "setting" so a few miles over a rough road will help to do that. I certainly found that when I replaced them both on my first Yeti.

And to add drop plates are no longer permitted. 

First Yeti had the approved Westfalia removable, second one had a Witter flange; the height was the same.

 

From the legislation, (note the word laden!)
The EC Directive 94/20/EC (The standard that all towbars are designed to) states that the tow ball height should be between 350 and 420mm from the ground with the vehicle in a 'laden' state. 
 

 

Edited 20 August, 2020 by Llanigraham

[gumdrop]

My Yeti height was around 430+ almost the same as my Ford Focus I have it all written down somewhere,

the EEC directive was 350-420. I think the size and make of tire will make a difference.

[Frenchtone]

westfallia fixed on a pre fl 4x4 475mm to top of ball ie the flat bit if round, probably 480mm. This is unladen!(for the pseudo Welshman  -   :-))  }

I tow a Williams P6e trailer which has a swan neck type tow bar, all runs level and have not had any probs!! I run on Dunlop SP01's 225x55x17, as originally supplied.

Edited 21 August, 2020 by Frenchtone

[b1ackb1rd]

450

[Llanigraham]

It looks like everyone is ignoring the word I specifically noted!

[captainslogg]

Picture of a Witter towbar (car not loaded) which seemed too low for my 2014 caravan on my 2012 170 yeti. Van towed very much nose down, but completely stable.

[eribaMotters]

For 5 years I towed with my Yeti. I've towed caravans and trailer tents for over 20 years with 5 vehicles, three of which have been VAG group. These have ranged from slightly nose down, through neutral to slightly nose up. Whilst neutral looks correct and best all have been stable as the most important factor is the loading and the subsequent noseweight. Get this correct and you should have no problem.

I have incidentally found this to be best around 55kg and not the 75/80kg that my vehicles have as a suggested maximum. If I've approached this higher level then the front end of the car has become light and traction diminished on pulling away.

 

Colin

 

ps  - Captainslogg, nice to see somebody has cleaned the towball correctly

Edited 22 August, 2020 by eribaMotters

[J.R.]

On 20/08/2020 at 18:40, Llanigraham said:

What exactly do you mean about Outdoor or 4x4 models? Of more importance is what engine is fitted.
All the 4x4 diesels use the same rear springs.

Then your question about engine size is irrelevant

Quote

So the question is, have you fitted the correct rear springs, and have you fitted them correctly?

No, I spent a lot of time and research to deliberately choose the wrong ones.

Quote

They need to go a particular way around to sit in their "seats".

Incorrect, they are identical end for end, both the ones removed (aside from the broken piece) and the new Lesjofors springs and I also tried the locating cup on both ends to be sure.

Quote

There is also the fact that any spring needs "setting" so a few miles over a rough road will help to do that. I certainly found that when I replaced them both on my first Yeti.

I had already done that before taking the measurement and the ride height had indeed settled, just checked again having done about 300kms and its still at 535mm

Quote

And to add drop plates are no longer permitted. 

Show me the law, not just someones opinion.

Quote

 

First Yeti had the approved Westfalia removable, second one had a Witter flange; the height was the same.

 

And the height was?

Quote

 

 

Edited 22 August, 2020 by J.R.

[Llanigraham]

Oh dear!
https://www.caravanclub.co.uk/club-together/discussions/information-technical-tips-advice/caravans/tow-balls-being-to-high-fitting-drop-plates/

[J.R.]

On 20/08/2020 at 21:08, Llanigraham said:

It looks like everyone is ignoring the word I specifically noted!

 

"Laden" presumably.

 

I try to set my towball height so that its a little too high for the trailer but that once the vehicle and the trailer are laden the trailer will be level.

 

At 535mm that aint goin to happen even with a helicopter on the roof like on Top Gear.

 

The springs I fitted were the exact same part number and supplier as the ones I chose for my Octavia2, in that instance I expected them to raise the ride height as I had chosen the ones for the "rough road market" or whatever the term was & they are the standard ones for the Octavia 4x4 which is a 2.0TDi FYI.

 

I realise that aftermarket manufacturers will show a range of manufacturers part numbers for one spring and that it may not be exactly the same as OE, I already had experience of these springs on the Octavia and they did what I wanted of them, on the Yeti they dont appear to have raised the ride height aside from correcting the slight sag from the one with the broken end which we did not know about till removal, the clearance to the wheel arch looks the same front to rear and the rake looks correct albeit like a Tonka toy but I didn't take measurements before, that may be the next step to ask others for their wheel centre to wheelarch height or to the ground but specifying the tyre size.

 

Thanks for all the photos, I will take one tomorrow when there is light, its clear that my towball mounting bracket is significantly higher, it looks right and I dont want to spoil the look with a drop plate so will probably raise the towhitch on my trailer again, it was the right height for most towbars when I built it 35 years ago but they probably weren't concerned about EU regulation heights back then like the Fred in a Sheds who made the Yeti towbar

[J.R.]

9 minutes ago, Llanigraham said:

Oh dear!
https://www.caravanclub.co.uk/club-together/discussions/information-technical-tips-advice/caravans/tow-balls-being-to-high-fitting-drop-plates/

 

I repeat, show me the law, not someones opinion that they are illegal.

 

You do understand that an EU directive has to be enacted into law by a member state country for something to become illegal?

 

Show me the law, if it exists in the UK I will search and see if it exists in France.

[J.R.]

1 hour ago, eribaMotters said:

ps  - Captainslogg, nice to see somebody has cleaned the towball correctly

 

Should they be grease free for use with a stabiliser?

 

I always grease mine and over the years have had to replace a couple of towballs and finally my cast trailer coupling.

[Llanigraham]

4 minutes ago, J.R. said:

 

Should they be grease free for use with a stabiliser?

 

I always grease mine and over the years have had to replace a couple of towballs and finally my cast trailer coupling.

 

If you use a towing hitch with internal stabiliser pads, such as those made by Alko or BPW then the ball should NOT be greased.

[logiclee]

As I tow a caravan with Alko stabiliser and a 8x6 box trailer with standard hitch I have a constant battle applying grease then trying to clean it off.

 

I used to use brake cleaner but now use a solvent degreaser from work which is excellent.

[eribaMotters]

I understand what you mean about cleaning the grease off, but have a far less problem. With my drop down swan-neck I find out of season it goes rusty over winter in the sea -air where I live. I now have two covers, one greased for winter and the other dry, fitted over the summer. After winter the wiping with white spirit and then a squirt of brake cleaner reveals no rust and I don't have to revert to emery tape to get it back into condition.

 

Colin

[J.R.]

15 hours ago, captainslogg said:

Picture of a Witter towbar (car not loaded) which seemed too low for my 2014 caravan on my 2012 170 yeti. Van towed very much nose down, but completely stable.

 

A picture is worth a thousand words, compare my photo with Cap'nslogg's & look where the flange is located, his is hanging in free air and mine tucked up against the removable silver panel which not only had to be cut to clear the flange bracket side plates but i also had to drill clearance holes for the bolts, the nuts fit in with a squeeze but I have to wedge the plastic back, that said I really like the close fit and having the ball above shin height and it suits the aesthetics, I just have to raise my tow coupling a second time.

 

[J.R.]

I think its possible that the towbar was made using a Greenline Yeti as a donor vehicle, they are much lower and the towball would probably be a reasonable height with the towbar fitted to one of them.

 

There is also the possibility that my Yeti may have had raised suspension from new, I think it may have been a Forestry vehicle, I know the "Outdoor" model has higher ground clearance but mine looks particularly high.

 

Unladen and on standard 215/60R16 tyres I have a measurement of 31" to the bottom lip of the rear wheel arch at the 12 'O' clock position and 30.5" on the front wheel arch, how does that compare to your Yetis?

[J.R.]

My goods trailer I made all those years ago at the lower end of the height range, what was in those days the standard 14" height, this photo is taken with the trailer level and you can see I have already fitted a raising block to the coupling just like the photos on the attached thread where FrenchTone has done exactly the same thing.

 

I will have to make two more additional raising blocks but prefer to do that than fit a drop plate, not through legal concerns but because it will look naff.

 

My other trailer, a mobile site hut has a variable height ring coupling drawbar hence the pin & ball coupling on the Yeti.

 

 

Edited 23 August, 2020 by J.R.

[Frenchtone]

Ok, this is the towbar on my Williams trailer, bought second hand so I don't know if they are all supplied with this or if its just with load bearing tyres version(smaller diam fat jobs) I also have a car transporter trailer , classic Brain James so built years ago and with that because of the relative heights of the hitch and the ball I have had to raise the hitch by using 2 x 2" square pieces of robust steel box section, at that height it all works well!

[J.R.]

Comparing the rear bumper mouldings in my picture and the Captains one I would say that my Yeti's ride height is 60mm higher, is yours an Outdoor model or perhaps a Greenline Captain?

 

Unless they make a towbar for every model they are on a hiding to nothing.

[J.R.]

38 minutes ago, Frenchtone said:

Ok, this is the towbar on my Williams trailer, bought second hand so I don't know if they are all supplied with this or if its just with load bearing tyres version(smaller diam fat jobs) I also have a car transporter trailer , classic Brain James so built years ago and with that because of the relative heights of the hitch and the ball I have had to raise the hitch by using 2 x 2" square pieces of robust steel box section, at that height it all works well!

 

I saw the photos of that on the other thread Tone, I think the sections were side by side giving a lift of 50mm which is what your joggled drawbar looks like its raised by, I eventually raised mine by 50mm but it needs to go up another 100mm, less some for loading so it will be a total of 10cm initially & then higher if need be.