Dixon bate Shocklink advice please
Can anyone who has more technical knowledge than advise me please. In a different thread I noted that the poster was advised to use a Dixon Bate Shocklink as they were towing with a van. I have an Isuzu Double cab pickup which I tow a 2004 Fendt Saphir MTPL 1350 kgs. I have googled this and found conflicting advice. Should I fit a shock link or not? They are not cheap but a lot cheaper than destroying a caravan.
Thanks in advance for any replies and advice. I intend to seek the advice of towing specialists over the winter..
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The only absolute answer is the van will have an easier life if you use one, whether it can endure life without one for as long as you want is unanswerable.
I used them for years with all my coil sprung self levelling Land Rover 110s, they all had the uprated loading rear axle. Therefore, running light as we did when caravanning as opposed to heavy load shifting, the vehicles rear end stiffness is far greater than the saloon/estate type cars the Al-KO chassis and the caravans are really targeted at.
If I only drove in France, then I doubt I would have bothered, but our dreadful rural roads I needed to use here made it for me an easy decision with my valuable to me new Hymers and pre that Castleton. None had these issues but were never towed without the Shocklink by the 110s.
Some will argue they are not needed with coil spring only leaf sprung vehicle, but the only issue is the rear stiffness not the technology to achieve it. I don't doubt some get away with it, but I have seen some that have not, side to floor separation, and cracked chassis "A" rails, and heard of others.
Really depends on the value to you of the van, I note it is now quite old so maybe not a large financial risk in the scale of things for what is not going to be a cheap device.
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I did many thanks for your reply. My caravan is old but in good condition and has become a trusted old friend. I think I may will fits shocklink before I start towing it again.
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