Witter towbar clearance

cdjpb
cdjpb Forum Participant Posts: 6
edited June 2022 in Towcars & Towing #1

I have a 2022 Mazda CX-5 diesel 174bhp which happily tows my 2022 Swift Accord 590 but I’m finding hitching/unhitching challenging.

The car has a Witter fixed swan neck towbar fitted but when hitched up there’s only a couple of millimetres between the head of the Alko hitch and the car’s bumper.  In normal use this is OK, but unless the car and caravan are perfectly in-line, I cannot hitch/unhitch the caravan as the Alko stabiliser handle fouls on the bumper.

Is this normal? Do different towbar manufacturers offer different clearances? Would a detachable or a flange offer more clearance? Or do I just have to accept that the car/caravan have to be in-line to hitch/unhitch?

Many thanks!

Comments

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
    1000 Comments
    edited June 2022 #2

    I'm sure that someone will find the ALKO specifications but all I can find is that the min distance from the centre of the ball to the bumper should be 65mm.

    Having said that, I'm confused as to how the handle fouls your bumper. I've just been to my caravan & lifted the handle & even when raised, the base of the handle has a good 3/8" clearance from the very front of the hitch ..... maybe your car's bumper protrudes some what over the tow ball. 🤷‍♂️

    If your towball clearance is as above, I wouldn't have thought that other manufacturer's towbars would be that much different. (though I always think of Witter as aftermarket 🤐)

  • ADP1963
    ADP1963 Forum Participant Posts: 1,280
    1000 Comments
    edited June 2022 #3

    If I remember rightly at one time you could get spacers that allow you to get more clearance. I don't know if this is possible in your case. No doubt ED will know.

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
    1000 Comments
    edited June 2022 #4

    the spacers are just for use on a 2 bolt flange type ball, cdjpd has a swan neck type on his/her car, which are fixed. 

  • birdseye
    birdseye Forum Participant Posts: 31
    edited June 2022 #5

    A while back I had a Subaru Legacy which had a Witter tow bar fitted and the ball height was for too low ( not within the parameters ) and despite repeated complaints they said they could not change anything as the bar was homologated ( if that is the correct way to spell it).

    I had to remove the jockey wheel every time while towing as the tyre was getting damaged !

    I would never have a Witter bar fitted to any car I own>

  • cdjpb
    cdjpb Forum Participant Posts: 6
    edited June 2022 #6

    Thanks all; I only went with Witter as the club offer a discount on it but even the fitter said that Witter aren’t what they used to be.  Witter even sent the wrong electrics kit for my car three times so I had three trips back to the fitter for remedial works. If Witter respond to my query I’ll let you know.

  • GCP21
    GCP21 Forum Participant Posts: 2
    edited June 2022 #7

    If you look under your car I think you will find that Witter have the option of fitting the neck in two positions. It is possible yours has been fitted in the forward most and if so moving it to the rearmost holes would give you around 1 inch more clearance. 

  • MHG
    MHG Forum Participant Posts: 53
    edited July 2022 #8

    I had an issue with the reach on a Westfalia swan neck bar - which was factory fit from Audi. It sat too close to the bumper - literally 5mm! so once hitched you couldn't actually turn!

    Only remedy was to change to another brand - we went with a Tow trust model which had a longer reach and had no issues at all.

    The car has since been changed, but moral of the story is yes the tow bar sizes do vary between the manufacturers. 

     

  • cdjpb
    cdjpb Forum Participant Posts: 6
    edited July 2022 #9

    Just to provide an update; I complained to Witter and eventually they responded and today fitted a replacement towbar which offers an extra inch clearance. I can now hitch/unhitch the caravan without the need to ensure that the car/caravan are completely parallel. Not sure I’d go with Witter again after 4 trips to the fitters to sort this and electric issues but we’re good for now!

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