Need tow bar & stabiliser advice
HELP!! I am buying a caravan which comes with a bulldog 100q blade stabiliser, however I am having a detachable swan neck tow bar fitted. The existing owner has a normal flange towbar which accomodates the stabiliser bracket. Can I get a bracket to clamp
on to the removable swan neck so that I can use the stabiliser? Otherwise I will have the expense of fitting an alko type .
Comments
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I wouldn't worry about the lack of stabiliser. I towed miles & miles without a stabiliser before Alko hitch type were de-rigeur. IMHO hitch type stabilisers are more in the mind than anything else ...... how much can you influence a tonne plus of caravan
by squeezing a 50mm ball?0 -
I wouldn't worry about the lack of stabiliser. I towed miles & miles without a stabiliser before Alko hitch type were de-rigeur. IMHO hitch type stabilisers are more in the mind than anything else ...... how much can you influence a tonne plus of caravan
by squeezing a 50mm ball?Agree, all it does it raise the snaking threshold by a few percent and if that makes a difference you are probably too close to the edge (or going too fast)? At the risk of starting something... ATC on the other hand is an active aid in extreme circumstances
but, like ABS etc, you hope not to need it?0 -
I wouldn't worry about the lack of stabiliser. I towed miles & miles without a stabiliser before Alko hitch type were de-rigeur. IMHO hitch type stabilisers are more in the mind than anything else ...... how much can you influence a tonne plus of caravan by squeezing a 50mm ball?
Agree, all it does it raise the snaking threshold by a few percent and if that makes a difference you are probably too close to the edge (or going too fast)? At the risk of starting something... ATC on the other hand is an active aid in extreme circumstances but, like ABS etc, you hope not to need it?
They do work and while not fool proof it is foolish to reject them because they improve stability by a few percentage points although if correctly set I believe it is better than that.
The Bulldog exherts a very powerful stabilising effect and will certainly helppull a snake back into line.
Always remember those few points you suggest could save your life so reject them at your peril.
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They do work and while not fool proof it is foolish to reject them because they improve stability by a few percentage points although if correctly set I believe it is better than that. ...
Who said they didn't work? I know there's an effect on the towball, I can tell if I've forgotten to lower the red handle by the way the van moves on the back of the car. But the caravan that Windy is getting doesn't have an Alko, my thoughts are that I wouldn't
bother get too upset by not having a stabiliser. But if I was going to use one, I'd spend the £40 on an Alko hitch rather than a bracket for my swan neck detachable0 -
Thanks for all of your help and info, this has cleared things up somewhat. I do however have another newbie question: I have booked to get a tow bar fitted to my Vauxhall Insignia Sports Tourer 2014 and the guy says he is fitting a univeral bypass electrics,
another company I enquired with has told me that I should pay more money to have the electric kit specific for my car as bypass systems can invalidate your warranty if there are any electrical issues etc? Am I worrying too much about this? The guy that I have
booked has been doing tow bars for 25 years and has done my dads tow bar too.0 -
....Am I worrying too much about this? The guy that I have booked has been doing tow bars for 25 years and has done my dads tow bar too.
I'd be inclined to go for the vehicle specific loom .... car's electrics have changed beyond recognition in the past 25 years ie CANbus
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I wouldn't worry about the lack of stabiliser. I towed miles & miles without a stabiliser before Alko hitch type were de-rigeur. IMHO hitch type stabilisers are more in the mind than anything else ...... how much can you influence a tonne plus of caravan by squeezing a 50mm ball?
Agree, all it does it raise the snaking threshold by a few percent and if that makes a difference you are probably too close to the edge (or going too fast)? At the risk of starting something... ATC on the other hand is an active aid in extreme circumstances but, like ABS etc, you hope not to need it?
They do work and while not fool proof it is foolish to reject them because they improve stability by a few percentage points although if correctly set I believe it is better than that.
The Bulldog exherts a very powerful stabilising effect and will certainly helppull a snake back into line.
Always remember those few points you suggest could save your life so reject them at your peril.
Agree with the general thrust (pun) of adding a stabiliser but can't agree with a Bulldog "exerting a powerful stabilising effect" as friction devices are not active so can't pull things back into line, only an active device can do that IMHO. Once their limiting friction is exceeded an instability will not be reduced by much unless positive action is taken by the driver to reduce speed (by easing off accelerator and not by extreme braking!) or ATC or other active braking type system is fitted.
But yes, correct loading and towball force is paramount followed by other devices to try to reduce the risk of an instability starting are vital.
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I would change to an alko hitch stabiliser, they are 10 times better than a blade one
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