2016 kuga tow ball height

weedkiller
weedkiller Forum Participant Posts: 38
edited July 2016 in Towcars & Towing #1

Does any one know what this is please trying to match to a bailey with 415mm hitch height.

Nothing in hand book ? why cannot manufacturers give this info ? it used to be in handbooks years ago .

Hitch height and tow ball height is so important to ensure stability

Soory about the rant subject is a pet hate

 

Comments

  • ydna
    ydna Forum Participant Posts: 20
    edited July 2016 #2

    The centre of a tow ball should be between 350mm 420mm from the ground when the vehicle is laden to maximum weight. The ball should drop no more than about 25mm (approx. 1") when the caravan is hitched.

    Also depends on which towbar is fitted so can be a bit either way.

  • Lutz
    Lutz Forum Participant Posts: 1,564 ✭✭✭✭
    edited July 2016 #3

    The centre of a tow ball should be between 350mm 420mm from the ground when the vehicle is laden to maximum weight. The ball should drop no more than about 25mm (approx. 1") when the caravan is hitched.

    Also depends on which towbar is fitted so can be a bit either way.

    You have contradicted yourself a bit there. If the car is laden to its maximum weight that must also include the noseweight of the caravan when it is hitched. Maximum is maximum. You can't exceed an absolute limit that has already been reached.

  • weedkiller
    weedkiller Forum Participant Posts: 38
    edited July 2016 #4

    Thanks for the replies these illustrate the problem my understanding is the 350-420mm height is without the caravan therefore I assume that if the noseweight is deducted from the rear axle load (90kg) then the ball height could be 350mm given that the hitch
    height is 4215+/- 35mm this could mean a potential difference between ball and hitch of 100mm i.e the van would be 100mm nose down would this increase the effective load on the towbar? and be to low for the van to be stable ? apart from approx 100mm off the
    ground clearance  

  • Lutz
    Lutz Forum Participant Posts: 1,564 ✭✭✭✭
    edited July 2016 #5

    The 350 to 420mm is at maximum load, irrespective of whether this load is arrived at solo with a full complement of payload in the car or with the caravan hitched. Obviously the car cannot be fully laden before the caravan is hitched or else it would be overloaded by the amount of the noseweight afterwards.

    Noseweight should always be measured with the hitch at the same height as when the caravan is attached to the car, not with the caravan level.

    Nose down (or up) doesn't necessarily make the outfit any less stable so long as the noseweight is set correctly.

  • weedkiller
    weedkiller Forum Participant Posts: 38
    edited July 2016 #6

    Yes you are quite right on noseweight measurment I should have said I currently have self levelling suspension which marries up almost exactly to the van hitch when levela few mm difference <5

  • weedkiller
    weedkiller Forum Participant Posts: 38
    edited July 2016 #7

    Yes you are quite right on noseweight measurment I should have said I currently have self levelling suspension which marries up almost exactly to the van hitch when levela few mm difference <5

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