This is my first time on the site, so if my question is a bit dumb, please forgive me.
I used to tow with a Ford Falcon, and always had to raise the front of the van to suit the car. However I have upsized to a Toyota Hilux 4WD. Consequently the ball is much higher, although it is set at the lowest point it can go. The van now rides a little low at the rear, but not enough to cause a problem. However if I fit my Hayman Reece load levellers, it will push the back down further.
The tug rides well, although I have yet to take the unit onto a road. So do I really need to fit the road levellers?
I look forward to your comments.
Regards
Alan
Dhutime said
04:06 PM Mar 3, 2015
Welcome to the site you will find people on here very helpful and friendly I am a fan of the Hayman reese load levellers always use them but we do have a very heavy van. Your caravan should be, loaded including water, fairly level when hooked up for maximum safety. Maybe look at replacing your hitch to a adjustable one so it can be lowered to get things set up properly. The people selling Hayman Reese in your area should be able to help you set up properly so it won't sway and if you run off the hard road on to the gravel the van will stay with you .
Dhutime
-- Edited by Dhutime on Tuesday 3rd of March 2015 04:07:35 PM
landy said
10:23 PM Mar 3, 2015
Have you checked it with the rear of the Hilux loaded yet if not along with loading your van as sugested by Dhutime you may find that its anough to leval it all out .
Landy
Radar said
09:00 AM Mar 4, 2015
elvolvorules wrote:
Hi all
This is my first time on the site, so if my question is a bit dumb, please forgive me.
The tug rides well, although I have yet to take the unit onto a road. So do I really need to fit the road levellers?
------------------- _________________
Hi Elvolvorules.
Interesting name. Hi
No not a dumb question.
No you don't but used correctly they are assets.
By what you have wrote you will need to adjust that tow ball height first to achieve a draw bar height of around 50 mm lower then the back of your van.
H and R are possibly good but remember first they are sales people and are out there to take your money.
By loading your van and tow vehicle and having them sitting on fairly level ground you will be able to take some measurements to work out which way to go.
I like to set my unit up so I don't need bars and then add the them later. After doing about 12000 ks with our new ute in 6 months towing our van I found the rear sagged so I have now fitted a set of air bags and with a small amount of air in them the ute will sit level again. In that time I did not once feel uncomfortable about not having any bars and will now be using a set of stabilisers bars for that added assurance.
Take your time it is a learning curve.
KevinC said
09:21 AM Mar 4, 2015
I agree with the previous posts. I like level vans, maybe a bit nose down but not much. If the springs of the van were set a bit higher (if it's possible) that would raise the van and take away the problem. I use a WDH but believe they don't have to be cranked up to extremes to be effective.
elvolvorules said
11:01 AM Mar 4, 2015
Thanks for your help, guys.
I'm fairly sure now that the van should be level when I have the ute and the van loaded. I'll be taking my HR levellers with me in case I need them. The hitch is already at the lowest point it can go, but I think now it should be OK. My son in Cairns will probably want to add something to the rear suspension of the ute. I'm lucky enough to have a kid who earns so much money he can spend some on his Dad. Not bad, Huh?
Thank again.
Regards
Alan
PeterD said
12:17 AM Mar 5, 2015
Alan, if you go to this page and scroll down you that both the EAZ-Lift and Hayman Reese weight distribution hitches (WDH) (to give them their correct name,) have a selection of shanks available. You select the correct shank to give sufficient drop so the tow ball is the correct height for the van. The shanks shown for Hayman Reese are for the new standard bars but there are shanks available for the older classic series of bars.
Vans are best towed with the ball low enough to have the van 50 mm or so lower at the front.
Hi all
This is my first time on the site, so if my question is a bit dumb, please forgive me.
I used to tow with a Ford Falcon, and always had to raise the front of the van to suit the car. However I have upsized to a Toyota Hilux 4WD. Consequently the ball is much higher, although it is set at the lowest point it can go. The van now rides a little low at the rear, but not enough to cause a problem. However if I fit my Hayman Reece load levellers, it will push the back down further.
The tug rides well, although I have yet to take the unit onto a road. So do I really need to fit the road levellers?
I look forward to your comments.
Regards
Alan
Welcome to the site you will find people on here very helpful and friendly
I am a fan of the Hayman reese load levellers always use them but we do have a very heavy van. Your caravan should be, loaded including water, fairly level when hooked up for maximum safety. Maybe look at replacing your hitch to a adjustable one so it can be lowered to get things set up properly.
The people selling Hayman Reese in your area should be able to help you set up properly so it won't sway and if you run off the hard road on to the gravel the van will stay with you .
Dhutime
-- Edited by Dhutime on Tuesday 3rd of March 2015 04:07:35 PM
Landy
Thanks for your help, guys.
I'm fairly sure now that the van should be level when I have the ute and the van loaded. I'll be taking my HR levellers with me in case I need them. The hitch is already at the lowest point it can go, but I think now it should be OK. My son in Cairns will probably want to add something to the rear suspension of the ute. I'm lucky enough to have a kid who earns so much money he can spend some on his Dad. Not bad, Huh?
Thank again.
Regards
Alan
Alan, if you go to this page and scroll down you that both the EAZ-Lift and Hayman Reese weight distribution hitches (WDH) (to give them their correct name,) have a selection of shanks available. You select the correct shank to give sufficient drop so the tow ball is the correct height for the van. The shanks shown for Hayman Reese are for the new standard bars but there are shanks available for the older classic series of bars.
Vans are best towed with the ball low enough to have the van 50 mm or so lower at the front.