Another one. What we see here is illegal, leaving the vehicle unsafe and potentially uninsured? There are 3 issues. Saw this today and it only reinforces my belief that towing courses and aporopriate licences should be mandatory for all caravanners. Cheers
P.S The tyres on the van were hopelessly underinflated too!
Yes, uncrossed chains. Double shackles and that long one does not appear to be rated, let alone 1 tonne. Can't see the RH chain attachment. Also, it's hard to tell from the photo but the drop hitch looks very low.
-- Edited by Are We Lost on Wednesday 6th of July 2022 03:24:18 PM
Yes, uncrossed chains. Double shackles and that long one does not appear to be rated, let alone 1 tonne. Can't see the RH chain attachment. Also, it's hard to tell from the photo but the drop hitch looks very low.
You've done well Stephen, with 3 out of 3. The long shackle appears to be stainless steel so is not allowed to be used on safety chains. The hitch was a bit low but the vehicle here can't go offroad with any decent weight anyway, so the hitch shouldn't be a problem. Ivan's observations also were pertinent. Cheers
-- Edited by yobarr on Wednesday 6th of July 2022 08:48:36 PM
Yes, uncrossed chains. Double shackles and that long one does not appear to be rated, let alone 1 tonne. Can't see the RH chain attachment. Also, it's hard to tell from the photo but the drop hitch looks very low.
You've done well Stephen, with 3 out of 3. The long shackle appears to be stainless steel so is not allowed to be used on safety chains. The hitch was a bit low but the vehicle here can't go offroad with any decent weight anyway, so the hitch shouldn't be a problem. Ivan's observations also were pertinent. Cheers
-- Edited by yobarr on Wednesday 6th of July 2022 08:48:36 PM
I think the reason for the 2 D shackles is the chains are not long enough to be crossed, and could be fouling the bottom of the hitch shank.
The height of the hitch head is dictated by the height of trailer coupler.
The sensible solution would be to have coupler assembly mounted on the top of the trailer chassis, possibly the chains would be long enough to use 1 D shackle.
Yes, uncrossed chains. Double shackles and that long one does not appear to be rated, let alone 1 tonne. Can't see the RH chain attachment. Also, it's hard to tell from the photo but the drop hitch looks very low.
You've done well Stephen, with 3 out of 3. The long shackle appears to be stainless steel so is not allowed to be used on safety chains. The hitch was a bit low but the vehicle here can't go offroad with any decent weight anyway, so the hitch shouldn't be a problem. Ivan's observations also were pertinent. Cheers
-- Edited by yobarr on Wednesday 6th of July 2022 08:48:36 PM
I think the reason for the 2 D shackles is the chains are not long enough to be crossed, and could be fouling the bottom of the hitch shank.
The height of the hitch head is dictated by the height of trailer coupler.
The sensible solution would be to have coupler assembly mounted on the top of the trailer chassis, possibly the chains would be long enough to use 1 D shackle.
Hi Graham. The first photo perhaps didn't show enough detail so I have supplied this one. As can be seen, the chains certainly are long enough to be crossed, even with only one shackle per chain, as is the legal requirement The chains would go behind (caravan side) the towbar shank so that when turning left, for example, the right chain mounting point gets closer to the left side shackle, thus reducing the necessary chain length, and vice versa. Removing one shackle would be easy, but if for any stupid reason someone wanted to keep the same chain length it would be easy to put a hammerlock in the chain or on the car. Cheers
P.S Perhaps the coupler assembly has been put where it is to allow the van to be towed by the smaller cars often bought by dreamers who think they're going to tow 3500kg with a lightweight twin-cab or similar? Cheers
-- Edited by yobarr on Thursday 7th of July 2022 12:12:11 PM
-- Edited by yobarr on Thursday 7th of July 2022 12:22:29 PM
I have never paid much attention to what other people do with their van and trailer hitch arrangements...I might start to take notice, could be an interesting diversion...lol
I have never paid much attention to what other people do with their van and trailer hitch arrangements...I might start to take notice, could be an interesting diversion...lol
Yeah, it can be very interesting. Every car and van that I encounter in my travels is subject to scrutiny, with most people being both receptive to and appreciative of advice given. You get the occasional idiot who simply does not want to know, and then there are those who reckon that they can have 3500Kg on their van axles, along with others who waffle on about their 3800kg GVM upgrade but will not listen to facts, although they are in the minority, thankfully. Cheers
Yes, uncrossed chains. Double shackles and that long one does not appear to be rated, let alone 1 tonne. Can't see the RH chain attachment. Also, it's hard to tell from the photo but the drop hitch looks very low.
You've done well Stephen, with 3 out of 3. The long shackle appears to be stainless steel so is not allowed to be used on safety chains. The hitch was a bit low but the vehicle here can't go offroad with any decent weight anyway, so the hitch shouldn't be a problem. Ivan's observations also were pertinent. Cheers
-- Edited by yobarr on Wednesday 6th of July 2022 08:48:36 PM
I think the reason for the 2 D shackles is the chains are not long enough to be crossed, and could be fouling the bottom of the hitch shank.
The height of the hitch head is dictated by the height of trailer coupler.
The sensible solution would be to have coupler assembly mounted on the top of the trailer chassis, possibly the chains would be long enough to use 1 D shackle.
Hi Graham. The first photo perhaps didn't show enough detail so I have supplied this one. As can be seen, the chains certainly are long enough to be crossed, even with only one shackle per chain, as is the legal requirement The chains would go behind (caravan side) the towbar shank so that when turning left, for example, the right chain mounting point gets closer to the left side shackle, thus reducing the necessary chain length, and vice versa. Removing one shackle would be easy, but if for any stupid reason someone wanted to keep the same chain length it would be easy to put a hammerlock in the chain or on the car. Cheers
P.S Perhaps the coupler assembly has been put where it is to allow the van to be towed by the smaller cars often bought by dreamers who think they're going to tow 3500kg with a lightweight twin-cab or similar? Cheers
-- Edited by yobarr on Thursday 7th of July 2022 12:12:11 PM
-- Edited by yobarr on Thursday 7th of July 2022 12:22:29 PM
yobarr, is that caravan a NOVA, I think that I have seen that one before?
Yes, uncrossed chains. Double shackles and that long one does not appear to be rated, let alone 1 tonne. Can't see the RH chain attachment. Also, it's hard to tell from the photo but the drop hitch looks very low.
You've done well Stephen, with 3 out of 3. The long shackle appears to be stainless steel so is not allowed to be used on safety chains. The hitch was a bit low but the vehicle here can't go offroad with any decent weight anyway, so the hitch shouldn't be a problem. Ivan's observations also were pertinent. Cheers
-- Edited by yobarr on Wednesday 6th of July 2022 08:48:36 PM
I think the reason for the 2 D shackles is the chains are not long enough to be crossed, and could be fouling the bottom of the hitch shank.
The height of the hitch head is dictated by the height of trailer coupler.
The sensible solution would be to have coupler assembly mounted on the top of the trailer chassis, possibly the chains would be long enough to use 1 D shackle.
Hi Graham. The first photo perhaps didn't show enough detail so I have supplied this one. As can be seen, the chains certainly are long enough to be crossed, even with only one shackle per chain, as is the legal requirement The chains would go behind (caravan side) the towbar shank so that when turning left, for example, the right chain mounting point gets closer to the left side shackle, thus reducing the necessary chain length, and vice versa. Removing one shackle would be easy, but if for any stupid reason someone wanted to keep the same chain length it would be easy to put a hammerlock in the chain or on the car. Cheers
P.S Perhaps the coupler assembly has been put where it is to allow the van to be towed by the smaller cars often bought by dreamers who think they're going to tow 3500kg with a lightweight twin-cab or similar? Cheers
yobarr, is that caravan a NOVA, I think that I have seen that one before?
Sorry Ray but I took no notice of model of van, although it was towed by a Discovery in Western Australa. Cheers
The fun continued today when I spotted a Prado towing a 24 Coromal Princeton. Because the owner returned while I was admiring it I didnt take any photos but it had exactly the same set up as yesterdays example. Safety chains were waaay too long, and close to the ground, each chain had 2 shackles and, once again, there was a long stainless steel shackle included. Owner seemed quite surprised when I pointed it all out to him, and said he would at least remove one shackle on each chain before proceeding, but when the boss returned to the car they got in and drove away. Take a horse to water but. .. Cheers
The fun continued today when I spotted a Prado towing a 24 Coromal Princeton. Because the owner returned while I was admiring it I didnt take any photos but it had exactly the same set up as yesterdays example. Safety chains were waaay too long, and close to the ground, each chain had 2 shackles and, once again, there was a long stainless steel shackle included. Owner seemed quite surprised when I pointed it all out to him, and said he would at least remove one shackle on each chain before proceeding, but when the boss returned to the car they got in and drove away. Take a horse to water but. .. Cheers
With that van behind a Prado it was probably a case of the chains being the least of his worries, although the choice of that combination might have been made by the boss.
Lets hope it was an old model and not a newer one.
Coromal Princeton 735s
Travel length: 9110mm
Body length (open length): 730mm
External body width: 2420mm
Travel height: 2850mm
Interior height: 1980mm
Tare weight: 2918kg
ATM: 3418kg
Ball weight: 234kg
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Welcome to Biggs Country many may know it as Australia
