Towing with air suspension

[Sterling Sal]

Hi Roscoe,

Thanks! Yes, we love our Jeep and Lotus!

Interesting debate - I will try and find a great video that show the difference between air bags and a WDH and why you still need a WDH. It shows the various heights and axle weights and even with the airbags and air suspension, has still not transferred sufficient weight back to the front axle of the car. You think it is level, but even that is out by a couple of cms as well!

I would think that your insurer could be difficult in the event of a claim if you are not using a WDH and the handbook says to use one!

If the WDH trunion bars are loose and coming off, it is certainly not set correctly. We always get ours set up by the HR specialist - they take individual heights and set up the angles on the shank correctly. It is a particular art!

We have been towing 4 vans over 15 years and have found they all tow better with a WDH. than without. Just our experience, but the use of a Dual Cam Sway unit further enhances the towing experience. Truck buffeting is non-existent with this unit. It is a great piece of kit! We also have ESC on our Lotus.

Attended the tech talks at the Bris Caravan show each year and they always advocate the use of a WDH with any van over about 1500kg. Yeah, I know they are HR, but their slides and info make a lot of sense!

Great your set up feels okay and you are happy with it - that is the main thing. Confidence goes a long way in hauling a big van!

I'll see if I can find that video clip!

Cheers,
Sally

[Sterling Sal]

Here it is!

You Tube

Cheers,
Sally

[Sterling Sal]

Here is some more info

You Tube

You Tube

http://www.haymanreese.com.au/produc...bution-systems

http://www.haymanreese.com.au/produc...e-sway-control

Cheers,
Sally

[Damo1970]

For those towing with 300kg or so on the ball how are you staying under GVM? With 2 people & a full tank of fuel there is little carrying capacity left. You obviously have no accessories fitted or have any load in the vehicle.

[Sterling Sal]

Just staying under - have an alloy bullbar and roof rack, but no bash plates. Our ball weight varies from 270- 310kg depending what we are travelling with. If up at 310kg put less in the car and more in the van - the GCM is 6449kg, so can pack accordingly between the two. Not much else in the vehicle - just a jack and the useful tub of tape, Rclips etc. Only ever the two of us.

Had the whole rig checked at last year's Van Safety Day at the showgrounds - came in just under 2900kg. Fuel was half full.

Cheers,
Sally

[Bomber]

We have the air suspension and have towed 3,5T around 60,000km. I would say if you have a heavy ball weight van WDH is essential at highway speeds. A WDH job isn't to level the car but to transfer weight , and just jacking and lowering "springs" (ie the airbags) does not achieve that goal adequately. I can tell the difference, especially on our lumpy outback roads. Note that we have a rotational hitch and the WDH always comes off for dirt roads and one lane bitumen roads, which are of course done at lower speeds anyway.

The quadra-air is great for towing, very smooth and even better when it comes to hitching and unhitching on uneven ground.

[roscoea26]

Thanks for that info Sally this is all very interesting, McHitch make their own WDH specifically for their Hitches. Interestingly their advice is see how your rig goes you may not need their WDH.

I'm not getting any truck buffeting or any concerns with high cross winds, I do slow down in cross winds and move over and slow down once a truck has started a passing manoeuvre, the only time I have felt anything is generally from a triple or a double.

My tow speed is generally 85k p/hr that is the sweet spot for the Jeep and it is only burning 12's on a flat road in perfect conditions and 14's in windy/hilly conditions.

Also I've spoken to a lot of truckies over the years and to them that is the speed they like from caravanners as it is much easier for them to get their rigs to accelerate around; 90 plus is a pain unless the caravanner slows down but they find caravanners who are travelling at 90 plus don't.

Back to creating a level ride, first of all with the airbags on my WH whenever I adjusted them I always measured the distance between the centre and the wheel and the edge of the wheel arch and played around with the pressure until they were all pretty much the same measurements. Also on the draw bar I have one of the T shaped levelling bubble and I always got that perfectly level.

With the WK I have found that when the self levelling shocks do their work and I stop on a level stopping bay that bubble is perfectly level so I come to the conclusion that the vehicle must be pretty much level.

Bearing in mind the way the McHitch operates and the ride I am getting I can't see how a WDH could make it any better.

My mate with the QL has also found that when the vehicle levels the bubble on his drawbar is also showing a level van.

With this in mind what tension are you going to place on the WDH as it's already level, the act is that the McHitch works differently to a static towball and tongue. There are so many different hitches out there now that do swivel and they do act differently to the standard ball type.

I have a Towball Scale that I use when loading the van, it's stamped Tare Mass is 2110kg GTM 2340kg and GTM 2510kg the stamped tow ball weight is 170kg but it normally weights in at 210 - 230.

My experience with towing caravans I certainly regard a Weight Distribution Hitch (WDH) as a significant towing safety aid which helps braking and steering where significant ball-weights are involved.

I did have a single axle off road trailer many years ago and it's tow ball weight was significant the use of one with it did make a big difference.

The Grand Cherokee comes with Trailer Sway Control which Chrysler feels will do the safety job up to 2500kg and I do believe that this is playing a part in my towing experience, without the use of a WDH.

Notwithstanding the above I do concede that Chrysler's requirement for a Weight Distribution Hitch (WDH) for towing loads which exceed 2268-2270kg, while applying to the vehicles warranty could certainly be taken into account by an insurance company, there is a risk there.

Likewise the tow ball weight on the vehicle reduces the load that the vehicle can carry and the transport people in all states are now pulling a lot vanners over checking on vehicles and loads. If your rig doesn't look level or she looks loaded to the hilt or a tinnie on the roof you'll be stopped, also insurance companies are doing these checks as a result of an accident.

Anyway I'm going to take this up with FCA and point out and question what use a WDH is when the vehicle is already perfectly level with the van already hitched considering the ride is spot on as a result of air suspension and self levelling shocks, there a lot of people out there who do not use a WDH and are getting excellent towing without their use.

Toyota have active height control and I've spoken to owners of these vehicles towing big rigs not using a WDH and are telling me we don't need them.