WDH Bar length

kezngaz · Senior Member

WDH Bar length

Bill B · Guru

kezngaz wrote:

Hi all.
Why is there a choice of bar lengths when buying a WDH?
Is there a reason by safety or is it down to the space you got?

Cheers.
Kezngaz.

To suit the space on your A Frame.

On current van can only use 28' bars as gas bottles would be in the way with 30" bars.

PeterD · Guru

The two lengths were to accommodate different drawbar lengths. They are only available in the old Hayman Reese classic bars. No switched on vanner purchases those out of choice these days. The standard bars (the round ones) are much easier to use and give less troubles than the classic bars. That virtually means that as the classic bars die out you will only have the 30" bars available. I certainly will not go back to the classic bars after using the standard bars for the last 12 months. No doubt there will be some dinosaurs who still say the classic bars are best.

macka17 · Guru

Pete.

The ones you got. That do the job.
are the best ones to have.

I still have a set of the original "REECE" heaqd and bars.
they'll be used if I ever lose the other 500kg\750kg H.R systems
Anything that flexes and does the job lad.

PS.
Where' or what are the "troubles" that you've had with the std HR system???.

I've used bars since b4 they ever came out (He Bought out Reece licence from states yrs ago).
Pre them we used own welded head units with pre bent Spring steel round bars.
Dia to suit weights.
Still have a coupla them still in shed I think?.

PeterD · Guru

macka17 wrote:
PS.
Where' or what are the "troubles" that you've had with the std HR system???.

I have not had any problems with the standard bars. They totally pass under 100 mm draw bars. It was the classic bars I had problems with. On a tight jack knife when reversing, the outer bar pulled the snap off bracket off the draw bar. I have also seen the classic bars bent on too tight a bend.

kezngaz · Senior Member

Whilst i was looking today i read that your supposed to disconnect the bars when reversing, is this what contributed to your problems Pete?
Is it just HR systems that have different profile bars?
Cheers Kezngaz.

PeterD · Guru

The reversing situation could have been averted by removing the bars first. However the bent bar situation came about when exiting a caravan park. It should also be noted that none of these situations would have occurred with standard bars.

HR are the only company currently producing the classic bars.

kezngaz · Senior Member

Hi Pete, im still a little confused as to why the bar profile makes such a difference.
Round bar or flat bar, the old ones i got are square in profile.
Are these the flat ones you refer to? And if so why is it they cause more problems than the round ones?
Cheers
Kezngaz.

Sparkster · Senior Member

Pardon my ignorance and not being "switched on" but which are the Hayman Reese "classic Bars"?

I bought my H/R WDH setup about 13 years ago and have used them with four different 'vans up to 2300Kg and three different cars they're never taken off when reversing and I've never had a problem (touch wood).

I use the sixth link (pretty sure) which is marked for ease of use, and that's never varied as I take a lot of care keeping the ball weight and generally the load balanced.

The bars I have are the square bar that tapers to about a third of that thickness on the chain end.

Is that what's referred to as "classic"?

Surely you're not referring to the old shepherds crook that we used prior to that!

PeterD · Guru

Have a look at this page. It shows you the example of the two types. On some installations the classic bars the outer bar when cornering will contact the drawbar when negotiating a sharp bend. That is when the bar may be bent or pull the snap up bracket off the draw bar. You may not have had that happen yet but it may happen to many of you. I once had a bar pull the snap up bracket off the drawbar and that was on a 100 mm drawbar, a lot depends on how the coupling is mounted on the top of the drawbar.

kezngaz · Senior Member

Cheers pete, thank you for the detail once again.
I understand now.
Kezngaz.

John Kay · Veteran Member

Hi Kezngaz,

I went for the round WDH on advice from Hayman Reece due to 100mm draw bar.

As for the length depends on the draw bar layout.

As for weight depends on the TBW. ( If they are to heavy the van will stay ridged To light the van and vehicle will be bouncing all over the place.

Here are some short cuts hop the help you.

www.youtube.com/watch

www.youtube.com/watch

Cheers John Kay.

macka17 · Guru

I've used nothing but the "classic" 500?kg and 750kg.
Never had a problem.
From memory....
I seem to remember that the instructions say to
DISCONNECT bars when maneuvering or reversing.

Surely a van wouldn't near jack knife while driving along.
No bends are that sharp. In this country anyway.

John.
I've used the Classic sq bars on ALL my latest (20 yrs or so) vans.
And always had 4in drawbars.
I go the dual 4in rails on offroaders.
the 6in + 6in or 6 + 4in chassis rails make the bckbone of van too rigid. for me.

Watch them bouncing along from rear sometime.

Roadstar SEMI offroaders always had the dual 4 in rails, I had 3 of them.
(One Compass)

Pariss · Veteran Member

Thanks for the link Peter, that clears it up for me too. We've just ordered a new Jayco Starcraft OB TL, 18.55.3 which has a towball weight (unladen) of 220kg. Towing with a Mazda BT50 4x4 dual cab. I suppose by the time the van is loaded the weight will be up around the 270kg mark.