The first pic does not show an extension, it is a reinforcement over the area of greatest stress. Looks well made to my untrained eye.
Why would you wish to reduce its length anyhow? Longer draw bars improve towing stability and reduce tow ball weight. Most peple are prepared to pay money to have them extended.

Cheers,
Peter

Col re your longer Drawbar, the Drawbar ( A frame?) on our caravan is shorter but is a 4"x 2" ( 100mm x 50mm)box section whereas yours appears to be 6" x 2" (150mm x 50mm).

However if I owned your rig I would like the chassis manufacturer to have added a strengthener longways under the drawbar for added strength. This normally a piece of flat steel around 2" wide by 3/8" thick postioned around 2' ( 50mm) lower than the drawbar by supports every 30cm, going a bit back from the hitch to well under the van. I have seen this setup on other vans with 6x2 drawbars.

I would be happy with an extended Drawbar just make sure that your towbar/vehicle can legally carry any extra weight.

Peter

Hi

IMHO having a longer drawbar is a plus. Makes towing better. If I had one built I would get extra length. Only problem would be if you have a space problem at home. Also there is enough stuff on the drawbar already do not be tempted to put more on there.

I would not think it needs any extra steel bars if the manufacturer though it was good as it looks good.

Jaahn

gold dandelion wrote:

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while on draw-bars, do you measure the length of the van from the tow ball to the rear or from the front of the van.

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 Depends upon the situation. When buying or selling a van most people are interested in the accommodation length. If you are fitting it into somewhere it is handy to know the total length. When booking into a park I give both lengths, generally they remark that they are only interested in the body length (they make allowance for the drawbar and spare tyre.)

Col Rennie wrote:

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Hi My van has an extended draw bar .

is it possible to have it reduced to normal and still be legal.

-- Edited by Col Rennie on Sunday 7th of January 2018 09:22:39 PM

-- Edited by Col Rennie on Sunday 7th of January 2018 09:23:07 PM

-- Edited by Col Rennie on Sunday 7th of January 2018 09:23:27 PM

---

 Peters post sums it up perfectly.The chassis reinforcing you see is commonly known as a

Fish plate and is designed to give added strength at stress points.His remarks about the

extra length are also accurate.I note that in another post you said that you were told that

the overall length of your van was 27,but  it actually is 31. There is no way known that you 

can cut 4 off that towbar,if that was your plan.Leave it as it is......many dream of what you

have,for both stability and weight distribution purposes.

Happy travels! 

                 Cheers CB

                        

 

thanks

brickies wrote:

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The length of a caravan is inside length not tow ball to the rear of the caravan

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 That is open to conjecture. There is now no standard for measuring the body length. For the first 30 years I have been associated with caravans the overall body length was measured. During that time people used to refer to the maximum suitable van length a particular vehicle could tow. In the 90s some of the more unscrupulous sales people invented a new way of measuring a van so they could sell bigger vans to new customers, (bigger vans meant bigger cost and also bigger commissions.) They used terms like internal, floor and furniture length. Most owners could not replicate this measurement subsequently. There also was the situation that double bed models were longer than single bed models (by the space where you could walk around the end of the bed.) Despite the difference in length, both models were sold as being the same length. If you asked for extras that resulted in extra length the van was still sold as the same length as the standard single bed model. A friends extended van was still referred to as a "16' 6" van" where as it had a body length of 19' 6". This was much the same van that was sold to me by another manufacturer as a 19' 6" van. It was certainly not a smaller van like his salesman suggested.

I consider those who insist on using those mythical internal dimensions as poor deluded fools. I like to know what size van I am actually towing and will only refer to the true body length.

Col, my van would have exactly the same length a frame as yours, except instead of the box there is a tray for firewood etc. The longer the distance between the tow ball and van wheels the easier to reverse. Also tows better on the road.

As a comparison with a semi trailer it is far easier to reverse a 40 ft trailer than a 20 ft trailer

Keep it as is.

Barry

No Col not yet ,though we have been right up to the roadway with the coupling in a couple of old parks.

When travelling we overnight either in free camp or showground, more room and do not have to unhitch.

What is the length of your van, must be about 26 ft ??

Barry

The extended drawbar adds 300mm to the overall length.