It is quite a while since I have towed a van. Many years ago I sold my last van and went Motorhoming. I have now come back to Caravanning. I have an Option Rv Distinction and a Izuzu D Max. I have installed a Dexter Anti Sway System and also have purchased a Hayman Reece set of Weight Distribution Hitch { round spring bars}. I have to back the van from the street up a concrete easement to my house. There is an incline coming off the road to back the van up the concrete driveway. Is it ok to leave the Hitch on whilst reversing up about 30 metres or so. If it is ok to do that would it be preferable to just take a bit of tension off the Hitch or just leave it as is. Any opinions either way would be appreciated. Yes it is ok or a definite No No. Thanks for interest and replies.
Most likely it should be detensioned (not just a bit) or removed entirely. It really depends on how quickly the levels change. In other words with the DMax at the bottom, and presumably pretty level, how much higher are the van wheels?
The WDH is going to try and keep your rig stiff like a board. If the van angles up at the rear when you reverse, the DMax rear wheels may lift entirely from the ground. But more than likely, something would break before this happens. So, unless it is a gently increasing slope, where the "board" can stay stiff, you should ensure the tension can not increase too much.
But won't you be removing the WDH anyway when it is parked? Why not remove it before reversing?
It is quite a while since I have towed a van. Many years ago I sold my last van and went Motorhoming. I have now come back to Caravanning. I have an Option Rv Distinction and a Izuzu D Max. I have installed a Dexter Anti Sway System and also have purchased a Hayman Reece set of Weight Distribution Hitch { round spring bars}. I have to back the van from the street up a concrete easement to my house. There is an incline coming off the road to back the van up the concrete driveway. Is it ok to leave the Hitch on whilst reversing up about 30 metres or so. If it is ok to do that would it be preferable to just take a bit of tension off the Hitch or just leave it as is. Any opinions either way would be appreciated. Yes it is ok or a definite No No. Thanks for interest and replies.
Rainbird Rovers ( Jim)
Hi Jim. Why on earth would you even think of leaving it on? As Stephen has suggested, leaving it on will result in the car's rear wheels having little or no traction, not to mention the enormous stresses it will put on your car's chassis, the van's chassis and the actual towbar structure. Don't know much about your van, but the DMax is a great tow vehicle to safely tow a van up to about 3100kg ATM with no need for the greatly misunderstood, and over rated, cure-it-all WDH. Cheers
P.S Definite No No.
-- Edited by yobarr on Tuesday 19th of April 2022 08:26:00 PM
It is quite a while since I have towed a van. Many years ago I sold my last van and went Motorhoming. I have now come back to Caravanning. I have an Option Rv Distinction and a Izuzu D Max. I have installed a Dexter Anti Sway System and also have purchased a Hayman Reece set of Weight Distribution Hitch { round spring bars}. I have to back the van from the street up a concrete easement to my house. There is an incline coming off the road to back the van up the concrete driveway. Is it ok to leave the Hitch on whilst reversing up about 30 metres or so. If it is ok to do that would it be preferable to just take a bit of tension off the Hitch or just leave it as is. Any opinions either way would be appreciated. Yes it is ok or a definite No No. Thanks for interest and replies.
Rainbird Rovers ( Jim)
Hi Jim,
I think a bit more info is needed. You do not mention how steep the incline is. This is important. A pic would be good.
Some here who don't like WDHs will fill the page with scare mongering nonsense. Personally it's very unusual for me to disconnect my HR WDH. I only do this for very sharp reversing situations or rough tracks where there are steep inclines say more than about 15deg.
I am yet to, lose traction, break or bend my chassis or lift the wheels off the ground.
I regularly make sharp turns in suburbs, even U turns and drive up gutters etc. I even reverse around corners to park the van,,,,wow living dangerously. After all it is designed to tow vans, vans are not only driven on straight roads. If your concerned drop a link or two. In extreme situations disconnect. For 99.9% of driving its not an issue.
I use a WDH but I would take the WDH off before doing your proposed reversing operation. As mentioned earlier, won't you be parking the van so disengaging anyway, hence taking the WDH off 30 metres earlier would not make much difference, I expect.
Probably easier reversing without the groans and moans of the stressed WDH mechanism.
What about where the van is to be parked? If the area is not flat or if the van and vehicle not straight, there may be extra stress in the tension bars, so releasing one or both of the bars maybe a bit different, ie more hazardous than normal.
I have been reversing up a slight incline to my van parking spot beside my house for 23 years. I have never removed the HR WDH spring bars.
The first part of the manoeuvre requires a full lock, close to 90 degree turn.
I engage 4WD low range. Never any transmission wind up either.
My main reason for keeping the hitch on is to prevent the HR hitch from digging up my footpath lawn during that part of the operation where the patrol is on the roadway & the van on the higher footpath, by keeping it a bit more elevated than without the hitch.
I never take the springs off when reversing onto CP sites either & they almost always involve a close to 90 degree turn.
edit .. This old bloke is in full agreement with Oldbloke's post.
-- Edited by Cupie on Wednesday 20th of April 2022 08:54:24 AM
-- Edited by Cupie on Wednesday 20th of April 2022 08:55:09 AM
So just as you wouldn't leave your WDH connected on dirt roads nor would you drive through culverts, because you can bend the tow bar or worse your chassis.
If you have incline that concerns you then the best course is to disconnect the WDH as they are designed to transfer weight (load) to the front wheels of the tow vehicle removing (load) from the rear wheels of tow vehicle's suspension.
In a level position, so as the van moves up the incline the A Frame will be force down and the rear of the Tow vehicle also dips, placing force directly against the WDH which is trying to oppose these forces.
So remove the WDH bars from the unit, it's quick and easy. If in doubt just remove the doubt.
Thanks everyone for your input it is appreciated. I live on a busy road but up an easement and the traffic is quite busy at most times during the day. I decided to bite the bullet and remove all the hitch and then took a height measurement with the hitch on and without. There was not a lot of difference so decided to reverse the van up from the street over the incline. To my surprise I had enough clearance .Not a lot but enough that meant it never scraped. Happy Chappie. Cheers and thanks again.
Thanks everyone for your input it is appreciated. I live on a busy road but up an easement and the traffic is quite busy at most times during the day. I decided to bite the bullet and remove all the hitch and then took a height measurement with the hitch on and without. There was not a lot of difference so decided to reverse the van up from the street over the incline. To my surprise I had enough clearance .Not a lot but enough that meant it never scraped. Happy Chappie. Cheers and thanks again.
Rainbird rovers
Fantastic that you've come back to let us know your results, Jim. Thanks. Many do not even acknowledge responses, let alone report back. Thanks again. And great to see that it all worked out well for you! Cheers
-- Edited by yobarr on Friday 29th of April 2022 08:30:58 PM
