 | Home > Puma (Tdci) > How can I lower the Tow Ball |
 
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| nick345345 Member Since: 05 Dec 2016 Location: Dunbar Posts: 71   
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I had a similar problem with my 110 and trailer. I've fitted an adjustable tow bar (LR007222) which is quite a lot lower than the fixed towbar I had before and the twin axle trailer now uses both axles....
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23rd Jan 2017 10:55am |
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| Clemmo Member Since: 03 Aug 2012 Location: Mile Oak Posts: 1217  
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Dixon Bates adjustable.
the best there is Clemmo  Make today a little better than yesterday but not so good as tomorrow....
Defender 90 HT............Pangea Green BMW X3 Msport............Carbon Black Mini Electric................Grey. (wow!) MGB Roadster……..........Vermillion 17k miles Honda Benly CD200....Maroon --------McLouis Fusio........7.4m of fun |
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23rd Jan 2017 11:01am |
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| Martin Site Admin Member Since: 02 Apr 2007 Location: Hook Norton Posts: 6605  
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Have a search on here for "Dixon Bate" - plenty of people use their slider system to lower the tow ball height.
Martin  1988 90 Td5 NAS soft top
2015 D90 XS SW |
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23rd Jan 2017 11:02am |
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| pjb Member Since: 08 Apr 2009 Location: Sunny Oxford Posts: 1244 |
I bought attached from Brendan as had the same problem, but I had a NAS rear step so may not work for you
Click image to enlarge Couple of different height options
Click image to enlarge Tows perfectly level 2020 P300 HSE |
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23rd Jan 2017 11:16am |
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| JOW240725 Member Since: 04 May 2015 Location: Suffolk Posts: 7905 
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Dixon Bate
James
MY2012 110 2.2TDCi XS SW Orkney Grey - http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic43410.html MY1990 110 200TDi SW beautifully faded Portofino Red - https://www.defender2.net/forum/post743641.html#743641 MY1984 90 V8 Slate Grey - https://www.defender2.net/forum/post744557.html#744557 Instagram @suffolk_rovers |
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23rd Jan 2017 11:33am |
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| miker Member Since: 13 Sep 2015 Location: Surrey Posts: 1763 
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I have a long dixon bate ladder bolted on in a similar manner to JOW. My defender is either lifted or has HD springs (Not sure which!) and the towball sat way too high for the twin axle Ifor I use.
Now it sits pretty much level when empty and slightly nose down when loaded. Overrun brakes are far more effective when it's not trying to push up into the hitch as well! |
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23rd Jan 2017 12:20pm |
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| TJ101 Member Since: 30 May 2007 Location: Taunton Somerset Posts: 3750  
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Click image to enlarge 4 diferent trailers,, 3 different hights As above, best option California F1, 75th 110 "Kermit", 50th Ann V8, 90 V8 Hybrid, 55 Series 1 Main Brian James Trailer Dealer for South West UK |
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23rd Jan 2017 12:37pm |
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| IanW Member Since: 12 Jun 2011 Location: Gloucestershire Posts: 172 
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What's the situation with drop plates for the tow ball? Apparently Witter are ok with a drop plate on a Disco or Defender with their towbars. My 110 has a standard LR towbar from new. Various other forums suggest that some 4x4s have some kind of exemptions from the type approval requirements when a drop plate is fitted - does this apply to the standard LR fitment? It seems that to be type approved the process has to include testing with a drop plate. All a bit confusing. I've got a drop plate in the garage, and the caravan does ride a bit high at the front - but don't want to do anything unsafe/illegal. One wife - livid
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23rd Jan 2017 3:06pm |
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| miker Member Since: 13 Sep 2015 Location: Surrey Posts: 1763
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As far as i understand it, flat plate drop plates are questionable/illegal/not type approved. I would feel comfortable using one unless horrendously over engineered, the loads generated when towing are considerable, and it wouldn't be that hard to bend a standard 10mm drop plate.
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23rd Jan 2017 3:16pm |
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| Wild Card 90 Member Since: 03 Dec 2014 Location: Gerlingen Posts: 1060 
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Had a similar problem to sort out, on my 90 with 50mm higher springs. I tow a number of trailers including a 3.5 ton dual axle trailer, which doesn´t make the 90´s life easy, if it is not level.
Using a 90mm extended tow ball from Thule (Sweden), the top of the ball is 46 cm high, without any load on it, which works perfectly for me. It drops to about 43 cm with the big trailer hitched up. With a lighter 2200 kg flatbed trailer, it works well, too. With a max nose weight of 200 Kg, and D-value of 20 Nm, it is well suited to the Defender. The Thule part number is 530072. Couldn´t find you a UK supplier, but this is where I purchased mine (in Germany). https://www.kupplung.de/universal-kugelkopf-4-loch-122042.html Stephen Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge 1998 Tdi 90 SW, 2008 Td4 90 SW, 2012 2.2 90 SW, 2" raised Trailmaster/Terrafirma Heavy Track Raids, 255 MT´s, Recaro CS´s, anorak, wellingtons |
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23rd Jan 2017 6:44pm |
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| shipbadger Member Since: 10 Jan 2016 Location: Royal Forest of Dean Posts: 19 
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Always used the Series type drop plate. This is a shallow U shape and much less likely to buckle than the flat plate which LR introduced with the first 110 models. This tended to buckle under when farmers trailers of unknown weight were attached. The standard response by garages around here was to revert to the Series type, which is still available.
Tony Comber Alwa |
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23rd Jan 2017 6:58pm |
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| leeds Member Since: 28 Dec 2009 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 8580
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The law about towing equipment is quite straight forward however applied to Defenders not so straight forward.
Cars since about 1997 need type approved towing equipment. Commercial vehicles do not require type approved towing equipment. Commercial Defenders such as hard tops are classified as commercial so do not need type approved towing equipment Some Defender SW need type approved towing equipment Since about 2012 ALL Defenders were classified as commercial so no need for type approved towing equipment (Sorry can not remember exact year! Am sure someone will supply correct year) So it depends if your Defender is M1 or N1 tax class. 
Tow ball height? EEC directive 94/20/EC says towball height fully laden should be between 350 and 420mm Caravan/trailer hitch height should be between 385 and 455 mm Good info here Dixon Bates towing equipment is type approved. OEM suppliers of towing equipment to Land Rover. The Nakatanenga drop tow ball available HERE is E marked. Please note if you want a larger fuel tank and/or tank guard it may impinge on fitting towing equipment. A 2" receiver and drop plate is not type approved. Legal on commercial Defenders. We have lowed on 2" receivers with no issues. HTH Brendan |
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23rd Jan 2017 8:28pm |
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| xtr2turbo Member Since: 30 Apr 2016 Location: Hertfordshire Posts: 71 
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That is the neatest drop tow ball I have seen. Thanks David |
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23rd Jan 2017 8:59pm |
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| IanW Member Since: 12 Jun 2011 Location: Gloucestershire Posts: 172
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Thanks for these responses. I've got an enquiry in with Dixon Bate and will post the response. Interesting to note that Dixon Bate and AlKo are in the same premises by the look of it, as the caravan has a twin axle AlKo chassis the response ought to be specific. Without hunting for the reg document the 110 tax is a bit over £500, so M1 I guess. One wife - livid
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24th Jan 2017 9:29am |
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