Member Since: 22 Jun 2011
Location: southampton
Posts: 2477
more like "cantgetoff" than "winterhoff" if you get it wrong highly entertaining for everyone else stress for you : add a few "is everything ok darling" from SWMBO comments and not a good frame of mind to start your relaxing weekend
13th Jul 2011 8:42 am
Pelyma
Member Since: 06 Jan 2005
Location: Patching, Sussex
Posts: 15496
Barry C-All wrote:
I can't say how pleased I am to get shot of the Winterhof and get back to the AL-KO hitch on the our new Swift Conqueror.
I have a boxed, as new Wnterhof hitch lock for sale if anyone is interested. PM me, or I will be putting in the article for sale section of this forum if that's allowed.
Selling it well DS3 TDV6 HSE - Silver with Alpaca (old one) Gone
DS3 TDV6 HSE- Silver with Alpaca (new one) Gone
D4 HSE Lux - Montalcino Red Gone
Porsche Cayenne V8 Diesel S
13th Jul 2011 9:09 am
Ted Newman
Member Since: 09 Oct 2010
Location: SE London
Posts: 840
Never had a problem with either AL-KO or Winterhof couplings. You must always remember to lift the Winterhof handle that extra bit before trying to to release AND if necessary hold the handle right up whilst winding the jockey wheel down. It is a little bit of a knack to it but not difficult BUT the two main advantages are 1/- you do not need a 'special' tow ball as with the AL-KO and 2/- the hitch can be applied on most vehicles with rear door mounted wheels hanging over the ball.LR Discovery 4 XS pulling an Airstream 532 Caravan also own (since new) a 1996 MGF
I have new caravan with an Alko fitted, previous van had a Winterhoff. I think the Alko comes off easier but the Robstop anti theft lock for the Winterhoff is easier to on and off than the Alko hitch lock
Slightly different topic, I will be towing with a new to me MY05 D3. I have a fixed adjustable LR towbar fitted. Had a little go at towing couple of days ago and it wasn't as stable as I would have thought is should have been. It was all in a bit of a hurry to get the mover fixed so I didn't get time to accurately measure nose weight but the van was almost unloaded.
Sine then I have had new bushes fitted to the rear anti roll bar and the whole geometry laser aligned but I still need to set the towbar height right which is what I think was causing the problem
What height are you towing with a fixed towbar? Which holes with the plate mounted which way?
13th Jul 2011 11:59 am
al cope
Member Since: 08 Nov 2005
Location: Oldbury, WM
Posts: 10296
slinger
I tow an Abbey Spectrum twin axle, and I've removed the stupid drop plate, and have the ball mounted on the bottom set of holes, with Witter bike rack as well. 'Van tows level at this.
Click image to enlarge
AlVolvo XC90 B5 Plus Dark
Gone - MY18 D5 HSE - Corris on 22's with Black Pack
Now gone - MY16 D4 SE Tech, Loire Blue, Almond Leather, Privacy, plus some other goodies.
Old - MY12 D4 SDV6 XS Auto - Ipanema Sand with Almond Leather - Plus other niceties, and D4.com sticker
Older - D3 TDV6 XS Auto - Lugano Teal with Almond Leather, 20" Stormers, Shiny Tailpipes, DVD/TV - and obligatory D3 sticker
Ancient - D3 TDV6 S - Tonga with Ebony, 20" Stormers, satnav & DVD
Al, that is how I had mine set up until I put the plate in as the wife thought it looked high.
I am just paranoid after rolling a caravan behind a Disco 2 a few yaers agao. We just happen to making exactly the same trip at the weekend
Any idea the height of your tow ball with engine running?
Cheers
13th Jul 2011 3:55 pm
al cope
Member Since: 08 Nov 2005
Location: Oldbury, WM
Posts: 10296
17.5" to the center of the towball with the engine running on level ground.
My D2 used to be 19", which is what I thought I read somewhere was the idea height, but then it used to run slightly tail down with the 'van on the back, so even though it had rear air suspension, it used to drop slightly.
Whereas the D3 stays level, so I think the D2 with tail down slightly would have been at around the 17" mark.
hope that helps
AlVolvo XC90 B5 Plus Dark
Gone - MY18 D5 HSE - Corris on 22's with Black Pack
Now gone - MY16 D4 SE Tech, Loire Blue, Almond Leather, Privacy, plus some other goodies.
Old - MY12 D4 SDV6 XS Auto - Ipanema Sand with Almond Leather - Plus other niceties, and D4.com sticker
Older - D3 TDV6 XS Auto - Lugano Teal with Almond Leather, 20" Stormers, Shiny Tailpipes, DVD/TV - and obligatory D3 sticker
Ancient - D3 TDV6 S - Tonga with Ebony, 20" Stormers, satnav & DVD
Last edited by al cope on 13th Jul 2011 4:40 pm. Edited 1 time in total
13th Jul 2011 4:22 pm
Pelyma
Member Since: 06 Jan 2005
Location: Patching, Sussex
Posts: 15496
al cope wrote:
I tow an Abbey Spectrum twin axle, and I've removed the stupid drop plate, and have the ball mounted on the bottom set of holes, with Witter bike rack as well. 'Van tows level at this.
That's how I tow my TA FleetwoodDS3 TDV6 HSE - Silver with Alpaca (old one) Gone
DS3 TDV6 HSE- Silver with Alpaca (new one) Gone
D4 HSE Lux - Montalcino Red Gone
Porsche Cayenne V8 Diesel S
mmmm Sounds like I need to put it back how it was, I will measure it later when I get home and adjust.
Any idea what nose weight you are towing with?
13th Jul 2011 4:54 pm
al cope
Member Since: 08 Nov 2005
Location: Oldbury, WM
Posts: 10296
between 100 and 120k (as sometimes I have bikes on the bike rack, which adds to the noseweight). The D3 seems to like have the noseweight quite high.
AlVolvo XC90 B5 Plus Dark
Gone - MY18 D5 HSE - Corris on 22's with Black Pack
Now gone - MY16 D4 SE Tech, Loire Blue, Almond Leather, Privacy, plus some other goodies.
Old - MY12 D4 SDV6 XS Auto - Ipanema Sand with Almond Leather - Plus other niceties, and D4.com sticker
Older - D3 TDV6 XS Auto - Lugano Teal with Almond Leather, 20" Stormers, Shiny Tailpipes, DVD/TV - and obligatory D3 sticker
Ancient - D3 TDV6 S - Tonga with Ebony, 20" Stormers, satnav & DVD
13th Jul 2011 5:56 pm
Ambo
Member Since: 28 Jun 2010
Location: Ventnor Isle of Wight
Posts: 262
Have just bought a brand new Swift Freestyle 550, the D3 tows it like a dream!Nick
2009 D3 SE
Isle of Wight Steam Railway
I have moved the tow ball up to the centre setting, pumped up the tyres to 42 psi and with new bushes and geometry set up it finally felt comfortable towing. The nose weight gauge ran out at 90kg so I estimate I have around 100kg nose weight.
Let's see how the weekend goes.
13th Jul 2011 9:54 pm
Barry C-All
Member Since: 13 Nov 2008
Location: Essex
Posts: 169
I think that the essential factor for towing stability, is to ensure that the caravan when hitched, is slightly nose down, and that it is front heavy.
I totally agree but what I can't get my head around is that to get the caravan slightly nose down would mean lowering the tow hitch, which I can do with my adjustable but you couldn't do with a removable tow bar.
I did notice that between sitting level on the road with the engine running and returning from a 10 mile test drive the suspension had raised by 40mm. This is starting and setting off from the same road in the same running configuration.
14th Jul 2011 11:57 am
mark the spark
Member Since: 22 Jun 2011
Location: southampton
Posts: 2477
i use the detachable so no adjustment for height tows 1900 KG elldis surerscirocco twin axle like a dream super stable just keep the on board weight forward so you dont get bounced the worlds best tow car will take care of the rest
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highly entertaining for everyone else stress for you : add a few "is everything ok darling" from SWMBO comments and not a good frame of mind to start your relaxing weekend 
