Tow bar

I found out today Volvo do not do fixed or detachable towers any more only expensive (£1075) fold away one with 13 pin plug connector is in middle of tow hook at base not sure how this will be affected by weather

2019 XC60 Towbar has a label visible when hitch is extended and requires lying under car to view, 140Kgs is the noseweight on the bar.

My Alko AKS3004 is 150Kg although the plate jockey wheel axle weight is 98Kg

The material from which the retractable towbars for both Volvo & Mercedes appears to be superior to that of detachables made by Witter & Westfalia that I`ve had before. The balls themselves even though they remain under the car do not rust. the detachables rusted just sat in the garage. The bars fold up quite well underneath and electrics so far have not suffered. 

My XC60 permanent feed (which I`ve had checked by Volvo) is finicky in operation. When the caravan is plugged in the ATC may not activate until the car is activated by opening a door, if the engine is restarted at any point the ATC will restart and self test i.e. the permanent feed is switched off momentarily. This is not the way ATC is intended to operate haven't had any problems yet the previous Merc shut down the permanent feed after six hours.

taken from caravan talk.

    Ian

Approved Member

12,721 posts
Gender:Male
Location:Worcestershire
Interests:Caravan
Towcar:Jeep Grand Cherokee
Caravan:Buccaneer Cruiser 2018
 
Posted April 1, 2014
Surely with a twin axle and according to the manufacturers own formula, even if the caravan is completely empty it will exceed the nose weight of 100kg. If you then take the MIRO into consideration which includes water, gas bottles etc this figure then rises. According to the manufacturers own formula our ideal nose weight is 126kg when fully laden and 121kg if at its MIRO. Recently I towed and the noseweight was above the 100kg by a few kgs and the tow felt good and not at all twitchy. We now check to make sure that we are at 100kg.

ALKO sent me the following reply to my query; 

The nose load should never exceed the smallest figure of the coupling device, overrun assembly, jockey wheel and towbar. With regards the AL-KO equipment the overrun assembly, consisting of the draw shaft and handbrake etc, should not exceed 100kgs. Going over this figure would result in excessive wear on the overrun bushes.