TD5 air suspension & towing.

I will shortly be transfering my Alko towball from my 300tdi to my TD5 and will need to ensure that it is the right height for towing my Lunar Delta twin axle caravan. The hanbook for the caravan states a towball height of 390-425 which I had to use a drop plate to achieve on the 300tdi, but I also had to take into account a slight suspension compression when putting the van on the back which has a noseweight of about 130kgs. As the TD5 has self levelling suspension can I discount any allowance for this noseweight, even if I also have all seven seats occupied. Sadly because the van is 26 ft long and a twin axle which makes manouverability difficult, we cannot keep it at home especially as we live in a small culdesac which is usually well bunged up with neighbours cars, so trial fits entials collecting from the storage park and taking to a local industrial estate.

Yes, that is the idea. They even warn you in the book to start the engine and make sure the suspension has pumped itself up before checking the tailor or caravan is level.
Can't vouch for how it works in practise though.

I went from a Defender to a Discovery II ES '03 with air suspension. The only way to get it sorted is to hitch it, take it for a drive and then park it up on level ground and then drop or raise the hitch accordingly...
I think my Disco tows better than my Defender and of course my back doesn't feel like I need a spine board when I get out at the other end!!!

sparkyspice said:

I went from a Defender to a Discovery II ES '03 with air suspension. The only way to get it sorted is to hitch it, take it for a drive and then park it up on level ground and then drop or raise the hitch accordingly...

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I think your probably right. I have had other cars with self levelling suspension and to date it has not really been self levelling as it has always shown a slight depression with a load on. I have high hopes for the TD5 though as it is a totally different proposition. My 300tdi has been truly magnificent albeit sounding a bit agricultural. So its out with the spanners and have a play then.

If you have the standard Disco Towbar then the third set of holes down should set the van right. I have this on Mine with Air Suspension and my van sits dead level

When you first hitch the car will drop however once you start the Engine and with all doors closed it will come back up to the same height as neas as dam it and therefore no tolerence needs to be made.

As a matter of Intrest how come you can run such a high nose weight i thought the limit on the Alko chassis that your van sits on was 100Kg nose weight?

I just cannot get it down. The Lunar is fitted with allsorts of extras and when completely empty, and I mean completely, i.e., no gas bottles, spare wheel or anything in the cupboards or front compartment, she comes in at about 220 kgs. The caravan forums are full of people having trouble with Lunar noseweights. I have simply bought a Landrover to cope with this heavy noseweight and of course tow it happilly. I have to put the awning at the back of the van plus the wheel clamp and a few more items just to get the noseweight down. They are a nice roomy van with plenty of storage but just a pain in the noseweight department. I have been considering a shock mount to relieve the tugging on the Alko chassis expecially as its a 4 wheeler and the Disco does not really take any prisoners, it just pulls like a train no matter how rough the going is and I am talking about roads now not offroad. Some of the undulations on A and B roads are pretty horiffic and does cause me concern, but what is the answer ?

I'm in the same boat, just bought a TD5 with air suspension, had an Anker towbar fitted last week, when the caravan is on, the car levels itself to its original ride height which is about 2 inches too high, so i'll fit a drop plate to level things up.

Hi,

I have a TD5-XS with self levelling suspension towing a sterling twin axle with 100KG noseweight. With regards to suspension this will always level out to normal regardless of load, weight or tow. Therefore set your height of tow bar according to maunafacturers recomended tow height & you will be O.K. Hope this assures you.

rbh555 said:

Hi,

I have a TD5-XS with self levelling suspension towing a sterling twin axle with 100KG noseweight. With regards to suspension this will always level out to normal regardless of load, weight or tow. Therefore set your height of tow bar according to maunafacturers recomended tow height & you will be O.K. Hope this assures you.

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Thats good to hear, I am looking forward to getting the van on the back but the weather now has really got a bit more seasonallised (is that a word) by that I mean wet, although it is not cold. We keep the caravan in a storage compound so it won't get hooked until we have an outing.

I have a 300tdi new shocks fitted, but the rear drops to much
It is when a trailer has a car on and some drop with no car.

could this be the rear springs, the landrover has done only 60tho

I have seen new ones Famous Four - Part Information for FF004161
or should I go for +1''

Thanks

James