Towing in lower height range

Just to pour a little more fuel on the fire, all the info I have says level, with a slight nose down as acceptable on a 2 wheel caravan/trailer. Slight nose down is not defined. Trailers with 4 wheels need to be level to distribute the load evenly across the 4 tyres.
Comercial trailers here in France, both ball hitch and eye hitch have height adjustable hitches. HGV draw bar trailers always tow level.

Datatek said:

Just to pour a little more fuel on the fire, all the info I have says level, with a slight nose down as acceptable on a 2 wheel caravan/trailer. Slight nose down is not defined. Trailers with 4 wheels need to be level to distribute the load evenly across the 4 tyres.
Comercial trailers here in France, both ball hitch and eye hitch have height adjustable hitches. HGV draw bar trailers always tow level.

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Agreed (for twin axles) but if your tow bar is at correct height (approx 17.5 inches at top of ball when unhitched) and most caravan hitches are at about 19 to 20 inches when level it makes it virtually impossible to have anything other than nose down.

It is both dangerous and illegal to tow nose-high due to wind drag being funnelled under the towed unit, making it far more unstable at speeds, and pulling up on the towing vehicle's suspension making that too less stable. Many times I've seen Mr Plod pull Cara-sheds over on motorways, purely because their ass-end is low, and if the driver cannot re-distribute weight / rectify hitch, they are towed away on recovery, then charged for the inconveience!
As said already, twin axle units should appear visually level, although through their design and own weight distribution, they will still be slightly nose-heavy
Single axled units should ALWAYS be nose down, (if only an inch! ) to ensure stabilty and lessen drag, hence safer.

Ridesafe said:

It is both dangerous and illegal to tow nose-high due to wind drag being funnelled under the towed unit, making it far more unstable at speeds, and pulling up on the towing vehicle's suspension making that too less stable. Many times I've seen Mr Plod pull Cara-sheds over on motorways, purely because their ass-end is low, and if the driver cannot re-distribute weight / rectify hitch, they are towed away on recovery, then charged for the inconveience!
As said already, twin axle units should appear visually level, although through their design and own weight distribution, they will still be slightly nose-heavy
Single axled units should ALWAYS be nose down, (if only an inch! ) to ensure stabilty and lessen drag, hence safer.

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French Plod is also unhappy with excessively nose down caravans on the back of overloaded cars that are running with the front in the air. Seen a few of those pulled over here. Caravans in France are also often put on portable weigh bridges by Gendarmes and if they are over the plated weight you are in the ****, mine passed but it was close! As you say, towing caravans nose up is absolutely not acceptable.

Thanks all,

If you select lower motorway height manually when at a standstill and then press the lock button shouldn't it stay at this height?

stevebrookman said:

Thanks all,

If you select lower motorway height manually when at a standstill and then press the lock button shouldn't it stay at this height?

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You cannot select motorway height manually it is an automatic function.

wammers said:

You cannot select motorway height manually it is an automatic function.

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Yes you can! Read the manual, it can be locked at any height you like! If locked at wading height it will drop over 35mph and if locked at lowest it will raise about 12mph. As always read the manual!

Gooders70 said:

Yes you can! Read the manual, it can be locked at any height you like! If locked at wading height it will drop over 35mph and if locked at lowest it will raise about 12mph. As always read the manual!

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Read it again, you can drop it to access height manually but not motorway height

Datatek said:

Read it again, you can drop it to access height manually but not motorway height

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Sorry to tell you but you are wrong. Whilst travelling or not for that matter simply press the hold button next to the height button then press the height button till it flashes on the height you want then release the hold button and you will go to that height. Simples!

Gooders70 said:

Sorry to tell you but you are wrong. Whilst travelling or not for that matter simply press the hold button next to the height button then press the height button till it flashes on the height you want then release the hold button and you will go to that height. Simples!

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didnt fink you could change heights whilst the lock button was on !!!!

robint said:

didnt fink you could change heights whilst the lock button was on !!!!

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Yes you can, follow what I said and you'll see. Makes towing low trailers better if you can lower to motorway height before you get over 50 as someone else said it's not the best thing to have it lower itself at 50+ but lots of trailers tow better at speed in motorway height (only on good roads though).

Gooders70 said:

Sorry to tell you but you are wrong. Whilst travelling or not for that matter simply press the hold button next to the height button then press the height button till it flashes on the height you want then release the hold button and you will go to that height. Simples!

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Tried that when I had 1st P38.....no way! :doh:

At rest you can go Wade, Normal, or Access only. Cruise or Motorway is automatic ONLY, though can be locked once at that height via inhibit switch

Ridesafe said:

Tried that when I had 1st P38.....no way! :doh:

At rest you can go Wade, Normal, or Access only. Cruise or Motorway is automatic ONLY, though can be locked once at that height via inhibit switch

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Well mine definitely could be set at what height you wished by using the inhibit switch then adjust height then depress inhibit switch, was a 2002 chassis 51 plate.

Gooders70 said:

Yes you can! Read the manual, it can be locked at any height you like! If locked at wading height it will drop over 35mph and if locked at lowest it will raise about 12mph. As always read the manual!

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If locked at crawl height it will rise to low at 25 mph. And lower back again below that speed. Crawl height will not work if you select low whilst inhibit is selected. Crawl can only be locked if the vehicle is lowered first THEN inhibit selected. The car will always rise to normal height from access as the vehicle moves off. Unless inhibit has been selected correctly. Always read the manual.

wammers said:

If locked at crawl height it will rise to low at 25 mph. And lower back again below that speed. Crawl height will not work if you select low whilst inhibit is selected. Crawl can only be locked if the vehicle is lowered first THEN inhibit selected. The car will always rise to normal height from access as the vehicle moves off. Unless inhibit has been selected correctly. Always read the manual.

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What I'm actually saying is you can change between standard and motorway height when ever you like by pressing the inhibit switch then pressing the height switch then pressing the inhibit switch again. Maybe not all years of P38 do this, mine certainly did! Maybe someone who owns a late model can do this to prove to the non believers it does work, I've sold mine :-( as I couldn't justify the fuel anymore after 3 years of ownership, did go wrong a bit too!

Gooders70 said:

What I'm actually saying is you can change between standard and motorway height when ever you like by pressing the inhibit switch then pressing the height switch then pressing the inhibit switch again. Maybe not all years of P38 do this, mine certainly did! Maybe someone who owns a late model can do this to prove to the non believers it does work, I've sold mine :-( as I couldn't justify the fuel anymore after 3 years of ownership, did go wrong a bit too!

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Well i don't know mine is a 99 and won't do that. As far as i know the 2002 ECU is the same and did not change. If you select access then inhibit you you get an audable warning and message (EAS MANUAL). If you exceed 10mph in this (CRAWL MODE) you get an audable warning and (MAX 20MPH) message. If you then exceed 25MPH the suspension will rise to (LOW) motorway height. Suspension will be locked at (LOW) until you go below 25 MPH then it will drop to (CRAWL) again. And display (20MPH MAX) If you drop below 10 MPH (EAS MANUAL) message will again be shown. If you select (ACCESS) whilst inhibit switch is pressed suspension will raise to (LOW) motorway setting at 10MPH. But as far as i am aware you cannot select motorway height (put the light on) by pressing the height switch. So when you say with vehicle stationary what in effect you are doing is the latter as explained above. You are not actually selecting motorway height. It will only go there (light lamp) when you move off.

wammers said:

Well i don't know mine is a 99 and won't do that. As far as i know the 2002 ECU is the same and did not change. If you select access then inhibit you you get an audable warning and message (EAS MANUAL). If you exceed 10mph in this (CRAWL MODE) you get an audable warning and (MAX 20MPH) message. If you then exceed 25MPH the suspension will rise to (LOW) motorway height. Suspension will be locked at (LOW) until you go below 25 MPH then it will drop to (CRAWL) again. And display (20MPH MAX) If you drop below 10 MPH (EAS MANUAL) message will again be shown. If you select (ACCESS) whilst inhibit switch is pressed suspension will raise to (LOW) motorway setting at 10MPH. But as far as i am aware you cannot select motorway height (put the light on) by pressing the height switch. So when you say with vehicle stationary what in effect you are doing is the latter as explained above. You are not actually selecting motorway height. It will only go there (light lamp) when you move off.

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No that's not it, drive along at say 40mph in standard height, press the inhibit switch in then press the down side of the height set button, the motorway height will flash, press the inhibit switch again now so it is back out and the vehicle will now drop into motorway height, it will now stay there until you go less than 35mph for more than 30 seconds or press the inhibit switch to keep it there. Try it?

Gooders70 said:

No that's not it, drive along at say 40mph in standard height, press the inhibit switch in then press the down side of the height set button, the motorway height will flash, press the inhibit switch again now so it is back out and the vehicle will now drop into motorway height, it will now stay there until you go less than 35mph for more than 30 seconds or press the inhibit switch to keep it there. Try it?

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I will, it's a new one on me if it works.

wammers said:

I will, it's a new one on me if it works.

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Let me know how you get on as I thought they all did this! Mine was standard low millage and all original. Obviously it works I'm the other direction as well.

I don't normally like to go off topic but that 'Report Abuse' button on Fanatic's posting made me PMSL!! Mind you, I did press it because I thought you were a tad abrupt!