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Topic: Witter Towbar mounted cycle racks

airguitargb

24/4/2011 at 8:35pm
Location: Stamford
Outfit: Vango Icarus 600XL + Front Extension

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Does anyone have experience of using witter towbar mounted cycelracks while towing a caravan. I have heard various opinions from variousol sources as to whether there can be a problem from damage to either van, cycles or car when on a hard lock.

I have a latest mondeo hatch fitted with witter detachable flange tow bar towing a Bailey Pageant Provence. I intend to carry 2 adult cycle plus 1 kids bike.

advice welcome

thanks

DaveS1

24/4/2011 at 8:42pm
Location: Hatfield Peverel Essex
Outfit: Ace Supreme Twinstar Disco 3

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Hi.

Mine wasn't a Witter but similar design attached to the tow-bar flange. Towing with a Discovery there was a small problem with clearance but only on full lock.

The big problem however was the weight. Even with 150kg maximum nose weight it felt as though the front wheels were off the ground and whole unit was unstable. I don't now take the bikes !

Would suggest you check out and add together your van nose weight and the bikes.

DaveS1

Opensauce

24/4/2011 at 8:47pm
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Weight of caravan hitch + bikes on towbar will far exceed noseweight limit for car. Roof rack would be better. Even putting bikes on a tailgate rack would still exceed rear axle rating. Only feasable on a 4x4 with a high noseweight limit.

Grampian91

24/4/2011 at 10:02pm
Location: Midlands
Outfit: Mondeo Avondale Gram

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Way too much weight on the towbar.

Generally the higher the caravans noseweight the more stable the outfit.

Your caravan is quite heavy so the minimum legal noseweight is 57kg. But it will tow much better at 75kg which i think is your max noseweight unless they have increased it on the later models?

After reading peoples comments on the high noseweight of these vans i think you would need to load the rear to get the noseweight down to the required figure. And loading the rear is a big NO..

neil and lena

24/4/2011 at 10:23pm
Location: Dumfries
Outfit: 2022 CoachmanVIP 2022 Pilote P696GJ

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Quote: Originally posted by airguitargb on 24/4/2011

Does anyone have experience of using witter towbar mounted cycelracks while towing a caravan. I have heard various opinions from variousol sources as to whether there can be a problem from damage to either van, cycles or car when on a hard lock.
I have a latest mondeo hatch fitted with witter detachable flange tow bar towing a Bailey Pageant Provence. I intend to carry 2 adult cycle plus 1 kids bike.
advice welcome

thanks

No chance , you will exceed your legal noseweight limit if you attempt to carry 3 bikes on towbar mounted cyclerack and have your caravan hitched up .
You will also invalidate your cars warranty should damage occur through overloading the rear axle .
You only option is to carry them on the roof of you car or inside you van

airguitargb

25/4/2011 at 7:50pm
Location: Stamford
Outfit: Vango Icarus 600XL + Front Extension

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thanks all- ditching that idea and going roof mounted option for bikes

thanks to all

David Klyne

25/4/2011 at 8:16pm
Location: Milton Keynes
Outfit: Bailey Alliance 66-2 Motorhome

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We use one successfully on our Sorento but like others have said you will run into nose weight problems.

David

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