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You should also check with mercedes, if it is one of their tow bars.  I had same problem with my Volvo, and as the tow bar is "approved" without the stabiliser attachment, I was told it would be illegal to fit one.

Our new van has a stabiliser hitch, so no problem now.  We bought one and fitted it to the horse trailer, so that we do not have to keep greasing the towball for the horse trailer, then cleaning it all off for the caravan.   So you could get one and fit it to your caravan, which in any event is a more elegant solution.

Good luck

Michael

Hello,

The specs for the bulldog spare carplate can be found here:

http://www.bulldogsecure.com/shopdata/files/111-261.pdf

You do need a 35mm non-tapered section, up to a maximum of 42mm in diameter.

As far as I am aware, there is no need to worry about interfering with the towbar type-approval with this type of stabliser bracket. EC94/20 applies to the manufacture and fixing points of the towbar, and the forces which are applied to it. As long as the forces applied remain within the type approval spec. then you are fine.

There is more need to worry about a conventional stabliser bracket - as the plate acts as a spacer and can potentially skew the forces acting on towbar. Thus, type-approval spec on towbars (which is a legal requirement for vehicles 98+) includes a maximum recommended spacer distance - the distance between the bar and the ball (25mm in the case of our bars). This is normally not an issue at all, but you would be surprised at the number of people who put a stabiliser carplate, a cycle carrier carplate, and sometimes also a large spacer - 'to give a bit more space'!!!!

But, you should be absolutely fine with the swan neck brackets!

I'll check this out for definite,

All the best,

John T.