Yeah they do a tilting flatbed too. I suppose it's so you can use it as more of a general purpose trailer but still be able to load cars easily.

Just had an email back from Ifor Williams. They give the recommended height as 430mm to the centre of the tow ball. Middle holes are about 340mm top one will give about 410mm I think. That should be near enough.

Yeah interesting on using the Alko type tow ball, I was looking at the pin and ball hitches, the ones with the separate pin also seem to stick out that little bit further. Anyone got experience of those? The ones where the ball forms the top of the pin seem shorter if anything but the ones with the separate pin seem longer.

I could always use a 1" spacer block they're cheap enough. I see you can also get a type approved slide adjustable drop plate too now.

That's got me thinking which is never a good idea.

I presume the TB is like the CT and doesn't really tilt the bed - it simply lowers the drawbar which if held up by the tow-car's tow-ball has the effect of tilting the bed by raising the front of the trailer chassis and therefore axle(s)?

Bearing this presumption in mind, if the trailer is perfectly loaded for travelling won't it exceed the nose-weight when tilted? Even worse when tilting before loading as the suspension of the remaining axle(s) will be compressed as the load is applied so the extra weight will be supported between the ground and tow-ball until the tilt is removed. Or have I got that wrong?

I'm not criticising - just trying to understand what is in place to stop this i.e. does the tilt mechanism have an overload built in?

@Zirconblue. Back in the day tow-balls were always 16 1/2" to the centre which isn't too far way so why on earth do LR make ''em so low??

I'd avoid the adjustable drop plate if I were you. They soon rattle and you can here it through the body - or at least the ones I've tried do I still have a screw adjustable one in the barn that I took off a Deafner in disgust

The separate pin ones are good and always handy plus have the bonus of lifting the ball height a little further too. Avoid the ones where the pin passes through the ball as opposed to the ball being on the end of the removable pin. I've seen too many crack and just be held in place by the remaining pin still through the middle. Amazing how many times I've been asked to weld them back on for folk Not on my nelly!!!

Good luck with the shiny new Ifor

From the pics I've seen it pivots around the rear axle, so yes in theory it could overload the rear of the car when moving, until the tail skid hits the ground. I think it would only do it while the bed was moving between positions. Between one wheel lifting off and the tail hiting the ground so not long at all really. And as far as the car is concern it's probably no different to hitting bump in the road at speed in terms of the stresses placed on the vehicle.

Just got home and looked at my twin axle tilt bed, it's a CT model

When you tilt the trailer it pivots on the axle nearest the loading ramp lifting the front axle completely off the ground! Hence the spacer fitment leaving the trailer level on the rear of a FF apposed to the rear most wheels skipping along the road surface (obviously wearing the tyre tread prematurely !)

Agree with what Craig has said.

We've got an Ifor Williams CT166 which sits perfectly level behind a P38 with the genuine LR swan neck towbar but sits down at the nose on the removable L322 tow bar. I've levelled it the same way Craig mentioned and have done many a mile with it behind the car with all sorts of loads including P38's on it and never had a minutes trouble.

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Zirconblue wrote:

From the pics I've seen it pivots around the rear axle, so yes in theory it could overload the rear of the car when moving, until the tail skid hits the ground. I think it would only do it while the bed was moving between positions. Between one wheel lifting off and the tail hiting the ground so not long at all really. And as far as the car is concern it's probably no different to hitting bump in the road at speed in terms of the stresses placed on the vehicle.

I don't think I explained myself well enough but you're probably right about the dynamic load

Perhaps LR have a share in Ifor Williams - hence why it's considered acceptable to have to buy a tilt-bed to make the tow-bar the correct height

Yeah i know drop plates aren't quiet, but in a way i prefer a little bit of noise, i'm mean ok, with a caravan and touring you'd want it peaceful, but for little box trailers and transporters it's less of an issue.

With the little box it reminds me that i've got a trailer on, not an issue driving a 50ft artic, but you can't see the little box trailer.