Towing with a V90

[ukden]

Originally Posted by mike95

I don't have your model but an XC60 and my towbar also sits too high. My caravan used to ride totally level with my old XC60 but now sits nose up. I have managed to improve this a little by using the lower dynamic mode for the suspension. I am not at all happy with this set up and have been onto my dealer twice about the height vs. the Eu regulation but so far they have just ignored it. I will get onto them again.
Having said all that the car tows really well and steady as a rock.
However it doesn't get away from the fact that it does not meet the spec plus I have a 4 wheel trailer that I can't use.
We should keep onto our dealers until we get some answers.
Mike

I have just popped out and measured the height of my XC60 towball.

430mm with the car unladen.

No problem with that, it sinks slightly when I hitch up and my caravan (1600 Kg) sits slightly nose down, which is desirable.

The caravan tows like a dream, no stability problems whatsoever.

If your caravan is nose up when towing, you can expect trouble.

[craigy85]

Thanks for the responses

The measurements I've provided are to the middle of the ball and have been consistently well over the 420mm limit (lowest is 445mm, highest is 460mm). I've tried the car with between 2 and 5 passengers (of various weights and in various seating arrangements). I've moved load from the roof box to the boot and even emptying both into the caravan. None of it makes any difference... the car self levels as soon as the ignition is switched on and raises the towball accordingly.

The caravan is based on an ALKO chassis and there is no way to raise or lower the hitch height.

Waiting to hear back from the dealer so will let you know what they have to say but as far as I can see there are only two possible resolutions. Either a 'flatter' retractable towball or adjustment of the self levelling suspension to prevent it raising the rear of the car so high.

[mike95]

Originally Posted by ukden

I have just popped out and measured the height of my XC60 towball.

430mm with the car unladen.

No problem with that, it sinks slightly when I hitch up and my caravan (1600 Kg) sits slightly nose down, which is desirable.

The caravan tows like a dream, no stability problems whatsoever.

If your caravan is nose up when towing, you can expect trouble.

That is interesting, thanks.

The measurement to the centre of the ball on my car is 460mm and with the self levelling air suspension it doesn't drop at all with the van on.

I am beginning to think that this issue is linked to the air suspension and I have always thought that my car rides higher than ones on springs.

As i mentioned previously I now run the suspension in the lower dynamic mode which compensates a little and allows the van to ride just about level.

It all tows like a dream but I would rather run it the normal comfort mode.

Mike

[skippyfox]

Towing a caravan at 70mph... Hope you get your problem sorted, but after nearly 40 years, HGV class 1, or how it's now called LGV. I've lost count of the number of upside down caravans, with worldy goods scattered over 3 lanes of the motorway I've come across. The record being 5 incidents between Manchester and Newton Abbot on a bank holiday weekend doing a night trunk down to Newton. All speed related. "the caravan started snaking" was the most popular excuse. Thankfully I've hung up the spurs and got a nice cushy job that doesn't involve messing around on motorways anymore. C.S.I. can't stand idiots. Drive safe and arrive.. My mate drives a very big black estate car, I think it's called a hearse..

[craigy85]

Thanks Skippyfox. That should have said 'up to' 70mph... it's certainly not the norm! Most of the time is spent at 57mph tucked in behind a lorry - better to arrive late than not at all, eh?

The point I was trying to make is that in 3 years and c. 5k miles of towing with the XF, I didn't have a single wobble... in one week of towing with the V90, I've had more than enough to last a lifetime, the worst at 58mph on a flat, dry motorway with nothing but a bit of a crosswind caused by a passing Mercedes Sprinter. That's not right in my book...

[gaby]

Originally Posted by mike95

It all tows like a dream but I would rather run it the normal comfort mode.

Perhaps you can set individual drive mode to comfort mode with dynamic suspension?

[gaby]

Originally Posted by mike95

I am beginning to think that this issue is linked to the air suspension and I have always thought that my car rides higher than ones on springs.

I don't know bout the XC60, but the height of the XC90 on springs is 22.7mm. Air suspension 22.7 - 26.7mm.
So unless in the lowest setting, the car will be higher on air suspension.

[Quacker]

Originally Posted by craigy85

Thanks Skippyfox. That should have said 'up to' 70mph... it's certainly not the norm! Most of the time is spent at 57mph tucked in behind a lorry - better to arrive late than not at all, eh?

The point I was trying to make is that in 3 years and c. 5k miles of towing with the XF, I didn't have a single wobble... in one week of towing with the V90, I've had more than enough to last a lifetime, the worst at 58mph on a flat, dry motorway with nothing but a bit of a crosswind caused by a passing Mercedes Sprinter. That's not right in my book...

Have you checked the nose weight on the towball? It does sound like it is insufficient, which is hardly surprising if the van leans back and is a single axle jobby. If a twin axle leans back, it usually transfers more weight on the drawbar, because the front wheels are lifted somewhat and the van is carried more by the back wheels.

[cassell]

Hi,

If it helps for comparison purposes, I've just measured the height to the centre of the ball on my V90 Inscription which is on conventional suspension and it's 430mm which appears to be the same as some of the air suspension measurements quoted on here by others. I imagine that the neck on the V90 Volvo electric towbar is slightly higher to compensate for the lower chassis height than say, a XC60 or XC90?

The 430mm is with the car empty and unattached from the caravan, when coupled to my laden single axle Coachman the back of the car hardly moves downwards and as I said earlier in this thread, the outfit handles like a dream, no pitching or swaying. The noseweight is around 100kg as I had to be careful with my previous XC90 which only had a maximum noseweight capacity of around 96kg from memory.

I've tried to upload a photo which for some reason fails, so I've done a pdf document to give you some idea of what it looks like when coupled. Hope this helps?

Paul

[gaby]

Originally Posted by gaby

I don't know bout the XC60, but the height of the XC90 on springs is 22.7cm. Air suspension 22.7 - 26.7cm.
So unless in the lowest setting, the car will be higher on air suspension.

Centimeters, of course