Omega Owners Forum
Chat Area => General Discussion Area => Topic started by: redtom on 26 June 2012, 16:31:11
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Hi
When I got my 2.6 Omega Automatic it came fitted with a detachable towbar with all the fittings underneath the car. Does anyone have any idea how I fit a stabiliser for my caravan to this?
Also if this is possible then is there a reasonably priced stabilser that will do the job
Thanks a lot
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I think you'd need to use an AL-KO style stabilising hitch rather than a conventional arm type stabiliser, if the ball on the removable tow bar is compatible with it.
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I'm sure one of the drive resurfacing engineers will be on to help you shortly. ;D ;D
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Something like this? ;D ;D ;D
(http://www.towsure.com/images/products/2692/detail/stabiliser-wheel-set.jpg)
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Agree with Kevin. An Al-ko hitch is far easier to use than the old blade type, besides, I'm not sure they recommend balde type to be fitted to a detachable towball. Stabiliser are only an aid, an unstable set up won't be cured with a stabiliser of any kind anyway, I towed miles without one with my last car with no problems. :y :y :y
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Something like this? ;D ;D ;D
(http://www.towsure.com/images/products/2692/detail/stabiliser-wheel-set.jpg)
They off your bike Mark ::) ::) ::)
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Nah, only need feet to do that when its not moving
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Get one of these fitted to your caravan:
(https://dl.dropbox.com/u/43954633/150x150_1258728459newcaravanhome.jpg)
:y
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I Omega towed a large bailey caravan all round Western Europe for six months and used an AL KO. I cannot praise them enough. Dry ball, correct nose weight , Bob is your Tio. :y
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Agree with Kevin. An Al-ko hitch is far easier to use than the old blade type, besides, I'm not sure they recommend balde type to be fitted to a detachable towball. Stabiliser are only an aid, an unstable set up won't be cured with a stabiliser of any kind anyway, I towed miles without one with my last car with no problems. :y :y :y
I agree with the above as well. You don't see many people using a blade type stabiliser these days. Alko-Hitch head has been around a long time now. Many moons ago (before hitch head type was invented) I used a Bulldog 200Q stabiliser with a clamp that fitted on my swan neck towbar and regardless of how tight the bolts were, it still slipped around the neck. It was pig ugly as well.
Just make sure that your towball neck has enough clearance for the Alko type hitch head if you choose that route and that your van is compatible with it. It's really down to weight ratio, correct loading etc. that's more important. :y
Without knowing your caravan, we don't actually know what hitch head you have got on it at the moment. :-\
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Just make sure that your towball neck has enough clearance for the Alko type hitch head if you choose that route and that your van is compatible with it. .....
Pretty sure all fixed swan neck & detachable are suitable for use with an Alko type hitch. ;)
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now everyone is right saying the alko aks it is a good hitch but there is two types,there is also the winterhoff which runs on the bpw chassis and in some cases the alko isnt compatible with the bpw overun due to the handbrake lever being gas assisted and possible engagement by the aks fouling it.just my two penneth :y
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If you are using a "blade" type stabiliser and not a "hitch" type .. then it is simple .. you buy a swan neck coupling adaptor
This is just one of many types and is for the "snakemaster" ... you need the correct one for your blade type stabiliser ..
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SWAN-NECK-NEW-CARAVAN-SNAKEMASTER-STABILISER-ORIGINAL-CAR-PLATE-BRACKET-/230808673221?pt=UK_Campervan_Caravan_Accessories&hash=item35bd44dbc5
HTH :)
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Just make sure that your towball neck has enough clearance for the Alko type hitch head if you choose that route and that your van is compatible with it. .....
Pretty sure all fixed swan neck & detachable are suitable for use with an Alko type hitch. ;)
Agreed :y, even if it was me that posted it. ;) ;D ;D
now everyone is right saying the alko aks it is a good hitch but there is two types,there is also the winterhoff which runs on the bpw chassis and in some cases the alko isnt compatible with the bpw overun due to the handbrake lever being gas assisted and possible engagement by the aks fouling it.just my two penneth :y
Agree with that as well, hence my compatibility comment earlier. ;) :y Would help if we knew what is already fitted, I'm guessing a pressed steel head. As said earlier, I'm really not a fan of clamp on fixing bracket, having experienced them for myself.
EDIT: Just noticed on Entwoods link that they have added grub screws to bite in to the bar a bit so they obviously realised that there was a 'slipping' issue.
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If you are using a "blade" type stabiliser and not a "hitch" type .. then it is simple .. you buy a swan neck coupling adaptor
This is just one of many types and is for the "snakemaster" ... you need the correct one for your blade type stabiliser ..
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SWAN-NECK-NEW-CARAVAN-SNAKEMASTER-STABILISER-ORIGINAL-CAR-PLATE-BRACKET-/230808673221?pt=UK_Campervan_Caravan_Accessories&hash=item35bd44dbc5
HTH :)
I used one of them a few years ago and it wasn't very succesfull if I'm honest,had a tendancy to move a bit despite grub screws
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As said really.
I use(d) a bulldog 200Q on my current van and have transferred the plate to the new car. Van tows well without it but it does give a little more confidence when towing in more taxing conditions and wind :y
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As said really.
I use(d) a bulldog 200Q on my current van and have transferred the plate to the new car. Van tows well without it but it does give a little more confidence when towing in more taxing conditions high speeds and wind :y
fixed that for you Ld :D ;D ;D
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Wow Thanks lads that's all brilliant stuff. What's more I even understood most of it. I don't pick the van up till end of the week so I don't know what its like as regards towing but I will make sure weight distribution is good and its not nose heavy (or light) then have a look at what can and can't be done using your suggetions
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Do these make much of a difference ?
I've only got a battered 18 year old 2 berth Swift but its pretty heavy and does bounce about a fair bit
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I'm sure one of the drive resurfacing engineers will be on to help you shortly. ;D ;D
LMAO even though I am part of the brotherhood. In true pikey style, there was an issue and a dozen arrived to help. :y
De yer like dags?
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Wow Thanks lads that's all brilliant stuff. What's more I even understood most of it. I don't pick the van up till end of the week so I don't know what its like as regards towing but I will make sure weight distribution is good and its not nose heavy (or light) then have a look at what can and can't be done using your suggetions
What 'van are you getting, as the vast majority are nowadays fitted with stabilised couplings? :-\
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its an old Avondale Perle 5 berth. I want to see if the family take to a caravan before I splash out on a newer one
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If you are using a "blade" type stabiliser and not a "hitch" type .. then it is simple .. you buy a swan neck coupling adaptor
This is just one of many types and is for the "snakemaster" ... you need the correct one for your blade type stabiliser ..
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SWAN-NECK-NEW-CARAVAN-SNAKEMASTER-STABILISER-ORIGINAL-CAR-PLATE-BRACKET-/230808673221?pt=UK_Campervan_Caravan_Accessories&hash=item35bd44dbc5
HTH :)
I looked at this but cannot see how that would connect. The towbar is slotted in underneath and about 6 inches in from the back bumper and then pulled forward to lock and hold making it all very neat and tidy but nowhere to attach anything, no plate or anything like that
Cheers
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I put one similar to this on the detachable bar on my Range Rover many years ago and it's never moved. I bought it secondhand for about £20.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Bulldog-Swan-Neck-200Q-Caravan-Stabiliser-Plate-/230791148290?pt=UK_Car_Accessories_Touring_Travel&hash=item35bc397302
Steve
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I put one similar to this on the detachable bar on my Range Rover many years ago and it's never moved. I bought it secondhand for about £20.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Bulldog-Swan-Neck-200Q-Caravan-Stabiliser-Plate-/230791148290?pt=UK_Car_Accessories_Touring_Travel&hash=item35bc397302
Steve
Now that looks as if it may work :) as I really do not fancy paying out nearly £300 until I know the family take to caravanning
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If you are using a "blade" type stabiliser and not a "hitch" type .. then it is simple .. you buy a swan neck coupling adaptor
This is just one of many types and is for the "snakemaster" ... you need the correct one for your blade type stabiliser ..
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SWAN-NECK-NEW-CARAVAN-SNAKEMASTER-STABILISER-ORIGINAL-CAR-PLATE-BRACKET-/230808673221?pt=UK_Campervan_Caravan_Accessories&hash=item35bd44dbc5
HTH :)
OK see it now, Thanks
I looked at this but cannot see how that would connect. The towbar is slotted in underneath and about 6 inches in from the back bumper and then pulled forward to lock and hold making it all very neat and tidy but nowhere to attach anything, no plate or anything like that
Cheers