Towball wanted

[Deleted]

Hi All

As i am reluctant to change the coupling on the Supalite Cadet that i am cleaning up i was wandering if anyone has a towball to suit it.

Here is a similar coupling...


From memory the ball has a thread sticking up through the top . You drop the coupling on the ball then a spring sits over the thread.. then a cap.. then a wingnut type thingy.
I think i had one on a sunliner a while back.

If i cant score a ball to suit i suppose i will just fit a new 50mm mechanical overide coupling,
Either way the existing drum brakes will be staying on the van.

Cheers...... and.. thanks in advance for any replies.
Reddo

[sportsman 1]

What size is the ball Reddo?

I have a couple of odd balls here.

Perhaps the type that had a bolt through the middle would be suitable if you had a suitable bolt machined up to hold the ball onto the towbar and also incorporating the threaded part at the top. All you would need then would be the plate, spring, etc.

Cheers, Leigh.

[cobber]

G'day Reddo,


Mate...... you shouldn't have a lot of trouble getting a ball to suit that coupling because blokes less dedicated to restoring and preserving vintage caravans in their original condition than you and I replace that coupling “for safety reasons” .

Having said that, with tongue in cheek, I have to tell you if there was a coupling I would be slightly concerned about using it is this one.

It was fitted to my first “free to a good home” Atlantic caravan. The nut was rusted to the bolt that sticks out of the top of the ball and in my determination to get the nut off I broke the bolt off the ball.... and that, and gravity, is all that holds the coupling onto the ball .

I suppose you saw my last post about this coupling in the very informative and educational thread on “Tow couplings” ? .. page 10 right down the bottom of the page.

Cobber.

[kaybee]

Aug 23, 2011 8:43:10 GMT 10 sportsman 1 said:

I have a couple of odd balls here.

Cheers, Leigh.

...ya know there's some danger making a statement like this to Reddo, dontcha?....... ;D ;D

[rayboy]

they still use that style of hitch on truck & dog trailers today .so the theory in principal still works to this day .only on a larger size.........

[Deleted]

Hi all''
Thanks for your informative replys... also have received a few PMs.
To clarify..
The photo i posted was of Hillbillys Sunliner coupling circa 1959 /60..and yes noblesgarage you where correct in assuming that.

The ball with bolt is all one piece.. not a bolt threaded into the top of a ball. and yes "Jikah"it did have a hole in the top to take a split pin through a castellated nut which had tags welded either side so you could tension the nut down on the spring which held the cap tight on the ball.

Over the years i have used several of these old towballs ... and others of varying design as trophies on East coast tours and at the nationals held at Morgan in 2006 .
So ... if one of the fortunate recipients can spare thier trophy ball it would be much appreciated.

One othe reason i would like to stay with the original coupling is because of the strength of the overide coupling spring.
It is my belief that it is matched to the weight of the van ... hence providing varying degrees of braking effort the harder the tow vehicle brakes are applied.

This may sound like i am stating the bloody obviuos .. and i am...
The issue i have with the newer overide coupling... The stock one to take a 50mm ball is that they are rated up to 2 tonnes.
I have one fitted on "Rosie"which weighs around 600kg fully loaded.
When i fitted the new coupling i marked the exposed shaft at 10 to 15 mm increments out from the spring body towards the coupling/towball. The van has been on the road over 2 years.. i have had a few emergency braking experiences in that time ... and none of the pencil marks on the shaft have been scratched .. smudged or left with oil or grease on them... which makes me think that the 2 tonne spring is too heavy and the weight of the van cannot compress the spring enough to actuate the drum brakes.
So...
Here i am asking for a towball so i can use the existing coupling and hopefully have enough "pogo"in the spring to make the brakes function effectively when required...

Hows that for an "Öddballs"point of view.

I am almost finished painting the outside of the van and will be aiminmg iup on the axle/brakes and coupling in the next few weeks. If i cant score a ball it will be a case of ripping the old sucker off and fitting a new coupling... wether i like it or not.

Reddo

[noblesgarage]

Your right about the new couplings as the one I fitted to the Sunny I sold Hubbylove was the same

2 tonne rated for a 650kg van does't move the spring at all

just have to load up the van with more crap to cart around or go elect on the brakes.

[bigkel]

Hi all , I have a Sunliner & when towing and braking the spring did not compress at all ( coupling rated at 2270 kg ), so all i did was back off the preload nut so that there was no tension on the spring at all , now it works fine , under normal braking it now slides about 1 inch ( 25 mm ) . enough to work the brakes fine ,,

Good luck .. Kel.

[Deleted]

Hi Kel
Thanks for that info....
Never give that a thought...Sounds logical.

sorta wandering about what you have explained...

Are you sure the brakes are coming on the van???..... or ....is the inch of movement just taking up the slack that has been created by loosening off the pretension on the spring nut...

The coupling shaft might be moving an inch until it hits the spring and tensions up (back to the factory set 2 tonne preload) without any braking effect at the drums???


Oh bye the way.... Old mate Hillbilly has come up with the goods.
He is posting me down an original Ball for the coupling.
Will give it ( the old coupling ) a go ... If it all works Ok i will leave it original.
If it dont ... well then i will bung on a new 2t coupling and do as Kel has suggested.

Cheers
Reddo

[lyneth]

Aug 24, 2011 9:49:12 GMT 10 noblesgarage said:

Your right about the new couplings as the one I fitted to the Sunny I sold Hubbylove was the same

2 tonne rated for a 650kg van does't move the spring at all

just have to load up the van with more crap to cart around or go elect on the brakes.

Hey noblesgarage, think I know where there's one! Exact same, think it's supposed to be heading to WA soon. Hmmm, wonder how much Reddo is willing to pay?? ;D ;D ;D
sorry Brian, can't help myself, tow ball, what tow ball?
see you next month - PS Larry said something about checking transport on the Ghan
Lyneth

[Deleted]

Hiya Lyneth

When i bought Will and Lynns Öldblackbetty F100 they frieghted it to Adelaide on a frieght train. From there it came by truck to Sydney.

This option was a lot cheaper than driving it over here from the west.

Only issue with floating the van over to S.A from W.A would probably be the fact that it cant be driven onto the flat top carriage to load it.

In any case you wont want to chase the Ghan... it goes from Adelaide to Darwin .....not Perth.

Chers
Reddo

[cobber]

G'day Reddo,

Another one of the unique features of that coupling of yours is that the bolt on the side looks as though it's sole purpose is to adjust the tension on the internal spring



I have done the same thing by adjusting the two nuts (6 & 7) on the Locktite/Newcastle safety hitch coupling on the “Swamp van”.. and the “Westco” coupling on “Driftwood”...... which is the type of coupling I imagine bigkel is talking about
Those nuts look as though they're there to hold the whole thing together but......... they can also release some tension on the spring and allow the over run to operate sooner.
If the tension is reduced too much it will cause the brakes to “snatch”....... not good

The Locktite coupling.


The Wesco coupling


Over run brakes may not be the best system but...... they can be made to work OK....... I think

Cobber.

[noblesgarage]

;D ;D Yoh Reddo ;D ;D Spoke to hillbilly yesterday and sounds like the problem is Solvered That's the great thing about being on this forum When you've got a shed full of stuff you can't jump over there's always something that you'l still need and as sure as cows are brown one of us will have tucked away some were Brian.