Bora tow ball.

[Peter Jones]

Here we go. This info is off the Hayman Reese site Hayman Reese

(Sorry 'bout the formatting it was in a table that didn't cut and past too well.)

(Sorry about the misspelling of VW too!That's down to Hayman and Reese!)

4MO

Product Details Product : 01857
Description: MTO HR VW Bora
Category TOWBARS & HITCH RECEIVERS
Make VOLKSWAGON
Model Bora
Year 07/2001 On
Rating/Ball Weight 1400/85 KG
Shipping Weight 17 KG
RRP $430.51
Notes MTO 4motion only

2WD

Product Details Product : 01723
Description: MTO HR VW Bora
Category TOWBARS & HITCH RECEIVERS
Make VOLKSWAGON
Model Bora
Year 00/1999 On
Rating/Ball Weight 1400/50 KG
Shipping Weight 17 KG
RRP $496.89
Notes MTO

[WhO]

Wow i never realised how low the ball weight rating for the 2wd models is, wonder why this is? Maybe related to suspension / rear axle loading? 50kg is really bugger all not sure i'd want to tow 1400kg with so little on the ball!

[Peter Jones]

More likely to do with the sheet metal around the back of the car. The 4MO has to support a rear diff assembly and there's a bit more strength in the chassis because of it.

I wouldn't worry too much about ball weight, the whole 10% thing is mostly the stuff of urban legend I can't find any science behind it

European engineering standards treat the issue of ball loading very differently.

I've done a bit of reading in the back ground in the past and found this quote here

Among all these very precise guidelines is one major variable: tow ball load. There’s a convention that sets tow ball load at around 10 percent of the trailer ATM, but this rule of thumb developed in the days of small trailers. It’s still the practice by many North American and Australian trailer makers to specify 10 percent loadings for heavy trailers, but in Europe, where there has been considerable testing done, the tow ball load range is specified in EC E94/20 regulation as a minimum figure of 25kg and a maximum of 100kg, for trailers up to 2000kg ATM. Even above that figure the heaviest gazetted coupling for cars, light commercials and 4x4s is rated at 120kg tow ball load.

Not being one to blindly accept stuff I read on the internet I looked up the referenced regulation Directive 94/20/EC but I can't extract the same opinion on first glance, there's a few calculations to be done. I'll figure it out one day. It's an interesting read though, gives you a new appreciation of the engineering involved.

[Back Door Shenanigans.]

Cool cheers for the info gonna look a bit more into it. Few questions tho. How easy was it to install yourself, would you recommend it? Is the towball detacable, so it looks like its not there and out of the way?

Cheers.

[Manaz]

Is the towball detacable, so it looks like its not there and out of the way?

I believe it has to be by law, as it's technically illegal to leave a tow-ball/tongue hanging off the back of the car when it's not actively towing something.

[WhO]

More likely to do with the sheet metal around the back of the car. The 4MO has to support a rear diff assembly and there's a bit more strength in the chassis because of it.

That makes sense

My only other concern / ongoing wonder with low rated ball weights is for example when towing a twin axle say when i back up my driveway for a brief period the trailer is only supported on the rear axle thus moving the CG quite a bit forwards making the tongue weight dramatically increase. Although i guess manufacturers would have taken such into account in situations like these with a full load i can imagine the tongue weight increasing momentarily far far beyond the rated load.

[Peter Jones]

Cool cheers for the info gonna look a bit more into it. Few questions tho. How easy was it to install yourself, would you recommend it? Is the towball detacable, so it looks like its not there and out of the way?

Cheers.

Yep tongue unbolts looks like this when it's off.

Pretty easy to install yourself, you'll need Torx bits to get the bumper cover off and an assortment of spanners and sockets as well as a drill.