Mick_Marsh
Active Member
as a thought, guess how much a 50mm towball is rated at?

70mm Tow Ball - 4.5t - CRN45125 - 23.7kN
70mm Tow Ball suit 4.5 tonne Electric Couplings. No CRN means the tow ball is not legal. ASDR 62/2 - Clause 2.3.2.

as a thought, guess how much a 50mm towball is rated at?
So lets work backwards, and upscale every component, by that percentage, in the tow rig, then buy new couplings for out recycle run trailer[6x4] our yacht trailer also 4.5 ton.It's not difficult getting towing components that are engineered for 4.5t.![]()
70mm Tow Ball - 4.5t - CRN45125 - 23.7kN
70mm Tow Ball suit 4.5 tonne Electric Couplings. No CRN means the tow ball is not legal. ASDR 62/2 - Clause 2.3.2.www.couplemate.com.au
That's what I use.or we could just use Pintle hooks and and lunette's.![]()
Yes, but,some here read to much into stuff, nowhere in the article does it mention getting it legal for road use or the engineering to tow 4.5 tonn, what it does say and imply is that he has designed his own battery and propulsion system that will be capable of it, very different things.
Yes, but,
"Once he has finished his prototype he is hoping to be able to supply kits for others to use. As an add on, a trailer could be attached which is also fitted with a battery – giving greater range and towing capacity."
Implies he is developing the system for others to use and, if others do buy this ststem, I'd be thinking they would be wanting it to be for on road use. Otherwise it would be a very small market. Not many people would be wanting a vehicle you could drive for 400km between charges on private roads.
dont make them a permanently driven wheel, just in the soft stuffPowered trailers are not new. They are more truoble that they are worth. There are instability issues when the trailer is pushing the towing vehicle.
It's been tried many times.dont make them a permanently driven wheel, just in the soft stuff
what was the usual issues with pto driven trailers?It's been tried many times.
Not yet entered into mainstream market, for good reason. There are safety issues. Have a read of the reports on trials.
Perhaps even build one yourself. I briefly thought about this. If you do, let us know how you go.
The driven trailer would jack-knife and push over the towing vehicle being one of them. I would have to re-read the reports. Better still, you could do that.what was the usual issues with pto driven trailers?
Yeah, but your 4.5t ball is designed for a 5th wheeler type hitch.It's not difficult getting towing components that are engineered for 4.5t.![]()
70mm Tow Ball - 4.5t - CRN45125 - 23.7kN
70mm Tow Ball suit 4.5 tonne Electric Couplings. No CRN means the tow ball is not legal. ASDR 62/2 - Clause 2.3.2.www.couplemate.com.au
Yes and no.Yeah, but your 4.5t ball is designed for a 5th wheeler type hitch.
Well, on the vehicle in question, If I read your comment as sarcastic, we agree.Using it on your standard style tow bar, even with a conservative ball down load would have close to 400kg on the ball. That's not going to affect handling much at all.
Depends on the vehicle. Our Sierra is rated to 6.5t on the towbar, and we tow a 4.5t van on the towbar.Yeah, but your 4.5t ball is designed for a 5th wheeler type hitch.
Using it on your standard style tow bar, even with a conservative ball down load would have close to 400kg on the ball. That's not going to affect handling much at all.
Surely a full electrically controlled drive system in a trailer could be setup to not push the vehicle. Could'nt be to hard with a load cell of some sort within the coupling so the trailer can sense if it started to "push" the tug and would then back the drive off.The driven trailer would jack-knife and push over the towing vehicle being one of them. I would have to re-read the reports. Better still, you could do that.
Thats all good, but the base vehicle in this instance is a Pajero that came from the factory with a 3000kg tow limit and restricted to a ball weight of 180kgs.Depends on the vehicle. Our Sierra is rated to 6.5t on the towbar, and we tow a 4.5t van on the towbar.
No negative impact on stability at all.
Your estimate of tow ball mass at a "conservative" 400kg is way off the mark though. With a 4.5t van we are at about 270-300kg tow ball mass.
But your comment was a general one about using 70mm balls on tow bars and stating that 70mm balls are only for 5th wheeler use.Thats all good, but the base vehicle in this instance is a Pajero that came from the factory with a 3000kg tow limit and restricted to a ball weight of 180kgs.
So, how do you propose to drive this trailer?Surely a full electrically controlled drive system in a trailer could be setup to not push the vehicle. Could'nt be to hard with a load cell of some sort within the coupling so the trailer can sense if it started to "push" the tug and would then back the drive off.