Look for OEM mounts from European manufacturers, as many of those have similar length requirements: try Porsche, Volvo, BMW, etc. Any make with an SUV. I know there are several that might work for you among those makes.

 

I am towing for the first time, and after picking up an unladen uhaul 5x8 trailer the drive home the hitch/tow bar/tow ball made a lot of noise. upon inspection with the empty trailer on, the hitch ball is bouncing some in the receiver on the hitch. I have the curt slim adjustable channel mount (https://www.curtmfg.com/part/45903) which slid in fine, but didn’t really go that deep because of where the hole is drilled for the cotter pin.

Is it just because it’s empty or should it bounce around that much? Maybe 1/8th “ of travel if I grab the trailer and yank up and down. Is there a shim I should be putting in this? I kinda assumed if you had that receiver that all of the trailer ball assemblies would be a standard size. I’m worried that it’s not in deep enough, and I need to drive 1100 miles on Friday so would like to be certain, as it’s a disconcerting noise at 35-40 mph from Uhaul to my mom’s house

Thanks

 

Please forgive me if this is too remedial, as I'm trying to ensure all bases are covered.

Where is the movement? Is it in the receiver where the hitch mount slides in and attaches with the pin? Is there wiggling in the pin itself (pin too small), or is it due to rotation around the pin?

I'm assuming it's the latter, and you're able to get 1/8" movement by yanking the trailer itself? It must be seriously underweighted at the end of the tongue if you can do that. I've always had some hitch play in the channel myself. Perhaps 1/8" out at the ball is about right, but I can't actually see that play with the trailer on, due to the tongue weight.

It is important that you have a properly balanced trailer (tongue weight 10 to 15% of total trailer weight). Too light, and you can sway too much and lose control.

That said, towing can be a bit of a noisy experience if there's play in the system like you describe. I hope this helps a bit. It's hard to provide anything definitive.

 

If the rattle is the square tube in the square receiver, something like this will help:
https://www.etrailer.com/Hitch-Anti-...ne/MPG908.html

 

I don’t know the terms, but this is play in the hitch ball mount and the hitch ball bar that the ball is on, so if I (on the empty trailer) grab the tow bar and lift up, it rocks up/down in the hitch receiver itself. The hitch ball is tight, the chains are tight, but the black draw bar that the curt 2” ball is on wiggles in the hitch.

That makes sense? Here’s a short video probably make it easier

 

Single axle trailer with no weight on the tongue will bounce and make noise. I have several trailers I tow with the Defender, our 12' single axle is loud when empty and bounces. Add some weight, problem solved.

 

I got an anti rattle kit that was more a bolt and a shim that went into the center of the shank and tightened that down, loaded up with a bunch of woodworking power tools (Shopsmith and all the goodies) from my Dad's and after a test drive up to highway speeds all the noises were gone.

 

Slight thread drift but, l am loving your caravans.

We just bought a new 'van and it's about 1/4 the size.

These 'vans must be amazing inside, probably larger than my first house!

Here's ours, obviously this won't be an issue to tow with our new Defender 90 as it weighs only 1,000kg

 

Has anyone measured whether the tongue weight causes rear suspension sag when hitching up? How much? Or does air suspension take care of that and level it back up?

 

lf you've got air suspension it will automatically level the vehicle.

We've now got a 2022 Defender 90 on coils and the suspension doesn't sag when the caravan is connected.

However the nose or tongue weight on our unit is only 90kg

l imagine if you have a much larger unit with a higher nose/tongue weight you're going to get the rear suspension sagging unless you've got air suspension.