Had a Detachable Tow Bar fitted by Hunters Landrover and all seemed well to start off with. But now when I have the van hitched up and i'm on a particularly bumpy road I sometimes get a clonking noise which is pretty disconcerting . I have now found this is where it is coming from and if I pull the swan neck bit up really hard it does have slight movement in it. Is this normal?? I do lock it in properly and turn the key lock for security. 2007 GS TD4, Narvik Black, Privacy Glass, Chrome Tubes, HSE alloys, Clear repeaters, detachable tow bar and retro fit Sony Sat Nav

Mine has done this since new, I blame the friction fit stabiliser towhitches we all hav now, as when tow my garden trailer with a greased hitch I don't get the problem. I have now towed at least 9000 mile with mine and appart from the clonking noise and the appalling squeeking, creaking noise when cornering due again to the Winterhoff hitch i have not had a problem

I have no problems with clonking at the rear  At work
At home

"I can't always believe facts I read on the web" - Charles Dickens

winner by default of the tractor vs caravan race

I have the same towbar on mine and have had this a couple of times. The first time it did it I wondered what on earth it was and was able to pull up to check the hitch-I had just towed about 130 miles and had been ok up to then. I didn't find anything wrong but as you have pointed out there was a tiny bit of play in the towbar.
Like you I make sure it is securely locked into position. Next time I may just go for a fixed towbar.

chicken george wrote:

I have no problems with clonking at the rear

George I suppose that depends on how much Paxo you have with your chickens

Just read on a vanners forum that diesel towcars are prone to getting particulates on the hitch assembly and this can lead to clonking-creaking etc, apparently we should clean the inside of the hitch and the towball with brake cleaner available from the usual suspects , worth a try

Tandemman wrote:

Just read on a vanners forum that diesel towcars are prone to getting particulates on the hitch assembly and this can lead to clonking-creaking etc, apparently we should clean the inside of the hitch and the towball with brake cleaner available from the usual suspects , worth a try

I to have the detachable tow bar from land rover and I have found that if you dont get it fixed in correctly you do get slight movement if it is fixed correctly there is no movement it is solid as a rock they can not afford to have any movement as this will wear and get worse as time goes on they are a bitch to get in properly but you will know when you have it is solid and no movement hpoe this helps
sean 07my Freelander 2 HSE TD4 Baltic Blue,Privacy Glass,Ebony black leather,Land rover detachable towbar,S/S Side bars,Climair wind deflectors,Bramble Rash,

Tandemman wrote:

Just read on a vanners forum that diesel towcars are prone to getting particulates on the hitch assembly and this can lead to clonking-creaking etc, apparently we should clean the inside of the hitch and the towball with brake cleaner available from the usual suspects , worth a try

but would you buy anything from 'Keyser Söze' ?  At work
At home

"I can't always believe facts I read on the web" - Charles Dickens

winner by default of the tractor vs caravan race

have the fixed tow bar on mine fitted when delivered by Hunters Derby.
Seems absolutley rock solid and towed my boat 500 miles to Cornwall Ok..however on the way back up I started hearing creaking and groaning noises which were not the tow bar moving at all, just the tow hitch and tow ball creaking away together - I know someone will tell me I shouldn't have done this, but the thinnest smear of the axle grease from the back of the trailer hub on the tow ball and its been fine ever since!
The boat on the trailer p-robably weights a lot less than a caravan though...maybe 550 kilos all up! 2008 XS, Baltic Blue, Privacy Glass, Full Leather,
Roof Rails, 18" Alloys