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 Topic: Has anybo?dy used a towbar platform
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25/4/2021 at 3:45pm
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Welcome to the forum RebeccaH
Back in 2008 we got the Thule 900 Backup Box, as we already had the Thule 902 Bike
carrier which the Backup box was designed to clip onto.
We loaded it up with our 57kg tent, and set off to the South of France for three weeks.
The problem was not really with the backup box, it was the rest of our 350kg load of kit being in the car, steering was vague and the rear wheels of the car had almost disappeared out of view up into the rear wheel arches of the car, the car was a 18 plate firms VW TDi Golf.
Another issue with these load carriers that use a base which clamps onto the tow ball, is that they are right on the load limit for a clamp on solution, so you can find that they move and tilt of there own accord, also dropping the base to gain access to the rear of the car, can be quite a faff, with a fully loaded box.
We sold the backup box to someone on here when we returned, and then bought a trailer, the rest they say is history, photo in gallery.
As for storage I used to store my trailer at a local storage firm, they had indoor storage for household stuff, and outdoor storage in the form of shipping containers, they would store small trailers like mine on top of the shipping containers, the trailers were secured with ratchet straps.
They would just use the forklift to get the trailers on and off the containers, storage cost was around £2 per week.
Post last edited on 25/04/2021 15:58:25
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26/4/2021 at 8:57am
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Yep lidds0, seems like you had a very similar experience to that of mine, although one camping trip with the Backup Box was enough for me, still got the Thule Euroclassic 902 bike carrier though.
Rather than a system that clamps around the tow ball, it would be better if the tow ball flange/swan neck was removed, and was replaced with a semi rigid support that can allow for tilting, it would probably have to be some kind of hydraulic device.
I am surprised such a device has not already come to market, especially for use with BEV’s as it has already been proved with the Tesla M3 that carrying a load on the rear of the car, improves range over that of using a roofbox.
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26/4/2021 at 9:10am
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Id go for a trailer - many can be stored on end so wont take up THAT much more space than a box. Much of the time when you tow a trailer with say a 40kg nose weight that weight is either heavier or lighter but the overall length balances it out - I'm wrong, obviously, but I cant see the sense in having a gurt big heavy box hanging off the back of your car. With the roof box AND the box on the back you are really messing with the centre of gravity of the car.
Post last edited on 26/04/2021 09:14:21
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26/4/2021 at 6:02pm
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We have a Bak-Rak on the back of our panel van that we use to carry my tricycle which weighs about 25kg but have used it to transport other items as well.
It fits on the tow ball with a clamshell bracket that is quick and easy to put on and take off. We only use it when we are carrying the tricycle the rest of the time we either take it off completely or leave it on the van but secure it in a vertical position so that it doesn't stick out at the back.
We find it very stable so long as the load is secure. Obviously the handling is affected less on a campervan than it would be on a car but we have had no handling problems.
There is a lot of info on the Bak0Rak site and I'm sure they would advise you on the suitability for your car.
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27/4/2021 at 9:47am
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Back in 2019 due to a change of company car policy, we could not use the trailer, so we had to cram everything into a brand new Ford Kuga, luckily we also had a Kamie Husky XXL 510lt roofbox.
We set of on the 1,100 mile journey to our campsite down on the Cote d Azur, to be fair it was fine, especially not having to tow.
But I really did miss not having the trailer, we could not get everything back in the car when it was time to return, so we left behind a couple of 25lt water carriers behind at the campsite.
There are just the two of us, but we take a lot of kit, so hopefully we will get to use the trailer again next year.
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via mobile 25/4/2021 at 11:31pm
