Caravaners / Towbar. Australia.

[MarkH]

Recently discovered the forum so thought I'd repost this here.
It's just a heads up for those towing a van.
The towbar receiver on the IG (PT02043) is around 150-170mm deep and seems to taper.
My Hayman Reese hitch only slides in far enough to utilise the first pin hole. It really needs to go in another 50-60mm to the 3rd pin hole to minimise leverage.
Not sure if this is the final towbar setup we'll get but can't see IA changing it just for AU. I can see hitches being lopped and grinded so they sit closer in to the bumper.

 

[DesertGecko]

I had wondered about that. I also wondered if they could move the tow bar a bit higher.. but then youv'e got the numberplate.

 

[Eric]

I had wondered about that. I also wondered if they could move the tow bar a bit higher.. but then youv'e got the numberplate.

And everybody in the UK claiming it's all ready to high.

 

[DesertGecko]

And everybody in the UK claiming it's all ready to high.

Golly.. it's really vulnerable where it is. It's going to really cop it on the departure. I was actually thinking I'd remove it if I wasn't using it so it doesn't get beaten up.

 

[CountyV8]

And everybody in the UK claiming it's all ready to high.

Brink who supply Ineos with the Grenadier tow ball make these alternatives all "E" marked

 

[rovingoz]

Yep noticed that as well and the receiver tunnel is blocked off where it meets the chassis. If that's what they give us I'll be chopping the HR shank shorter and grinding the corners so it goes all the way in. Otherwise it'll flog out/stretch the receiver which happened on our Ford Ranger towbar which is similar.

 

[Tazzieman]

Just a little addition to a towbar thread , I decided to remove the tow ball.
Now I'm used to removing some hefty bolts, but man o man this was tight!
The paint on the threads, plus some gorilla at the factory make this a tough one.
I had to use a 1m length of pipe over my largest adjustable wrench and a pipe clamp jammed against the T bar tongue (to stop the ball spinning) to break it loose.
That was after removing and spraying with penetrating oil.
Suggest anyone who plans to do for the first time don't rely on those thin towball nut removers found in auto parts stores!
After the first removal though it screws back on as per normal.

 

[Eric]

Just a little addition to a towbar thread , I decided to remove the tow ball.
Now I'm used to removing some hefty bolts, but man o man this was tight!
The paint on the threads, plus some gorilla at the factory make this a tough one.
I had to use a 1m length of pipe over my largest adjustable wrench and a pipe clamp jammed against the T bar tongue (to stop the ball spinning) to break it loose.
That was after removing and spraying with penetrating oil.
Suggest anyone who plans to do for the first time don't rely on those thin towball nut removers found in auto parts stores!
After the first removal though it screws back on as per normal.

Worrying, M16 tow ball nuts are supposed to be torqued, ( not sure without checking what the setting is but do remember they are in the range of most "domestic" torque wrenches) clearly someone, dealer fit?, was carried away when fitting. Best replace those bolts when removing if being reused

 

[DenisM]

Worrying, M16 tow ball nuts are supposed to be torqued, ( not sure without checking what the setting is but do remember they are in the range of most "domestic" torque wrenches) clearly someone, dealer fit?, was carried away when fitting. Best replace those bolts when removing if being reused

Hi @Eric different setup from the Uk/European offering
...Tazzieman's trailer hitch as supplied, is the Australian standard 50mm towball which has a M22 shank. It's secured with an M22 spring washer and nut (requiring a 32/33mm spanner/wrench). It's this nut I'm presuming he sought to undo. The tow hitch is a 50mm square section which is slid into a receiver and retained with a pin. No M16 nuts required.
This illustration from Trailer Solutions ebay image

 

[Tazzieman]

Hi @Eric different setup from the Uk/European offering
...Tazzieman's trailer hitch as supplied, is the Australian standard 50mm towball which has a M22 shank. It's secured with an M22 spring washer and nut (requiring a 32/33mm spanner/wrench). It's this nut I'm presuming he sought to undo. The tow hitch is a 50mm square section which is slid into a receiver and retained with a pin. No M16 nuts required.
This illustration from Trailer Solutions ebay image
View attachment 7829819

Yes it's the thick nut underneath, with the thick nut on top holding the spanner

 

[bigleonski]

Interesting (and a concern) in John Canny’s latest video he mentions that none of the aftermarket hitches in Australia (hayman reese for example) actually fit in the hitch receiver as it isn’t as big as all the others.

So if you get a suspension lift or fit larger tyres for example and want to fit a drop hitch (as we’ve discussed here a number of times already) we might all be up shitter’s ditch.

 

[Zacman110]

Interesting (and a concern) in John Canny’s latest video he mentions that none of the aftermarket hitches in Australia (hayman reese for example) actually fit in the hitch receiver as it isn’t as big as all the others.

So if you get a suspension lift or fit larger tyres for example and want to fit a drop hitch (as we’ve discussed here a number of times already) we might all be up shitter’s ditch.

He’s talking about the DO35 shaft size for the pin, not the square hitch. It’s USA spec, so you would need to order a different pin if you already had one.

 

[bigleonski]

He’s talking about the DO35 shaft size for the pin, not the square hitch. It’s USA spec, so you would need to order a different pin if you already had one.

Yes but doesn’t he also talk about the sizing of the hitch receiver being 50.8mm which is more or less the same size as aftermarket hitches and therefore not fitting?? May need to watch it again.

 

[DenisM]

Yes but doesn’t he also talk about the sizing of the hitch receiver being 50.8mm which is more or less the same size as aftermarket hitches and therefore not fitting?? May need to watch it again.

Correct...he was seeking to replace the existing hitch with a somewhat longer one so's to accommodate the stone deflector....

 

[Zacman110]

Yes but doesn’t he also talk about the sizing of the hitch receiver being 50.8mm which is more or less the same size as aftermarket hitches and therefore not fitting?? May need to watch it again.

Yea you’re right apologies, I had only really noted the bigger pin requirement for the DO35. Interesting that it’s “exactly” the right size. Might need a machine shop to determine the GD&T and mill your hitch of choice to tolerance

 

[Clark Kent]

Interesting (and a concern) in John Canny’s latest video he mentions that none of the aftermarket hitches in Australia (hayman reese for example) actually fit in the hitch receiver as it isn’t as big as all the others.

So if you get a suspension lift or fit larger tyres for example and want to fit a drop hitch (as we’ve discussed here a number of times already) we might all be up shitter’s ditch.

I am using a Mr Hitches drop hitch flipped to give a 76mm rise. This hitch is reversible for rise/drop. @globalgregors commented in John Canny's video that he is using a Mr Hitches hitch.
The hitch from the ARB rear bar on my D-Max also fits the Grenadier receiver.

 

[Jvan]

I am using a Mr Hitches drop hitch flipped to give a 76mm rise. This hitch is reversible for rise/drop. @globalgregors commented in John Canny's video that he is using a Mr Hitches hitch.
The hitch from the ARB rear bar on my D-Max also fits the Grenadier receiver.

That's encouraging that MR Hitches are a likely solution to a tow hitch extension? Would be interested if anybody else tried Mr Hitches as well - from comments on John Canny' video regarding tow hitch it was mentioned it fits very tight as noted above..
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@bakepl 2 weeks ago
@daviddevaus436 same as John, I have 5 or so hitches, some slide into the receiver some don't. The Mr Hitch MH001HD I have fits. Fits well shall we say and scrapes the label off doing so. Another hairs width wider and it wouldn't fit.
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MR Hitches code MH002HD 50mm Towbar Hitch (235mm Hole Length, 51mm Drop)​