Fitting of Mitch Hitch

[RickO]

G'Day All - calling all fellow (nearly) Mitch Hitchers!

Help!

I'm in the process of fitting a recently purchased a D3 towbar from Mitchell Bros (what a great piece of engineering!) but have come to a grinding halt after being unable to manoeuvre the final bolt though the bush fitted into the recovery loop.

As I'm at a complete loss after trying to wiggle the bolt in every conceivable direction, even after unscrewing the black trailer plug, I'd really value any advice from those that have 'been there, done that'.

At present the only way forward I can see is to cut the wires and completely remove the the white trailer plug (which I've never used anyway) as it isn't possible to move either plug far enough to sneak the bolt through given the lack of slack in the wiring to either trailer plug.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks all,
Rick

[CSBrisie]

Rick, I know most of us had to remove all screws for the two plugs to be able to move them out the waya nd then tighten the bolt - but I'm not aware of anyone having to go so far as remove the plugs altogether - maybe we were lucky enough to have more slack in the wiring??? I will await other posts with interest

[disco4now]

On a D4 I have removed the white plug and replaced with a 12pin. If you remove left hand tail light, (two screws and a tug) you can look down and see where the cable to the two plugs is joined by connectors. If you undo them here you would get some slack, then clip it back up. It was abit of a tight squeeze but managed to undo the connectors without pulling anything else off.

[Disco4SE]

Hi Rick, I fitted my MB hitch to my previous D3 myself. Had to remove the screws from the left hand plug and move it to one side to get the bolt through. Took a few goes and a few cans of ale, but I did get it. Oh yeah......and the odd F word.
Cheers, Craig
PS. Helps if the wife isn't around to tell you what you are doing wrong :twisted:

[ADMIRAL]

Hi RickO,

As the others have posted, you do need to undo the screws for both plugs, and also undo the retaining clips for the loom under the bumper panel. That will give you enough slack in the plugs to wriggle the bolt through. I think I took it in from the left from memory. It is damn tight, but it does go in. Persevere, and have another can.
....and don't just cut the wires to the white plug. Other consequences.

[RickO]

Thanks All.

Heading away with work for a couple of days but I've put a six pack in the fridge and told SWMBO to get ready to fit ear plugs to the kids at midday on Sat!

[Garry]

I had a few problems fitting mine to my D3 V8

I remember having the plugs off to fit the hitch but having recently fitted a Kaymar rear bar that raised its own issues

I had to run the grinder along the recess of the bar to get it all to fit in, not sure if getting it all in would have been easier doing it all at the same time but its done now

Its a good hitch but I noticed after coupling up a hired camper trailer that the trailers hitch was rubbing all the way around the base of the ball, not a big issue I dare say

Have fun

G

[Dingmark Jim]

RickO,

I installed one on my old D3 and it did require the bolts holding the electrical plug to be removed and the plug moved out of the way. On my new 3.0 D4, it was a bit more difficult as the wiring harness to the trailer electrical plug was ever-so-slightly shorter. I ended up having to remove the gasket where the wiring goes from inside the vehicle to the rear. This allowed just enough slack in the wiring to get the bolt through the hitch. It still meant that to run the main bolt through the recovery point I had to remove the bolts holding the bottom of the hitch up (and yes, I had it held in position with a wooden block that I managed to knock out, causing the hitch to land on my @&%# finger). I think there's inevitably enough variation in the manufacturing tolerances of the D3/D4 that everyone has slightly different "challenges" but the MitchHitch is worth it.

[gps-au]

I had a few problems fitting mine to my D3 V8

I remember having the plugs off to fit the hitch but having recently fitted a Kaymar rear bar that raised its own issues

I had to run the grinder along the recess of the bar to get it all to fit in, not sure if getting it all in would have been easier doing it all at the same time but its done now

Seems you got an "OLD" model Kaymar bar... current ones have been modified so that exercise is no longer required.


Its a good hitch but I noticed after coupling up a hired camper trailer that the trailers hitch was rubbing all the way around the base of the ball, not a big issue I dare say

Did you adjust the coupling ?

Most people never do !!

Alternatively, is the rise on your ball enough ?

[Garry]

Ah the old model, thats why it wont have the little struts as well then

I have since changed the tow ball but not tried it again

G

[gps-au]

Ah the old model, thats why it wont have the little struts as well then

I have since changed the tow ball but not tried it again

G

I got the "new", but didn't have struts.
later got extra wheel carrier and one strut. Shame they never provided the upgrade so I have matching struts.
But then, The 2nd wheel carrier is only now about to go on in the next week.

Most people tend to forget tow ball rise, and adjusting the ball seat nut on couplings. Then they wonder (especially on hire trailers) why they uncouple down the road........

[simoncs]

rather than start a new thread....

we are going to hire a camper trailer this week (Wed), and I have left it really late to install the mitch hitch.

We are going to go off road with it - and are hoping to go to Pebbly beach, which has a slight incline out of the water crossing.
The trailer has an extended drawbar, so I am quite concerned that we could drag the hitch if I remain on the current removeable tow hitch.

So my question is I guess - if I can pick one up today, can I feasibly fit it in the evening?
I read on the instructions for D4 you need to use a grinder to bore out some more room in the receiver - is that correct?
Can this be done with a Dremmel and is it easy/obvious?

If I do this does the removeable tow hitch still fit properly - ie do i have a fallback plan if I run out of time?

To loosen the white plug, where do I unclip the loom - is it under the carpet under the tailgate flap?


thanks

Simon

[Tombie]

Yes and Yes

I fitted mine the other day.

Dremel and Sanding wheel(s) will get the job done.

Took me 30 minutes to clean up the mount...

Drop the spare, makes it easier to unclip the wiring harness and move the plug out the way to put the big bolt through.

Then just a matter of torquing it up, refit the plug and clip the harness back in.

I saved 10 minutes as I had already dropped the spare to fit a LR tank.

[Tombie]

And yes, running out of time just re-insert the factory towbar.

[Tombie]

Loom is behind the rear cross member.

[jimc]

yep..not too hard..just frustrating!

Dont forget the washers!. I did..so the 20 minutes I spent cursing the bolt..turned into another 20 minutes of cursing trying to get the bolt back out!!!

Only other thing I found handy was 2 x 24mm?? offset ring spanners. I was able to tighten the bolts without removal of the second 12pin plug or removal of spare.

Good luck!

[discotwinturbo]

yep..not too hard..just frustrating!

Dont forget the washers!. I did..so the 20 minutes I spent cursing the bolt..turned into another 20 minutes of cursing trying to get the bolt back out!!!

Only other thing I found handy was 2 x 24mm?? offset ring spanners. I was able to tighten the bolts without removal of the second 12pin plug or removal of spare.

Good luck!

Did you torque the bolts to the correct torque setting ? I had to move both plugs out of the way to get my torque wrench in.

Brett...

[CaverD3]

Remember to re-tighten the bolts after it has settled in.

[simoncs]

all done - thanks guys. Took about 1hr 20mins. The majority of that time was filling out the recovery ring enough to tap the plastic bit in.

Will remember to adjust after the first 50km and then again the next day.

[streaky]

Quick question about the Mitch Hitch. There's a plastic two piece bush insert...whats it made from? PTFE, Nylon, Teflon?? Any ideas?

[Tombie]

Quick question about the Mitch Hitch. There's a plastic two piece bush insert...whats it made from? PTFE, Nylon, Teflon?? Any ideas?

Looks like Ertalon 6Pla.

[CaverD3]

Early ones were nylon.

[Tombie]

Early ones were nylon.

Ert6pla is an industrial nylon suited for high loads.

I suspect it may be that variant.

[CaverD3]

You could be right.

[djambalawa]

Tried to fit mine on the w/e but just couldn't get the insert into the recovery eye... had a dodgy round file and tried that but wasn't a good idea...

It does say for the D4 you need to grind it out with some tool but me being pretty ignorant I don't know what tool they're talking about...

Can someone explain to me what I need?

[Tombie]

Go grab yourself a Dremel :)

Fantastic tool and a million uses!

[djambalawa]

Go grab yourself a Dremel :)

Fantastic tool and a million uses!

I bought one and it did the trick thanks :). I shoulda got a right angle adaptor but I eventually got it using the flexi hose attachment... Getting the bolt past the loosened plug was a mongrel! :(

[Tombie]

I bought one and it did the trick thanks :). I shoulda got a right angle adaptor but I eventually got it using the flexi hose attachment... Getting the bolt past the loosened plug was a mongrel! :(

Yes, if your tongue isnt quite in the right spot you're in trouble.

[sheerluck]

Yes, if your tongue isnt quite in the right spot you're in trouble.

Surely it's much easier using your fingers Tombie :angel:

[Tombie]

Surely it's much easier using your fingers Tombie :angel:

A masterful and talented tongue never goes astray ;)

[TerryO]

A masterful and talented tongue never goes astray ;)

Its one thing to explain how you got a splinter in a finger, its a whole nother discussion on how you got one in your tongue.

Still each to their own, it must be a SA thing. ...;)