D4 Rear End Failure while Towing: Jindabyne?

[RoverLander]

I have a friend who says he saw a White Discovery 4 with the back end of the car ripped off. His words to describe what he saw. It was towing a large caravan.

It was parked in Jindabyne Nuggets shopping centre car park at 8am on Tuesday.

He is a reliable source so I would be interested to find out more if anyone has any information on what happened.

Peter

[jonesy63]

Another tow hitch failure? :o

[Mattt]

Dodgy repair maybe?

[robbotd5]

Ouch!!!
One of my biggest fears. Would like to know what happened??.
Regards
Robbo

[ytt105]

Probably insisted on running a WDH.

The tow hitch isn't designed to handle the uplift a WDH exerts apparently.

[RoverLander]

I have no idea what the circumstances were or if a WDH was in use as the person that told me did not get that close a look. I would really like to know because i am going to be towing a 2800 tare van for 6 months early next year with my D4. Aiming not to use a WDH as that is what it says in the book.

[101RRS]

I doubt the rear end had fallen off - more likely the bar separated from the car and took the outer rear bumper with it - given the impression the rear end had fallen off.

Garry

[RoverLander]

I can believe that Gary. He did say that the back bumper and wiring was laying on the ground behind the car. He also claims that the rear wheels did not look like they were in the right position. I though the car may have lowered down but he said it looked like the wheels we further backwards in the wheel arches.

I don't know what to make of it and i don't know how much of the details i am providing are accurate. That is why i am hoping someone can give us some facts.

Peter

[Graeme]

Sounds like my D4's rear end failure whilst driving over hidden branches in long grass!

[mowog]

I have no idea what the circumstances were or if a WDH was in use as the person that told me did not get that close a look. I would really like to know because i am going to be towing a 2800 tare van for 6 months early next year with my D4. Aiming not to use a WDH as that is what it says in the book.

I towed a fair bit with the standard D4 setup without any issues and many here have also.

However... After hearing about a few failures I removed what I saw as the weak points in the D4 towing setup. I got a Mitch Hitch and fitted that this cured the doubts I had with the plough tow hitch.

[TerryO]

I agree with Mowog, if in doubt don't stuff around just get a Mitch Hitch and forget using the questionable OEM hitch.

A badly set up WDH often does cause all sorts of problems as well and most people have little idea on how to use them, they just crank them up as hard as possible.

The new Jeep Grand Cherokee which can be optioned up to have a similar gas / lift suspension and Terrain Response system to a D3/4 is now two years down the track required by JEEP to be used with a WDH when towing anything over 2.2 ton from memory and the Jeep has an alloy chassis, not a steel chassis like a D3/4.

Do date I have not heard of any failures on them and the grey nomad brigade that are buying them in droves would be whinging very loudly if there was even one failure while towing. My uneducated guess is it is the daft LR hitch if anything.

I'd guess if the Jeep can get away with a WDH then maybe it is possible to use one on the Disco as well, but personally I don't want to.