D3 Towbar...neep help/advice

[Jabl13]

Ok.. stupid question department.. well 2 maybe, although one is more than the other.
Having only had the D3 for a couple of weeks, I found the removable tow slot thingy in the side storage. It has a key sticking out of it and a big green knob on it. I've looked in the manual which tells me I have to rotate the knob and everything and I have found the slot for it to go in under the back, no probs there. The question is: the sliding locking piece doesn't move except for a tiny bit when I wang on the knob, the key doesn't come out, and the green knob is pulled out sideways but still won't turn, so what I'm really asking is that if I put it up in the hole is there something that triggers or releases the lock pin and lets it rotate for the key to come out? I could just jam it in there and see but if its faulty, I dont want the thing hanging there when I go off road.

2nd question (thanks for getting this far :) ) what tow tongue fits in the adapter? is it a standard hayman reese or is it a genuine?

thanks people :)
cheers
John

[Drizzle]

This may help with how it should operate?

http://youtu.be/reI0suTjIEI

[Epic pooh]

Standard Hayman Reece 50mm tongue fits.

Lube the slot and the pin if it hasn't been used for a while before putting it in or you might need a hammer to get it out.

You won't want to leave it on the car particularly off-road. It's known as the plough ... For good reason ... It will hang you up off-road and grind driveways on road and is not intended to be left on unless in use.

[Jabl13]

Thanks for the info Drizzle and Mick..and who would have thought..Youtube :P Why didn't I think of that. (perhaps the "stupid" them continues )
so quick, so simple...like I thought, it clicks in and all operates automagically.
and hitch bit looks pristine, I don;t think it has ever been used before.

lol@the "plough"

[Redback]

You can use the D4 hitch in there, it is much higher than the D3 plough, they are around the $400 mark from LR, do a search you may get a second hand one cheaper, or there maybe ones on Ebay.

The other alternative is the Mitch Hitch, available from Mitchell Bros in Brookvale, there are ones available second hand from time to time(search the Market here) if you do find a second hand one, Mitchell Bros recommend you replace the centre before fitting it.

Baz.

[Epic pooh]

What baz has said is on the money for serious off-road towing or very frequent use.

That said, I still use the original ten year old plough and it's fine for me (road towing and dirt roads / well formed trails). It would be no good if (a) I had an off-road van and (b) I went off road with the van in tow. So give it a go as its perfectly fine (and a good height for car trailers, box trailers and road height vans / boats) unless of course you're hardcore like Baz and then you need a Mitch hitch !

For a laugh search for disco 3 plough in YouTube and you'll see it at its off-road finest :)

[Drizzle]

What baz has said is on the money for serious off-road towing or very frequent use.

That said, I still use the original ten year old plough and it's fine for me (road towing and dirt roads / well formed trails). It would be no good if (a) I had an off-road van and (b) I went off road with the van in tow. So give it a go as its perfectly fine (and a good height for car trailers, box trailers and road height vans / boats) unless of course you're hardcore like Baz and then you need a Mitch hitch !

We still use the original D3 hitch too. Works well for us on the beach and dirt roads etc. Nothing too extreme for us and it's fine. Agreed if you are doing serious off-road work you might need a different solution as mentioned above.

There's some pics of ours pulling the camper trailer up Teewah beach in the 'Trailers, Vans and Campers' section of the forum. Hitch height is fine for our trailer:
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/trailers-vans-campers/155201-show-us-your-caravan-camper-trailer-camping-trailer-12.html#post2300259

[Hogarthde]

Also use original on our D3. Bloomfield track, Maytown , Pandanus Park, Cape York , though that as not 4wd , towing 18 ft Trackmaster. Never contemplated change.

Dave

[Wasa57]

Also use original with 1 1/2" raised towball, not for heavy or extreme towing, D3 diesel.
It is a fiddly operation to remove and refit at the best of times!

The main problem I can forsee is failure due to lack of maintainance, IE the whole shebang (tongue and ball assembly) falling into the path of following traffic, not to mention your expensive caravan or boat sailing past you on the freeway.
I understand that the tow hitch is not high on the D3 maintainance totum-pole.
It is a basic design fault that such a failure is possible, if not probable given the right / wrong / predictable circumstances, and I wonder why it was not a recall issue.
It is possible to fit the lower unit without the locking pin engaging, giving you a false sense of security.
Regular maintainace such as dissembly, clean, and spray with lube lessens the chance of failure, especially after beach / dust / mud trips.

-Wasa

[Jabl13]

Thanks guys...some much needed advice there. We just have a small trailer so no serious stuff with it on. Wasa... scary about it not latching in, I'll keep an eye on that for sure. WD40 to the rescue all the time.

That link to the pics of people's tow rigs is great, thanks for sharing.
cheers

[Epic pooh]

I use dry ptfe to lube mine. Wd40 attracts dirt and filth and I wouldn't use it on the towbar.