Tow bars for Series

[OneOff]

Spent a very busy weekend converting a drop plate to take a standard socket style tow hitch. Very pleased with the result and it works like a charm.

Only to be told this afternoon it won’t be legal because it’s not plated. A quick search verified this is true, and will also void my insurance, even if an incident is not my fault and doesn’t even involve the said tow bar...

So... Like many other things with Series vehicles, being pre-ADR is a home made tow bar exempt? (wishful thinking here)
The bolt-on tow ball on the market from the UK look downright flimsy and I doubt they would meet the criteria here.

Is there a tow bar available out there that is ADR compliant?

[goingbush]

Sounds like absolute crap to me , if your in a front end prang and you've got a non compliant tow bar theres no way they will void your insurance.

For a start there is no assessor alive that would have a clue what is correct or not on a Series.
If that was the case there is no point buying insurance on any Series, or Defender for that matter

I always used the standard drop plate with a ball on the pintle .

None of those parts were ever plated / stamped .
A clause written in 1998 would not apply to vehicles built prior .

[JDNSW]

The requirement for tow bars to be plated only applies to vehicles manufactured after that ADR. Almost no vehicle standards are retrospective - the only one I can think of is rear reflectors.

Hence plated towbars are not required on any Series Landrovers (or indeed on pre-Defender coil sprung ones), in the same way that seat belts are not required on those made before 1971(?).

All, or almost all Series Landrovers sold in Australia were fitted from new with the standard towing jaw 90518674, which was fitted to almost all export S2/2a/3 Landrovers, except wagons.

While designed for a ring connection, a standard towing ball fits perfectly well instead of the pin. I have added to mine a second nut to distribute the load to both parts of the jaw - this has welded into the bottom of it a pin the thickness of the jaw and the same diameter as the hole in the jaw, and the pin has a threaded hole tapped in it so it is secured by a 5/16" UNF bolt and heavy washer.

This will probably put the ball a little higher than is ideal, but I have towed a wide variety of trailers on these for the last 50+ years on all the Series I have owned, with no issues.

[Homestar]

As mentioned, it doesn’t need to comply with anything as it’s pre the relevant ADR and they are generally not retrospective. Fit and use what you want, no dramas.

Relevant ADR 62/00 - https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2006L03054/38e68a92-8b24-4483-b080-898e679d0662

Applicable to off road passenger vehicle and passenger vehicles from 1st Jan 1992.

[OneOff]

Thank you gents, that makes more sense to me. Admittedly the source I was using was from a random generic 4x4 forum and undoubtedly their focus would be later model Asian vehicles.

Thanks Homestar for that ADR ruling, I had looked for it but had no luck.

I will post some pics of my handy work here tomorrow.

I might take it off when it comes to rego time just to be safe, no point in giving them things to pick on...

[rexhunt]

Looking forward to seeing some pics of how you've done this.

A socket style hitch mount is the list of things I want to get made after rego and some pictures of one that someone else has made could be quite helpful.

Cheers,
Rex

[OneOff]

Just posted some pics over on my "Barney" thread.

Barney - a 1958 Series II (https://www.aulro.com/afvb/series-ii-and-iia/239197-barney-1958-series-ii.html)

[QRS40]

I might take it off when it comes to rego time just to be safe, no point in giving them things to pick on...

Personally I’d leave it on that way you also have it on a RWC as backup in the (unlikely) event there is an issue later. Also make sure it’s listed on your insurance.
But as others have said it really shouldn’t be a problem.

[whitehillbilly64]

Mine.

whitehillbilly

[OneOff]

Very similar Shane, your welding is better than mine.

[russellrovers]

Mine.

whitehillbillyfor insurance you need to be licenced welder

[Homestar]

for insurance you need to be licenced welder

No you don’t. Show me a PDS from an insurance company that states this about a tow hitch built prior to ADR 62/00.

[JohnboyLandy]

Mine.

whitehillbilly

Any mine, modelled on Harry's (Ho Hars) .....
151386151387
Slightly different approach, having a plate on the inside of cross member, with crush tubes.

It really helps having a neighbour with a milling machine, four hours of milling to get through both plates.

I actually had mine welded by a professional welder in the end after realising that my welding was pretty bad.

Cheers,
John

[4bee]

If you want a protected location for your electric plug base, pop a light gauge plate over the back of the hole in the rear cross & fit the plug base to that inside. Make sure you leave a small drain hole in the back corner.

[whitehillbilly64]

Had mine professionally welded.
Didn't want it falling off.
Handy having a welder mate who is two minutes around the corner.
I cut it all out, tacked it up and took it around with a 6 pack.

Whitehillbilly

[OneOff]

That was my plan as well, and where I work runs a full blown engineering workshop.

But by the time I'd tacked it here, and there, and there, it was half done so I just followed through.
I think I will bring it in though before I paint it and have them check it over.

[whitehillbilly64]

I call in with a beer for Rob, quite often. Usually Fri Arvo.
We are working on a Roll bar for Gilbert, to fit under the Canvas.
To be fitted once Registered. :wasntme:
Good work.
whitehillbilly

[67hardtop]

Mine...front, VE commodore towbar welded to front dumb irons. Rear...welded into rear x member and original tow plate, and onto second last x member, made from a VK commodore heavy duty towbar. Welded. Not removable. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190528/5db0987a6c3257f9cde7fede5d927f01.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190528/9ef258a18d7eec05a7700fb1e84b8d40.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190528/e80a9118ab52d5395943913043076c40.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190528/2adffa09e9b320628c9455ef2017f330.jpg

[bemm52]

How does the grease nipple on top of your steering relay work Rod

Cheers Paul

[67hardtop]

Put a grease gun on and pump[emoji12] . Its a steering relay out of an ex military s2. Aparently it was a modification they tried. I dont use it now that ive done the relay up and its filled with oil.

[JDNSW]

Only fairly early relays (some time in early S2a, possibly as early as end S2 - books are not clear) had the drilled relay shaft. Some have reported shaft breakages where it is drilled, leading for a preference for the undrilled shaft, especially for large tyres or extreme off road driving.

[OneOff]

Cripes!!
That is a serious bit of kit. Not about to fall off...

[marc]

151444 i have run this tow hitch since 1988, and after just getting rear crossbeam fixed the panel beater asked is that tow bar legal as he thought it was an old English front mount style,now you've got me thinking. i was going to cut a square hole in the rear member and weld in a receiver for use with a drop style bar but opted against it. my tinnie sits a bit low at the back but never created any drama's so will stay with this for a while, but good to see these idea's hope the photo's come out a few changes since last tried to attach, cheer's markus 151443

[JDNSW]

That towball looks exactly like the standard home market towball p/n 568872. They are quite rare here - I don't think I have ever seen one. They are usually fitted to the drop plate p/n 508412.

The only issue would be that it is presumably 2" rather than 50mm, but the difference is probably within the tolerance of most tow hitches.

What a lot of people fail to realise is that the rear crossmember was designed from the outset as a towbar. Early Series 1 had as standard an agricultural towbar fitted below the rear crossmember and attached to it. Almost all export models, including almost all sold in Australia came as standard with the drop plate and towing jaw p/n90518674.

[gromit]

That towball looks exactly like the standard home market towball p/n 568872. They are quite rare here - I don't think I have ever seen one. They are usually fitted to the drop plate p/n 508412.



That's a standard UK towball, had them on every towbar I fitted to vehicles in the UK.

From memory they were 50mm, not sure if I have any in the collection of parts I brought with me.


Colin

[JDNSW]

Yes, I thought they were common in the UK. Unlikely they were 50mm during Series production - I seem to remember that even here they did not go to metric towball size until well after the end of Series production - although I must admit I had little to do with trailers from about 1971 to 1989, and was somewhat surprised to find then I needed a 50mm ball not a 2" ball!

[grizzz]

I think the sizes are either 1 7/8" or 50mm.
Okay maybe just this side of the ditch. They tried to change about 30 years ago and it was a failure.
Strangely people didnt want to spend money buying new hitches to fit new tow balls they also needed to buy.
Occasionally there heavier trailers with 50mm hitches but they arent common.

I had started thinking about making a receiver hitch and was wondering about how to set it up.
Mostly how much would hang out from the rear outrigger.
Thank you to everyone for the photos showing various solutions to the question how to make it work.

[gromit]

Yes, I thought they were common in the UK. Unlikely they were 50mm during Series production - I seem to remember that even here they did not go to metric towball size until well after the end of Series production - although I must admit I had little to do with trailers from about 1971 to 1989, and was somewhat surprised to find then I needed a 50mm ball not a 2" ball!

Looks like 1 7/8" pre 60's in the UK.
Tow Ball Sizes? UKCampsite.co.uk Caravan Towcars and Towing Advice Forum Messages (https://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/chatter/display_topic_threads.asp?ForumID=20&TopicID=58015&ThreadPage=1)

I don't remember anything but the 50mm ball but I wasn't messing around with old trailers & caravans.


Colin

[gromit]

Yes, I thought they were common in the UK. Unlikely they were 50mm during Series production - I seem to remember that even here they did not go to metric towball size until well after the end of Series production - although I must admit I had little to do with trailers from about 1971 to 1989, and was somewhat surprised to find then I needed a 50mm ball not a 2" ball!

Looks like 1 7/8" pre 60's in the UK.
Tow Ball Sizes? UKCampsite.co.uk Caravan Towcars and Towing Advice Forum Messages (https://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/chatter/display_topic_threads.asp?ForumID=20&TopicID=58015&ThreadPage=1)

I don't remember anything but the 50mm ball but I wasn't messing around with old trailers & caravans.


Colin

[JDNSW]

While Australia had several different sizes pre-metric, I thought the common one was 2" - maybe I have to look for an old ball and measure it, could have been 17/8".

[slug_burner]

I remember the old tow balls used to be a two piece arrangement with a coach head bolt going down through a cast or forged ball. I think 1 7/8” sounds right. A bit too sloppy in a 50 mm coupling. Those were the days.

[bemm52]

I remember the old tow balls used to be a two piece arrangement with a coach head bolt going down through a cast or forged ball. I think 1 7/8” sounds right. A bit too sloppy in a 50 mm coupling. Those were the days.

151486 one of these[thumbsupbig]

151487 rust and me shivering may have effected the reading a little should be 1.875" I think

Cheers Paul

[S3ute]

That towball looks exactly like the standard home market towball p/n 568872. They are quite rare here - I don't think I have ever seen one. They are usually fitted to the drop plate p/n 508412.

The only issue would be that it is presumably 2" rather than 50mm, but the difference is probably within the tolerance of most tow hitches.


Hello from Brisbane.

That towball type is still commonly used in South Africa and Zimbabwe - probably a number of the other ex-colonies as well. The new ones are 50mm.

Cheers,

Neil

[JDNSW]

Not surprising, but they are vanishingly rare in Australia.

[rover-56]

for insurance you need to be licenced welder

Won't be long before you need a licence to fart.