Thread: Broken Disco 3 Tow Bar

What idiot thOught cast irOn was appropriate for a tow bar. Steel is the only way to go. My hayman Reese 4 t rated bar has been hit twice from behind, once by a prado which impaled itself and took out its radiator and other components. It tows a 2 tonn boat. I use an snatch insert in it and have snatched many heavy loads over the 9 yrs that I have had it including land cruisers stuck to the sills on the beach.

Cheers

how do you know its cast iron? maybe its cast steel? its not the material thats at faulty here but the design.

cheers phil

Over here, LR came up with two different part numbers for the older "plow" hitch design before switching to the newer shorter LR4 style, Land Rover part # LR019990. This I call the third generation 2" receiver hitch and replaces previous long type part number second generation KNB500080, and before that, first generation KNB500023.

The two versions of the longer one, KNB500080 with the orange key, has apparently a better key locking setup. The first generation, KNB500023, has the black key which one presumes was not perfect.

My understanding however was that the part number change was due to locking design concerns, not casting design problems - now I wonder.

I note that the failed unit in the pictures appears to be the first generation black key design so the hitch probably does have a history.

It does appear however that one should know the history of the "plow" one has even if that means forgoing eBay. It almost seems like a previously owned hitch without a "providence" may be something to be avoided.

I tend to agree that crack was there for sometime prior to the failure, however that is academic when it does finally fail.

I can foresee LR eventually coming out with a Service Bulletin calling for X-Ray inspection of the hitches every year and giving the hitch an expiry date as well. That would satisfy the lawyers and give us all another maintenance item - certainly a different philosophy from the "good for life", no oil change required philosophy re the tranny.

It would also appear that one can only purchase from Land Rover the newer third generation shorter hitch and that the "plow" is no longer available.

As someone else mentioned....invest in a Mitch Hitch, solid and the right height for Australian standards, you'll never look back... do a Google search to find it. After I dropped my caravan at low speed with the original hitch, I had my Mitch Hitch fitted by ARB, but can be DIY. Only problem is it sets off my reversing sensors.

Originally Posted by brightsmarty

Only problem is it sets off my reversing sensors.

Which can be fixed by rotating the centre sensors inwards by 20 degrees.

The vehicle was purchased brand new in Sept 2007, however the hitch was never used until June 2010 when we purchased our van. The car has never been rear ended nor involved in any accidents whatsoever. I have had two broken windscreens from stones thrown up in road works and that is the full extent of any damage done to the car.

This is more interesting since you can claim to be the first and only user of the hitch.

You might want to send a letter to Land Rover Australia along with your pictures and just enquire if in the interests of safety, you should be sending the hitch to the Australian Highway Safety Agency or whatever it is called.

My experience with such matters is that government agencies of course do not want to become involved in any sort of discussion with "big guys", and just prefer fining the little people as there are no repercussions.

Land Rover's response or the lack of it would be an interesting way to start however, as the matter is serious. You and your family as well as everyone else were very fortunate as the only expense was incurred and not injury.

I had something similar happen a few years ago with a new replacement non OEM ball joint snapping on my Buick. When I went to pickup the repaired car, my mechanic proudly proclaimed that the replacement ball joint was free as the rep had made a special trip to the shop to hand deliver a new ball joint and pick up the snapped one. What was clear is that there was nothing for me to look at and hence nothing to make a fuss over.

Thanks bbyer, our hitch is the KNB500023 with the black key and it also has stamped into it 0707 which I take to be a manufacturing date of July 2007 which would make it fairly new when we purchased our car with the towbar. If that stamp is not the date then it could have been old shelf stock but it came brand new with the vehicle. We have never used a snatch strap on it, nor have we ever been off the bitumen road with it. We are waiting to hear back from Land Rover but if nothing comes of that I will certainly be getting in contact with the Transport Dept. They are very much like yours only concerned with revenue but may be interested as it could be life threatening.