Mitchell Bros. Hitch

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Originally Posted by garrycol

What is becoming clear is it is more than a single event and maybe more common than we think.

Garry

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Rubbish :angel:

Its happened (so claimed by missing OP) once

The only other thing that has happened is bending of the original 12mm bolt size.

No-one else has had one break free completely - as far as we are all aware.

So no, its not becoming quite apparent that it is common, it is becoming "apparent" that they can bend on older 12mm bolted units requiring upgrading to the new 16mm version.

No-one else has posted a complete failure, and the OP (who is miraculously MIA) still hasn't answered how the entire unit fell away when it is held on by three bolts, not one...

Nor do we know context - the MH is not made with a WDH in mind either, so lets see the context of how this D4 was being used, towing what, where and if any WDH etc were in use...

Until then, lets stick to facts...

For what it's worth I had already pmed the originator of this thread and asked him to respond with photo's if he has any and any further information that could be important.

Lets wait and see what comes he comes back with.

cheers,
Terry

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Originally Posted by Tombie

Rubbish :angel:

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Nonsense :angel: - you have your view I have mine.

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Originally Posted by Tombie

how the entire unit fell away when it is held on by three bolts, not one...

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If the top bolt was not in-situ then the plate would bend under the weight of the van on the end of the coupling and possibly break the bolts off in the process.

If the bolt though the towing eye is bending as much what "TerryO" experenced it suggests that bolt is not the proper grade or even HT. Ordinary bolts will bend but HT (eg grade 8) will not bend but will break.

IvanR

A 12mm bolt just isn't thick enough to not bend due to the lateral forces even when HT. If might be different if the bush was solid rather than flexible but still undersized. The flexible bush itself seems a strange fitment because the lower bolts are rigid but perhaps the metal has enough elasticity to tolerate the flexing.

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Originally Posted by Graeme

A 12mm bolt just isn't thick enough to not bend due to the lateral forces even when HT. If might be different if the bush was solid rather than flexible but still undersized. The flexible bush itself seems a strange fitment because the lower bolts are rigid but perhaps the metal has enough elasticity to tolerate the flexing.

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I was thinking the same thing after I had a look at mine and saw the plastic bush, which I didn't know was there. It is a strange mixture of rigid and flexible. Mine has the 16 mm bolt and hasn't given me any problems.

A couple of months ago I used my Mitch hitch to try to snatch my son in law's 80 series out of a creek at Cape Le Grande in Esperance. I had a new snatch strap and looped it around the pin in the hitch receiver. The 80 series was stuck fast and I did a pretty fast run up in a desperate attempt to free him after several gentler pulls. I nearly went through the windscreen but the snatch strap snapped and the 80 series stayed in the flowing water in the tidal zone on the beach. The only damage was that the pin was bent. No issues at all with the Mitch hitch. At one stage we used three 4WD's in a line with my D4 attached to the 80 series via the Mitch hitch and the others pulling from the front recovery point.

The 80 series ended up staying put all night with the water half way up the doors at high tide. He got towed out by a farmer's tractor in the morning and ended up with a broken centre diff and snapped rear tail shaft for his troubles, not to mention salt water in every bearing, diffs, gearbox and inside the car.

Bob

The bolt on mine was bent but the part that had the most damage was the <(I'm guessing) neoprene bush which had turned nearly to mush.

With a larger bolt the bush is also smaller given less room for wear and tear, and as I said when I rang them they told me that one should always replace the bush if the hitch is removed for any reason, which sounds fair.

I do agree with Garry though that they should have replaced the undersized bolts and oversized bushes gratis rather then charging everyone for the new kit when the originals failed as it was obviously not quite fit for purpose in the original design.

cheers,
Terry

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Originally Posted by TerryO

and as I said when I rang them they told me that one should always replace the bush if the hitch is removed for any reason, which sounds fair.

I do agree with Garry though that they should have replaced the undersized bolts and oversized bushes gratis rather then charging everyone for the new kit when the originals failed as it was obviously not quite fit for purpose in the original design.

cheers,
Terry

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Terry did they give you a reason why you would need to replace the crush tube , I cann't think why,
nylock nut probably should be replaced

Sorry Roamer not that I remember, I bet they will be getting all sorts of phone calls today from others on here asking questions so chances are there will be feedback by later today.

Personally I reckon the Mitch Hitch is one of the best bits of aftermarket kit that I have fitted on our D3.

cheers,
Terry