Thread: Mitchell Bros. Hitch

Originally Posted by oldsalt

...I was going to buy a Mitch hitch (from Ritters - Melb) very soon, but I've put it off for a while till I see some more detail of this particular case....

Hmmm If you asked me (no one usually does) to choose between the words of a "one post wonder" and the several very experience posters/Mitch Hitch users I know who I'm believing. At this stage this one post wonder is like a little terrorist (OK - a bit extreme) as he's already put off one potential buyer. Even if it does turn out to be true there certainly doesn't seem to be too many other people complaining about them, in fact many people in this thread have made mention of how good they have found them in some pretty extreme scenarios.

Don't let the mud stick!

..And apologies to our new poster if it is true, but perhaps a lesson is learnt in timely posts!

I'll be ringing Mitch hitch a little later today to ask about the batch number/bolt diameter etc so I can have a look before I buy my hitch.
The "silence" of the original poster does seem to point in the direction of a "troll" ... apologies if you are not ... but then again it always pays to check and recheck before you lay down your hard-earned cash for accessories ...
cheers

yep, best idea is hear it from the horses mouth.. i'd be ringing them.

not everybody lives on forums so i wouldn't be sticking the OP with the troll tag over one post where he was asking if any one else had an issue ..

I met with Aaron Mitchell today, as I have some works in progress and mentioned the forum posts...
Both to bring him up to date with the comments and secure his comments.
He was a little bemused!!
He has not had time to look at the forums lately, holidays and working hard, but he commented that someone had rung.

Maybe they are the same elusive person.

It was an old serial number, over 5 years old.
By their own admission they had welded bits onto and modified the hitch.
But also by their own admission they had clouted the hitch on "something substantial" as they climbed out of something....somewhere or other...

He would be very interested to get some more information as nothing more has been heard.

I related to him my most recent experience in Abercrombie NP where the van followed most comfortably hitched to the substantial addition. I have to say that I have tested it over some very difficult locations and have no doubts it is 100% effective.

There is no way I would have been comfortable with the LD plough!.

Hopefully, our poster will make comment...
If he does not, I think we can all make our own conclusions.

Originally Posted by rodjam

Hopefully, our poster will make comment...
If he does not, I think we can all make our own conclusions.

maybe the penny dropped and that is why th OP never bothered pursuing it either way.. who knows.

good to get some idea of what the history was from the other side of the fence it has to be said.

thanks

Just to let people know.

My Mitch hitch arrived a week ago.

16mm main bolt.

Will be fitting next rostered break, along with newly acquired long ranger tank and 4x4DE Swing away wheel carrier.

(Bring on the shed day)

I took my D3 with Mitchell hitch fitted early 2010 by Opp Lock in SA back to OL for inspection today. They confirmed it has 12mm bolt but there is no sign of any problem. My camper is only ~1800kg loaded and I have had no issues Offroad despite some fairly challenging tracks. OL had contacted Mitchell Bros this week and confirmed OP had 2nd hand hitch and that OP had admitted that it was not torqued to original specs. I have been assured mine was torqued as specified and that Mitchell Bros stand by original rating but decided to upgrade to 16mm bolt to allow for possibility that some units might not be always torqued exactly to spec. I guess each individual forum member can decide whether to accept that. I asked about upgrading but was advised I will need to pay the $100. For now I am choosing not too as I feel confident my current towing requirements are well within the original rating. I would be more than happy to recommend this hitch to a prospective purchaser especially now that 16mm bolt is standard. Regards, David

Below is a copy of a blog that Burmo (the op) put up as an answer to everyone's questions, so he did try to do the correct thing by answering the questions in the correct time frame, however he just put the reply in the wrong area and we all missed it.

I think it covers most of what went wrong and answers most everyone's questions and confirms what many suspected happened.

I thought this needed to be followed up on as it raised some serious questions re Mitch Hitch's that shouldn't continue to go unanswered.

cheers,
Terry



Mitchell Bros Hitch

Posted 24th January 2013 at 09:55 PM by Burmo
Sorry I haven't been back to answer your questions earlier as I have been trying to resolve what may have caused this incident.Yes it was the top 12mm bolt that snapped (still held on by the 2 bottom bolts although considerably bent). There are many reasons why this may have happened keeping in mind our 21 ft off road van weight aprox 3.2 t, ball weight aprox 330kg.
(1) The hitch I was using was second hand so I have no idea weather it was the orrigional bolt and nut. Word is the bolts and nuts should only be used once, if not the nylon nut could have become loose. I was surprised to find out from one of your blogs that an upgrade of this bolt is available.
(2) The tongue I was using was a Hayman Reece with the WDH head (i was NOT using the WD bars) as i required extra height for our van. This tongue as standard put the ball a long way out from the hitch, hence giving it a larger amount of leverage on the top bolt (although it allowed the tailgate to be lowered). There does not appear to be a specific tongue to suite this hitch although now I are trying to get MB to recomend me one.
(3) I am not an engineer but I feel the bolt used should have been longer so that the thread was outside the hitch and washers used to tighten it up. This would allow for a solid section of bolt through all pulling points. My bolt snapped where the thread ended.
After extensive calls to MB they have assured me the bolt on the latest hitch has been increased both in size and length. They have recomended a Combination Pintal Hook and Tow Ball. We are in the process of getting a new MB hitch and possibly this tow ball arrangement.
The guys at MB have been very helpfull and great to talk to. I feel very confident they will get the correct assembly for us in the end. I will have more information when we get the final fittment to our vehicle.

Burmo.