Thread: Tow ball/drawbar receiver

Originally Posted by jonesy63

For sure - as I said, I ordered the tow kit. If the OP wants to tow, maybe he should order it as well.

The actual tow kit is included in every D4,the reesce style reciever and ball isnt.Depending what you need to tow you need to buy what suits your trailer height.
Andrew

OK - just got the MY15 TDV6 back from the mechanics who installed the REDARC brake controller, an Anderson plug and reversing cameras - back of vehicle and connection to caravan.
They also checked the level of the van when hitched and it is not too bad - hardly noticeable drop of about 30 mm. However I am still going to get a tongue with a higher goose neck and reverse it as others here have suggested.
BTW - the TDV6 3.0 ltr tows the 3.0 tonne van beautifully and effortlessly - extremely stable feeling, however I am still to take it on high speed roads to see how it copes with long steep hills, which was the problem with our previous Patrol.

There is now another issue that cropped up when I was hitching the van - attaching the safety chains to the attachment points of the tow bar. What a pain that is . I have the 2 Tonne rated shackles and the pin barely fits the hole, but that is not the real problem. The problem is that I just about have to get under the vehicle to see where the holes are to line up the pin and then you can only turn the pin about a quarter turn at a time due to the angle and proximity to other obstacles. Not so bad getting under there at home on the concrete driveway - but out bush when it may be muddy and wet -

Has anyone welded any other attachment points to the tow bar to make it easier to attach the safety chains?

I've heard that some people attach their safety chains to the recovery point above the tow hitch (in between the electrical plugs).

Don't know how effective this is - never done it myself.

Originally Posted by BMKal

I've heard that some people attach their safety chains to the recovery point above the tow hitch (in between the electrical plugs)...

Oh yeah! Thanks BMKal. Now that you mention it I do recall seeing a photo here somewhere of someone doing just that.

However it means removing the plastic tow hitch panel and I was trying to keep that on and have everything looking neat. Oh well - neat rear versus getting dirty trousers and fiddling for an age? Guess the panel goes

Hello Prasad
I normally thread the U of the Shackle through the Chain Loop located about the Tow Hitch. I then insert the Shackle Pin through a chain link. So when I unhitch I unscrew the Shackle Pin to release the chain and then reinsert the Shackle Pin into the Shackle. So the U Shackle stays on the Disco ready to hitch up again. I am not having to rethread the Shackle through the Chain Loop every time.
When I have finished my towing holiday and not planing to tow for a while I normally remove the U Shackles.

NTB

Originally Posted by NTB

Hello Prasad
I normally thread the U of the Shackle through the Chain Loop located about the Tow Hitch. I then insert the Shackle Pin through a chain link. So when I unhitch I unscrew the Shackle Pin to release the chain and then reinsert the Shackle Pin into the Shackle. So the U Shackle stays on the Disco ready to hitch up again. I am not having to rethread the Shackle through the Chain Loop every time.
When I have finished my towing holiday and not planing to tow for a while I normally remove the U Shackles.

NTB

It sounds like your shackles are very small to be able to be threaded through the chain attachment of the tow bar. I have 2 tonne rated shackles and the pin hardly fits through the hole let alone the "U" part of the shackle.
Did you enlarge the holes?

Another way you could do it might be to fit a couple of hammer lock "Omega Links" to the eyes in your tow hitch, and leave these permanently in place.

You then secure your chains to these links using U bolts.

See link below to relevant page in Blackwoods catalogue.

Omega Links - PWB | Blackwoods

Originally Posted by BMKal

... fit a couple of hammer lock "Omega Links" to the eyes in your tow hitch, and leave these permanently in place...

Thanks BMKal - I think that is the way to go. I had a look at the tow hook option, but forgot that the auto electrician had fitted the reversing camera in the plastic cover of the tow hitch area, so I can't access the hook easily.

Just need to check on the rating of these Omega Links to ensure that they are at least 2.0 tonne. Can't seem to find anything saying that on the site - unless G80 means something?
ps: Just saw on Luke Cross Engineering site that the 10 mm link is rated at 2.5 tonne!