Thread: Mitch Hitch

Originally Posted by lambrover

Why does it matter if its made in China. Ripping some ones design off is still ripping some ones design off regardless of where its built. Its not healthy at all to steal intellectual property, it slows progress and development, why be the bugger to put time and effort into RnD if a third party can replicate your product with out the over heads ???

Ditto to that !

Originally Posted by lambrover

Why does it matter if its made in China. Ripping some ones design off is still ripping some ones design off regardless of where its built. Its not healthy at all to steal intellectual property, it slows progress and development, why be the bugger to put time and effort into RnD if a third party can replicate your product with out the over heads ???

The normal way is to make profits while a product is new; then when competition appears, you have to add marketing costs and you loose profit margins. But you make money from continuing research into other areas and hence introducing new products which are more profitable.

When a company has a Cash Cow, then such products or services are golden, but IMO I want to pay for good quality and functionality rather than pay a premium for a good design that occurred some considerable time ago.

If you cannot patent a design, then you're going to have to compete by another means. That's what free enterprise is all about. As an example, there are tyre treads from some companies that resemble tread patterns from other companies. Innovations and improvements on alls sorts of technologies in motor vehicles cross from one brand to another.

China is questionable for many reasons - I think its too off topic. I've been an agent for several overseas companies for decades, including Taiwanese and Chinese (and Swiss, German and Italian), and I'd have little trust for Chinese steel for a tow bar, because of the practice of Chinese business's to outsource, and the way they source their materials, which can be very ad-hoc. As far as the workmanship goes of metal goods, I have much more faith in Australian than Chinese.

I'd have expected something like a Hitch to be good value if made by the original designer, whose made many before, and hence has worked out how to make it efficiently. That I read about requiring a grinder to fit a $730 Hitch to a recent Disco, I also question how current the design is.

Just to clear some things up, the Mitch Hitch was designed by Mitchell Bros in Brookvale(northern beaches of Sydney) they are using a new manufacturer with a slightly different design, apparently some of the old design were failing, hence the new design.

Now the original manufacturer are still making the old design for someone else, this is the copy that people are talking about.

This is what I have been told.

Thanks Baz.

Doug

Originally Posted by Melbourne Park

..... requiring a grinder to fit a $730 Hitch to a recent Disco....

Just a clarification. The grinding is only to the inner surface of the recovery eye casting. The surface is rough due to the typical defects you get with a simple casting. However, the eye is fitted with a poly bush for the Mitch Hitch. You are basically just cleaning up the surface so the bush fits neatly.

Scott

Originally Posted by Redback

Just to clear some things up, the Mitch Hitch was designed by Mitchell Bros in Brookvale(northern beaches of Sydney) they are using a new manufacturer with a slightly different design, apparently some of the old design were failing, hence the new design.

Now the original manufacturer are still making the old design for someone else, this is the copy that people are talking about.

This is what I have been told.

I wasn't told that. They use to make them in house but demand was to much to handle so out sourced the manufacturing. They had a falling out with said manufacturer and the replacment didn't meet the standards they wanted. They have finally found a company to manufacture there hitch to there standards.
I believe its the original manufacturer they had that was selling behind their back. If the new hitches are different it would only makes sence to have a difference to distinguish between the two. Either way some ***** has done the dirty on a family company.

So,do these copied versions come with the correct rating plackard saying they meet ADRs????
When its time to buy Im happy to get a legal hitch rather than a copied illeagal hitch.
Andrew

Originally Posted by LRD414

the eye is fitted with a poly bush for the Mitch Hitch. You are basically just cleaning up the surface so the bush fits neatly.
Scott

...and at least it would be the poly bush that wore over time and not the tow eye. The other one uses metal spacers. I actually sway toward the tapered poly bush design.

Originally Posted by LandyAndy

So,do these copied versions come with the correct rating plackard saying they meet ADRs????
When its time to buy Im happy to get a legal hitch rather than a copied illeagal hitch.
Andrew

From what I have researched, the website for the new knock off one states it is ADR compliant and from discussing with another member I think it comes with a sticker to put on the door pillar. Mitch Hitch have confirmed to me in correspondence that their product is ADR compliant and another member has shown me it comes with a plate attached.