Thread: Trailer Couplings.

Originally Posted by gavinwibrow

Our anticipated 3.5T off-road caravan has a Hyland coupling specified. Looks ok, but any feedback? Says Australian made and owned. Home

Looks to be a good functional coupling!
And you don't have to remove the standard tow ball!
A win, win!


Cheers, Mick.

Originally Posted by NTB

Hello Dudela,

I tried every combination of open and closed side and rear doors, engine running and stopped. No matter what I did I could not stop the suspension from moving to adjust its current height automatically.

I wonder if they have changed this in the later models.
I see you have a 2015 compared to my 2011.
That would be a good change.

I have a DO35 hitch on my largish van. The Disco automatically adjusting the suspension height actually helps with the hitching and unhitching process. The only thing to be carefull of is any tension on the coupling when unhitching as things can move around suddenly as it detaches. I often put a block of wood between the car and the hitch just in case.
Open doors, tailgate or anything else doesnt seem to stop the MY15 D4 from slightly adjusting suspension height while hitching or unhitching the van.

I just noticed the picture is off the previous disco a MY10. The current MY15 also raises and lowers as i hitch and unhitch.

Originally Posted by RoverLander

I just noticed the picture is off the previous disco a MY10. The current MY15 also raises and lowers as i hitch and unhitch.

Have you tried leaving a door open while you hitch/unhitch? Eg. Turn D3/D4/RRS off, leave driver's door open, unhitch, start car and drive half a metre forward... close door and then the car will adjust height.

FWIW, my camper came with a 2T AL-KO off road hitch.
AL-KO Off Road Couplings
It is similar to the Hyland hitch, but has a plastic locking sleeve which is used to lock the centre while hitching/unhitching. I like the design as I don't have to change the ball - so I can tow our boat or box trailer without changing anything.

Originally Posted by gavinwibrow

Our anticipated 3.5T off-road caravan has a Hyland coupling specified. Looks ok, but any feedback? Says Australian made and owned. Home

Curiosity is killing me. Is is a Kimberly Kamper?

We're stuck in Esperance due to fires along with every other rv heading east, and there are some serious rigs here.
Including custom Iveco fifth wheelers and some of those two axle Kimberley Kampers.

Originally Posted by Shortyesquire

Curiosity is killing me. Is is a Kimberly Kamper?

We're stuck in Esperance due to fires along with every other rv heading east, and there are some serious rigs here.
Including custom Iveco fifth wheelers and some of those two axle Kimberley Kampers.

No, a full caravan, and a bit unusual Piazza | Royal Flair Caravans
It's the first one SWAMBO likes after several years searching following on from the sad sale of my GMC 4107 bus/trailer combo.
There goes a fair part of the super. Delivery now due just before Christmas - the guy who builds the veranda is on holidays for a month mid construction.

Originally Posted by mick88

Looks to be a good functional coupling!
And you don't have to remove the standard tow ball!
A win, win!


Cheers, Mick.

While I agree it does have benefits, I personally don't like standard balls as the locking arrangement to stop them coming off isn't ideal, although in practice, very few come off - but it has happened to me so I'm a little gun shy and it's the biggest reason I'm getting something else for the van. This arrangement would overcome the biggest issue of that happening which is severe articulation of the hitch on the ball, which can't happen in this case though. Also, something that uses a standard ball only has one locking point.

I'm still tossing up between the McHitch or going to a eye on the van to suit the pintle on the 101. I'd then just stick a spare pintle on the RRC.

And before anyone says it - no, the very occasional noise a pintle makes does not bother me but I understand why others don't like it.

Originally Posted by gavinwibrow

No, a full caravan, and a bit unusual Piazza | Royal Flair Caravans
It's the first one SWAMBO likes after several years searching following on from the sad sale of my GMC 4107 bus/trailer combo.
There goes a fair part of the super. Delivery now due just before Christmas - the guy who builds the veranda is on holidays for a month mid construction.

Wow that is a palace! I bet your wife would hate our tiny Tvan, except the mattress...

Quick plug to the Madison Times Square from Snooze. Excellent bed with titanium springs and comes in low profile. If you're in Perth call in to Matt at Claremont, excellent guy.

Back on topic. That Hyland hitch you posted would have the same problems as normal towball in many respects. One of the big ones would be no dampening between caravan and tow vehicle.

Tregg and D035 have poly blocks as part of mechanism and this would provide some dampening. We have a redarc tow pro and even with our light Tvan you notice that the braking is never quite in sync, but it never translates into jerkiness. Speed humps and other obstacles are also smoothed out a lot.