Is the removable tow hitch on Disco 3 too dangerous? what replacements are there?

90 Rangie · 31st May 2016, 03:44 PM

I went to the D4 hitch on my D3. A lot better hitch than D3 and you can remove spare. The D4 has ratchet style lock on pin so that it can not come loose. Have towed 3 ton for at least 80000 km with D4 hitch. Suits my needs as I remove hitch if doing off road work. A lot of D3 hitchs came off because of use of sway bars which should not ever be used as it unloads the hitch allowing D3 one to come off.

**Stealthylandy** · 1st June 2016, 10:36 AM

[QUOTE=BMKal;2539907]There's a genuine second hand Mitch Hitch for sale in Canberra for $350 at the moment on Land Rover Owners Club facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/LROCA/permalink/10156707467320467/'sale_post_id=10156707467320467

Thanks BMKal, I will enquire about that second hand one :-)

**BMKal** · 1st June 2016, 01:30 PM

[quote=Stealthylandy;2540338]

Originally Posted by BMKal

There's a genuine second hand Mitch Hitch for sale in Canberra for $350 at the moment on Land Rover Owners Club facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/LROCA/permalink/10156707467320467/'sale_post_id=10156707467320467

Thanks BMKal, I will enquire about that second hand one :-)

I see this morning that it has just been posted as "Sold". Hope you got it and weren't beaten to the draw.

sheerluck · 1st June 2016, 01:33 PM

There's one popped up on Gumtree today
Landrover discovery3/4 tow hitch | Other Parts & Accessories | Gumtree Australia Caloundra Area - Moffat Beach | 1114581150

**LRD414** · 1st June 2016, 02:10 PM

Originally Posted by sheerluck

There's one popped up on Gumtree today
Landrover discovery3/4 tow hitch | Other Parts & Accessories | Gumtree Australia Caloundra Area - Moffat Beach | 1114581150

That's the copy. Note the additional stiffeners etc to the sides.

Scott

**MR LR** · 1st June 2016, 04:58 PM

Nothing wrong with the factory D4 receiver, and it doesn't look ugly AF and stick out 6 inches!

My main issue with the Mitch Hitch is that it pushes the tongue further rearward, anyone that knows anything about towing knows you want the ball as close to the rear axle as possible.

I'd be chasing a factory D4 receiver and tongue.

sheerluck · 1st June 2016, 05:13 PM

Originally Posted by LRD414

That's the copy. Note the additional stiffeners etc to the sides.

Scott

Bugger, so it is. I had man-read the description where it says "mitch type" to being "mitch hitch"

**ADMIRAL** · 3rd June 2016, 12:26 AM

Originally Posted by MR LR

Nothing wrong with the factory D4 receiver, and it doesn't look ugly AF and stick out 6 inches!

My main issue with the Mitch Hitch is that it pushes the tongue further rearward, anyone that knows anything about towing knows you want the ball as close to the rear axle as possible.

I'd be chasing a factory D4 receiver and tongue.

Yes, but it's all relative. Compare the rear axle distance on a D3/4 ( or just about any wagon style 4WD ) to the tow ball, to any of the utes. Dependant of the weight being towed, and the ballweight, it may be of little consequence. If in doubt, visit to your local weighbridge and get a loaded weight on the rear axle.

**Fatso** · 3rd June 2016, 07:16 AM

Originally Posted by MR LR

Nothing wrong with the factory D4 receiver, and it doesn't look ugly AF and stick out 6 inches!

My main issue with the Mitch Hitch is that it pushes the tongue further rearward, anyone that knows anything about towing knows you want the ball as close to the rear axle as possible.

I'd be chasing a factory D4 receiver and tongue.

Agree the d4 receiver is as good as any thing else , I went through this saga account of all the comments on the net about it being unsafe but IMHO came to the conclusion that miss use was the primary cause of problems .
Having said that I would not use the plough as it is just too low and to me looks like it could have weakness in the design imo.

**MR LR** · 3rd June 2016, 09:13 AM

Originally Posted by ADMIRAL

Yes, but it's all relative. Compare the rear axle distance on a D3/4 ( or just about any wagon style 4WD ) to the tow ball, to any of the utes. Dependant of the weight being towed, and the ballweight, it may be of little consequence. If in doubt, visit to your local weighbridge and get a loaded weight on the rear axle.

I think you'd be surprised, without measuring it, i doubt there'd be much difference in overhang, save for a Triton which is just ridiculous, but Discovery's and Range Rovers have the biggest arses in the 4WD world.

The difference is that the utes are all up around 120" wheelbase (or slightly more), with the Disco at 113". Whilst the Discovery weighs more, it seems silly to me to purposely make the ratio even worse.

The reason D2's are funny to tow big weight with is due to the massive overhang in relation to the wheelbase.

Thread: Is the removable tow hitch on Disco 3 too dangerous? what replacements are there?

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