Thread: D4 towbar assembly has play - replace with Mitch Hitch?

Originally Posted by twr7cx

We always leave the towbar and tongue fitted to all our cars, so I don't imagine it's too different?

Glad to hear that it's compatible with the reverse parking sensors

You really cannot leave the towbar tongue fitted to a Mitch Hitch as it sticks out too far.

The Mitch Hitch is not really compatible with reverse parking sensors without modification. With just the hitch the sensors often go off, and with the tongue in they go off all the time. You will need to put covers on the the inner sensors - covering half of the sensor on the hitch side.

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[QUOTE=twr7cx;3041402]My Mitch Hitch is ordered.




We always leave the towbar and tongue fitted to all our cars, so I don't imagine it's too different?

Even without the tongue attached, the Mitch hitch sticks out from the bumper bar. The OEM is almost flush on a D4. So with the tongue attached it will be even further sticking out!

Originally Posted by twr7cx

My Mitch Hitch is ordered.
$752.00 now for a Mitch Hitch delivered.

Correct. I’d forgotten that I got mine 2nd hand for $500

Originally Posted by Tombie

And there’s the rub.

Under law a tow bar when not in use is to be removed.
If removed, no unplanned wear occurs

Interesting point - I have always removed the tow bar, but until recently had left the receiver fitted as it does not protrude dangerously. The original hitch does not stick out like the Mitch Hitch.

I tried to order a key online for my lock. Never worked.

I've never tried mine to check for play in the receiver but always remove the hitch when it's not needed for towing the van. Why leave it attached? I really can't see why anyone would waste 700 plus bucks on something to do what the original bit of equipment does OK.
Mind you I think it's crap design but it doesn't cause me to mutter mutter swear and curse like the EPB does.
AlanH.

Originally Posted by ATH

I've never tried mine to check for play in the receiver but always remove the hitch when it's not needed for towing the van. Why leave it attached? I really can't see why anyone would waste 700 plus bucks on something to do what the original bit of equipment does OK.
Mind you I think it's crap design but it doesn't cause me to mutter mutter swear and curse like the EPB does.
AlanH.

The big turning point for me was when I was under the car looking at something and I decided to have a look at the original receiver. I noticed that the locking pin (the bit that secures the receiver to the car that you can’t see without taking the spare tyres off and looking underneath) was only holding in the locking pin hole by about 5mm instead of the full amount that it should be. I had no idea and I thought that the 1.8t camper was securely attached to the car. I tried spraying it with wd40 but in the end I decided that my life and my family’s life was worth more than the $500 outlay for the new hitch. I sold the old one on eBay for a couple of hundred so I didn’t cost me much.

That reminds me of much the same thing with mine. But I examined the hitch and found the top of the angled bit which goes into the receiver was not flat so I took a grinder to it and flattened it. Bingo! The thing went in just a touch further but enough to make the pin go further into the receiver.
Anyway, I've got over my hatred of the silly design and it works well enough for me not to bother with buying an overly expensive bit of square tube probably knocked up in Asia somewhere. But each to his own as they say.
AlanH.