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Thread: D4 standard Towbar

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2021
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    Bundaberg Queensland
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    D4 standard Towbar

    We are currently hunting for a D4 in Queensland.

    What is the story with the standard tow bar which i'm lead to believe is standard on the D4.

    most cars seem to have an after market tow bar though and I've seen a post that calls the standard one "swiss cheese" !.

    Is the standard one any good? should I be budgeting for a new bar? or look for a car with one already.

    Our caravan is around 2.7 ton..

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
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    Encounter Bay
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    We have a 3tonne offroad van and dragged it over some extremely rough roads with both D3andD4 ....with standard tow hitches.....never felt the need to change anything.

    dave

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
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    Kalgoorlie WA
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    I have the standard D4 towbar on mine - never had a problem with it. However, I don't tow that often, and then only generally with a garden trailer.
    They are known to sometimes "fall out". Mine never has done so, but the "locking pin" originally never went fully home when installing the assembly in the car. I fixed this by taking a very small amount of material (not much more than the thickness of the paint) off the top of the hitch to enable it to push all the way up into the housing on the car, allowing the locking pin to fully extend in the hole (you can check that it has fully engaged by sticking a finger round the back of the hitch assembly and feeling for the pin.

    The original hitch places the towball pretty low. OK for what I use it for, but for many caravans probably too low. The usual "after-market" hitch I've seen which mounts between the trailer plugs is a better height for towing caravans / camper trailers.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jun 2021
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    Bundaberg Queensland
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    Aaaah so it's the plug in hitch thing that's the issue then? I misunderstood I think.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
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    Perth
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    if you are going off-road then you might want to consider one of these Mitchell Bros 4x4 - Creators of the world renowned "Mitch Hitch" – Mitchell Bros 4x4 - Mitch Hitch
    Rod

    D4 MY16 5 seat TDV6 - LLAMS, Custom Drawers, OL Bar, Toyo Open Country, GOE Rims, Lithium DBS, eDiff, OA Long Range Tank, GAP Tool, Tracklander rack, Mitch Hitch, TPMS & Safari Snorkel

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
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    Brisbane Queensland
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    I have just returned from a 7,000 + kms trip to northern Queensland involving many National Parks and Forestry roads & tracks. Call them what you like, those water diversion to the side of tracks jump-ups/speed bumps are often very high. I am sure a LR D4 towbar would have bottomed often, "ploughing" through. That may be acceptable to some however I try to bottom as less as is possible.

    Very happy with my Mitch Hitch. cheers.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
    Location
    Townsville
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    Quote Originally Posted by Hogarthde View Post
    We have a 3tonne offroad van and dragged it over some extremely rough roads with both D3andD4 ....with standard tow hitches.....never felt the need to change anything.
    dave
    Ditto!

    I’ve dragged a 2.5 T boat at least 40,000 km over some pretty crappy roads without ever feeling the need to replace the std tow hitch.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Ocean Reef WA
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    I did the same as BMKal above and ground the top of the hitch insert flat and the pin went in further. We only tow a small van but do go off road and have not bottomed out yet. No way would I pay the price they ask for a bit of square tubing to do the same job for a fancy price.
    AlanH.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    Adelaide
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    Double ditto, my van is 3.4t, have towed it for 100,000km everywhere, just finished the Gibb, standard towhitch, not a single issue.
    It needs to be checked/cleaned/maintained as per the sevice intervals and you will be fine. Prudent advice to check the pin after insertion, just as you would check components of any other towhitch.
    Peter
    Quote Originally Posted by Hogarthde View Post
    We have a 3tonne offroad van and dragged it over some extremely rough roads with both D3andD4 ....with standard tow hitches.....never felt the need to change anything.

    dave

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Mar 2017
    Location
    Melbourne
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    I too have towed a 2.5 Tonne van over all manner of roads using the standard D4 oz hitch without problems. My only complaint is that the goose-neck that I have to use to get the right height for the van is loose in the D4 receiver and I have had to devise a clamp to keep the entire hitch rigid to prevent 'surging' of the van. If the Mitch Hitch was not so expensive, I would fit it.

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