Thread: Tow tongue with big drop required

Originally Posted by tempestv8

My Discovery has a particularly high tow tongue hitch receiver (Hayman Reece style).

The standard Disco II tow hitch receiver is under the plastic bumper, but when I replaced the rear bumper with a Kaymar bar, the hitch that Kaymar use is a bit higher - in fact it's smack in the middle of their bar. About 3" higher.

With a 2" suspension lift, this has further raised the hitch, and finally with bigger 32" tyres (stock tyres are 29" diameter), that's an additional 1.5" lift.

So, where can I find a tow tongue with at least an 8" drop, so that my campervan is going to remain level?

Most Hayman Reece stockists that I've rung only offer a 3' or 4" drop in their tongues which really isn't enough to level out the campervan.

Help! BTW, I won't entertain ideas of lowering the Disco.....



Lawrance Lee

Id try hayman reese they are in dandenong vic , but i dont think they sell direct to the public , give them a call im sure they would put you on to a agent

All i can think of is getting one made.

Steve

Originally Posted by sclarke

All i can think of is getting one made.

Steve

G'day Steve,

I did think about this but was a bit concerned after reading somewhere on the internet (is everything you read on the internet true? ) that the tow hitch needs to be "plated" for it to be a legal hitch.

What is "plated", I hear you ask? On the tongue, there should be a metal plate that names the manufacturer and the max ball weight rating. I've checked my Land Rover factory tongue, and indeed there is a metal plate riveted on it with the specs. I checked my mate's Toyota Prado, and yep, true enough, there's also a plate on his Toyota hitch.

So unless I find a workshop that will put their name and rating on the hitch (and I don't believe they will do it), I'm not too keen on getting a "custom" hitch.... It's all about complying with the insurance companies.

I will try Hayman Reece on Monday, hopefully they can help me. I can't believe that there's so many mega lifted four wheel drives out there yet no one asks about hitches with long drops to accomodate towing requirements. What do Ford F250 drivers use for towing a bog standard garden trailer?

Cheers,

Lawrance

I've rarly seen a tounge "plated" all those things are correct about having a tow bar plated ! The most that Hayman Reece drop is about 4". I have had them made buy an engineer, but when the drop gets bigger than 4" im led to beleve it should be solid. It would be interesting to see if there is a law related to the tounge requirments ?

Cheers

Originally Posted by tempestv8

G'day Steve,

I did think about this but was a bit concerned after reading somewhere on the internet (is everything you read on the internet true? ) that the tow hitch needs to be "plated" for it to be a legal hitch.

What is "plated", I hear you ask? On the tongue, there should be a metal plate that names the manufacturer and the max ball weight rating. I've checked my Land Rover factory tongue, and indeed there is a metal plate riveted on it with the specs. I checked my mate's Toyota Prado, and yep, true enough, there's also a plate on his Toyota hitch.

So unless I find a workshop that will put their name and rating on the hitch (and I don't believe they will do it), I'm not too keen on getting a "custom" hitch.... It's all about complying with the insurance companies.

I will try Hayman Reece on Monday, hopefully they can help me. I can't believe that there's so many mega lifted four wheel drives out there yet no one asks about hitches with long drops to accomodate towing requirements. What do Ford F250 drivers use for towing a bog standard garden trailer?

Cheers,

Lawrance

sounds to me like your camper was designed to be towed behind a car and id be looking at it first if it has a beam axle and leaf springs why not do a spring over on it by fitting the axle to the underside of the leaf's this will give you the extra hight for the tow hitch and also give your camper beta clearance for towing off road

Originally Posted by lokka

sounds to me like your camper was designed to be towed behind a car and id be looking at it first if it has a beam axle and leaf springs why not do a spring over on it by fitting the axle to the underside of the leaf's this will give you the extra hight for the tow hitch and also give your camper beta clearance for towing off road

I agree, On my std D2 I had to get a tongue with a 6" lift to make the trailer level. Bought it from a towbar workshop and it is not plated.

simplest has to a spring-over-axle conversion of the camper with larger tyres fitted...

surely you can get 4+ inches of camper lift this way?

If you post a pic of your D2 with camper in tow then people might be able to suggest other ideas to help level it out.

At the very least it will give me something to look at on this rainy day

I'd think an 8in drop tongue would be fairly weak.