Does anyone have comments regarding this coupling? It's attraction for me is it's lower $250 cost than the D035 $450 - easier to justify the expense.
MY12 RRV 4.4 TDV8 AB, +LLAMS, +e-diff, +ACC stop/go. Produce LLAMS for LR/RR, Jeep GC/Dodge Ram
VK2HFG and APRS W1 digi
MY12 RRV 4.4 TDV8 AB, +LLAMS, +e-diff, +ACC stop/go. Produce LLAMS for LR/RR, Jeep GC/Dodge Ram
VK2HFG and APRS W1 digi
Greame, have a look at the McHitch also. I have one and everyone I know who uses one likes it. $45 dearer than the ARK for the drop-on.
What I like is that it doesn't wear the ball/pin.
Fuji white RRS L494 AB
I assume it can't rattle either. The L322's lack of an insulated chassis means that looseness in couplings allows rattles to echo though the cabin although keeping the tongue rattle-free is a battle. I'll have to check its height as the lower tailgate currently clears the van's standard coupling as well as any impact on my stone guard bracket that is clamped by the ball. It moves the pivot further back on an already long tongue but probably not an issue.
MY12 RRV 4.4 TDV8 AB, +LLAMS, +e-diff, +ACC stop/go. Produce LLAMS for LR/RR, Jeep GC/Dodge Ram
VK2HFG and APRS W1 digi
The ARK requires more clearance forward of the ball than my large mud-flap bar allows and perhaps the D035 is unsuitable for the same reason, although VC don't provide a width measurement for the head. No such restrictions exist for the McHitch, with just the extended pivot point to ponder. The ARK would have been useful for those times when the van has to be shuffled, being able to use the tow-ball in its usual box trailer position but there is no room to move the mud-flap bar forwards as the ARK requires all the clearance between the ball and the bumper.
MY12 RRV 4.4 TDV8 AB, +LLAMS, +e-diff, +ACC stop/go. Produce LLAMS for LR/RR, Jeep GC/Dodge Ram
VK2HFG and APRS W1 digi
If you go for the Ark coupljng make sure you get the correct height 50mm ball which may allter all your meassurements. As for the usability of the hitch I like the Ark coupling but that is always a personal choice.
The coupling is always (now at least, but perhaps not initially) supplied as a kit that includes a ball which stands 1-2mm taller than my old ball. My old ball didn't provide adequate clearance to the tongue.
IMO the ARK coupling is generally poor quality but hopefully won't be problematic with the little amount of use it will get, but I will need to keep a check on the swivel bearings. There is no adjustment for the ball but no rattle was detected on the rough test track (my driveway). The threads of the 2 screws holding the locking mechanism together now have thread-locker.
Note: This coupling lowers the draw-bar by around 20mm compared with the previous Alko fixed 3.5T coupling. I was going to fit a spacer block to lower the draw-bar by 25mm but now the van appears level so no need for the spacer block.
MY12 RRV 4.4 TDV8 AB, +LLAMS, +e-diff, +ACC stop/go. Produce LLAMS for LR/RR, Jeep GC/Dodge Ram
VK2HFG and APRS W1 digi
Have a look at the new Al-Ko ball hitch . Its an off road applicable 3.5t hitch - just uses a normal 50mm ball
Much better than the ARK , i have stopped using the ARK , and now supply the AL-Ko - works really well and i havent had to remove any off tow vehicles with a bar ........like i have done with the ARK .
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