Different Tow Hitches

[blueboar]

hello

On my TD5 Disco, I have the bog standard landrover hitch. The problem is it catches on any bump I go over, I rarely use it but I want a hitch on the vehicle for emergancys.

Are there any other hitches on the market, and if so how are they fitted?

Anyone any ideas??

Many thnks

bb

[thermidorthelobster]

When you say emergencies, do you mean recovering the vehicle?  If so, fit JATE rings for a few quid, and stick the tow bar in the garage until you need it.

[clbarclay]

Scorpion racing sell a neat solution to the problem.

A square box monuted to the chassis, into which any one of number of attachments can be slid in and a pin holds them in place.

http://www.scorpionracing.co.uk/
Its in the towing and recovery section.

[Tyke]

Yeah . . . a few solutions out there at the mo . . . . . depends how far you want to go.


I went for Southdown and their drop hitch, then got another couple of plates made up to suit recovery and nato hitch for the Sankey trailer. Got option of three hitches, all on pins . . . .  quick to swap . . . . . and they clear most things.

[blueboar]

Tyke

This hitch from Southdowns, does it come with the tank guard? and is there a place for the electric socket to be fitted

It looks alot better that the on from Scorpion racing


Many thanks

bb

[redhand]

Tyke

This hitch from Southdowns, does it come with the tank guard? and is there a place for the electric socket to be fitted

It looks alot better that the on from Scorpion racing


Many thanks

bb

Which ever one you get. Make sure you it's "Type Approved" or you'll be breaking the law and your insurance will be invalidated, if you have an accident.

[Darren]

As redhand says, the big problem with tow hitches for the DII is type approval. Neither the Southdown, Scorpion, Discoparts or any other aftermarket receiver-based or demountable system has it and, given the costs involved, are never likely to.

It doesn't mean they're badly engineered - just not legal to use. In the event of something going wrong then they'll be found to contravene C&U regs and likely invalidate insurance.

[Range Rover Blues]

I'm not sure that's true, I can't remeber who but someone has type-approved their towbar for the DII.

It's not that hard to do.

[Guardian.]

ITS NOT HARD TO DO AT ALL, JUST I BELIEVE VERY EXPENSIVE.
YOU JUST HAVE TO SUPPLY THEM WITH A COUPLE OF THE ITEMS.
THERE IS AN APPROVAL PLACE ABOUT 50 MILES AWAY FROM US, I AM GOING TO GET A COSTING IN THE NEAR FUTURE, IF ITS VIABLE WILL TYPE APPROVE, OTHERWISE LIKE ALL THE OTHERS, WONT!

[Range Rover Blues]

I believe larger companies like tow**** do their own.

I'll tell you a little story I heard sometime

[muddyjames]

 is there a place for the electric socket to be fitted

fit the towing socket onto the back door like I have. Very easy to do and you will never scrape mud into the socket ever again!

[Darren]

I'm not sure that's true, I can't remeber who but someone has type-approved their towbar for the DII.

It's not that hard to do.

I'm happy to be proved wrong but I had a long conversation about this with an engineer from www.watling-towbars.co.uk earlier this week and I've no reason to doubt what he told me. It's apparently a very expensive process (several thousand pounds) and also very bureaucratic in nature - his words to me were "there's no room for common sense".

The two inch receivers offered by Scorpion and Discoparts aren't approved (and that particular design is never likely to be apparently) and, although Southdown now make a version of their excellent tank guard for the DII, they state on their website that the design isn't type approved.

If anybody knows of a similar low profile demountable system that is type approved I'd be very interested as I've just bought a DII :roll:

[redhand]

I'm not sure that's true, I can't remeber who but someone has type-approved their towbar for the DII.

It's not that hard to do.

I'm happy to be proved wrong but I had a long conversation about this with an engineer from www.watling-towbars.co.uk earlier this week and I've no reason to doubt what he told me. It's apparently a very expensive process (several thousand pounds) and also very bureaucratic in nature - his words to me were "there's no room for common sense".

The two inch receivers offered by Scorpion and Discoparts aren't approved (and that particular design is never likely to be apparently) and, although Southdown now make a version of their excellent tank guard for the DII, they state on their website that the design isn't type approved.

If anybody knows of a similar low profile demountable system that is type approved I'd be very interested as I've just bought a DII :roll:

Presumably then he first one to get type approval is gonna make a mint, and have a long waiting list for the towbar  "you have to speculate to accumulate"

[redhand]

Scorpion Racing are advertising a demountable hitch, Towbar for a disco 2 I'm assuming they have gained type approval. I will be phoning them Tuesday to confirm. If they haven't then a complaint will be going in to VOSA and advertising standards.

[Darren]

As far as I can tell, their ad in the latest LRO only shows it on the back of a DI, for which type approval isn't necessary. It only applies to vehicles registered after 1st August 1998.

[redhand]

As far as I can tell, their ad in the latest LRO only shows it on the back of a DI, for which type approval isn't necessary. It only applies to vehicles registered after 1st August 1998.

"3500 Kilo
DISCOVERY II QUICKLY DETACHABLE RECOVERY POINT

THE FIRST LAND ROVER DISCOVERY II TO BE FITTED WITH A QUICKLY DETACHABLE RECOVERY POINT COMPLETE WITH DROP PLATE!" This is off their website If it's not type approved it deliberatly misleading and therefore illegal advertisment..

[Darren]

Possibly, I guess :?

The recovery point isn't illegal - the need for type approval only applies to towing equipment - and the drop plate would only be illegal if used on the road (as opposed to a farm, for example).

I have no idea if there's a legal requirement for adverts or websites to state whether something is legal for road use or not.