tow ball.

[lambert]

i have a proper genuine lr jaw pin ball hitch on the disco the type where the ball is the top of the pin. it has given good service over the years but now has started to rattle vertically in the pin holes. would it be safe to run a bead of weld round the top seat face and flat it back to remove the free play, or is a new hitch with seperate ball and pin needed?

[dxmedia]

If it's cast you won't be able to weld it at home (unless you know what you are doing in which case you probably wouldn't be asking the question ;) )

Putting concentrated heat into it will also weaken it. For the sake of not many

[Frankie-Boy]

If you use the pin as well as the ball it might be as well, similar to this one from Towsure.

http://www.towsure.com/product/1331-Universal_50mm_Tow_Coupling

It reduces wear on the pin because the pin isn't turning when using the ball hitch

[muddyjames]

go buy the one frank put a link too. MUCH safer than ones with a ball on top of the pin as imagine your towing a trailer on theball, you hit a dip and the pin grounds out, pushes the ball up, trailer comes away from the car due to the pin leaving the hitch and the breakway cable doesnt work due to the cable having been wrapped around the pin. Dont do it. buy a pin seperate to the ball for peace of mind. :-)

[carbore]

I agree with the above re having separate Pin and Ball for the reasons stated. Also, if you use the Ball most of the time, then you are less likely to get stuck when you find someone has nicked the ball/pin bit.

[lambert]

with respecrt if i hit enough of a dip in the road to strike the bottom of the pin with enough force to shear it vertically out of the jaw then i will have other more meaningfull things to worry about.

[barmiebrumie]

Whatever you do DONT weld it as you will weaken it with the heat it will need to penertrate, & if anything did (& proberbly would) happen your insurance would be void  8-[


John

[carbore]

I think the example of the pin hitting the road is a bit extreme, but.... For me as I planned to tow into fields a bit I diddnt like the idea of a ball top pin. I dont mean anything extreme, but into fields through rough gateways, over bumps etc. I know propper nose weight should reduce the risk of a pulling up situation, but some of the fields Iv ended up in at farm sales or picking up stuff off ebay, are a long way from flat, which is why I have a 4x4 tow car anyway. Its definitley worth a thought if you are replacing your pin anyway IMHO.

[muddyjames]

my example was of an extreme situation but trailers, especially long ones pitch up and down on thier own. Using a shock link proves just how much they do, so even if the pin is loose or not got the R clip in place at the bottom just a gentle nudge by ging over a dip and the fact long trailers pitch alot could be a combining factor.

[Range Rover Blues]

The Towsure one, made by Maypole, is a copy of the Dixon Bates "pinball wizard" as it's known.  For what they cost it's a no-brainer and if you take the pin out it will work with an Al-Ko stabilliser hitch if you are unlucky enough to have one.

Great for recovery, good solid tow bar and handy for hitching the dog too when camping :D

[lambert]

ok, new idea is to have a seperate pin jaw in the highest holes and a long neck ball off a td5 in the bottom holes.

[muddyjames]

to be honest I would buy a dixon bate adjustable slider bar. It is what I use and is very versatile. You can put what ever hitch you want and at various heights within seconds. It also stops any thieving monkies robbing the tow ball that is appealing for example the ball and pin hitch or the shock link as I take it off and keep it in my car.

[lurch_917]

to be honest I would buy a dixon bate adjustable slider bar. It is what I use and is very versatile. You can put what ever hitch you want and at various heights within seconds. It also stops any thieving monkies robbing the tow ball that is appealing for example the ball and pin hitch or the shock link as I take it off and keep it in my car.

the slidder plates are a good idea but try and get the one with 2 fixing pins as the one with 1 rattlers when it gets worn .

and as for the ball ontop of the pin avoid these for the reasons stated above and also think if you keep your hitch maintained ie: greased you have to pull a greasey ball to open the pin .