nigethecat
Member Since: 11 Sep 2016
Location: Marnoch
Posts: 4142
  
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Let us know how you get on as I've always fancied a Sankey trailer but been put off by the faff of getting the correct hitch...
I have a fixed towbar on the Disco so was wondering if there was a plate that could be fixed to the towing eye as well thereby raising the height (probably by close to the right amount.. I want to see the sweets before I get into your windowless van... I'm not stupid!
Corris Grey D4 Commercial SE 2016
Zermatt Sliver 2007 D3 SE manual (gone)
Indus Silver D4 HSE 2015 (gone)
Bonatti Grey D3 HSE 2006 (gone)
White D3 S (LHD) 2007 (gone)
Firenze Red D4 HSE 2014 (gone)
Black RRS 3.6TDV8 2008 (gone)
Rusty Green Defender 110 1997 (gone)
Black FL2 HSE 2013 (gone)
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 20th Apr 2021 5:19 pm |
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NC500
Member Since: 18 Sep 2017
Location: On the NC500
Posts: 496
 
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Well, Uncle Ray cannot help (🙁) but I may be getting somewhere!
I’ve two options I’m pursuing.
First, there is a company in Oz that makes a hitch converter similar to Rays and it is tested and certified in Oz. Whilst it isn’t certified here, it is clearly robust and safe to use.
Secondly, I have been in touch with Watling Engineering (thank you Andrew) and asked if they could make an adaptor like the Oz system. I await to hear back from them.
I’ll keep you all informed....
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| 21st Apr 2021 4:42 pm |
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Trailered Movements
Member Since: 16 Jan 2020
Location: East/West Sussex Coast Borders
Posts: 1198
 
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Dixon Bate make and sell adjustable tow ball/pin plates.
The simplest answer would be 2 of these, one with a ball and one with a pin.
Changes would take 2 minutes at the most.
Dave 2011 Discovery 4 Commercial SDV6 (Gone)
2010 RRS TDV8 (Gone)
1980 OBLIC 4.0ltr Range Rover (went a long time ago)
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| 21st Apr 2021 5:04 pm |
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JackNorris
Member Since: 06 Jul 2012
Location: Beds/Bucks Border
Posts: 1877
 
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I think people are getting mixed up between nato hitch and a standard pin hitch
You cannot tow a Sankey on a standard pin hitch.
Uncle Ray is the best solution if you can find one second hand, alternatively you can get the a frame redone like Iggy had.
Ive seen the oz one on a few sites and does look good. MY2023 Discovery 5 R-Dynamic 3.0
MY2020 Discovery 5 Landmark 3.0 - SOLD
MY2005 Discovery 3 V8 4.4 HSE - SOLD
MY2019 Discovery 5 SE 3.0 - LR Replaced !
MY2005 Discovery 3 S 2.7 - SOLD
MY2016 Discovery 4 Graphite - SOLD
MY2015 Discovery 4 SE Tech - SOLD
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| 21st Apr 2021 5:29 pm |
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NC500
Member Since: 18 Sep 2017
Location: On the NC500
Posts: 496
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I agree - an Uncle Ray unit would be best. I want to keep the NATO hitch for the articulation - no point in having an off road trailer if you can’t go off road!!
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| 21st Apr 2021 6:17 pm |
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Hardware
Member Since: 28 Jun 2016
Location: Hiding under the M60
Posts: 12697
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DSL will be along soon offering a ty-wrap based solution. .
Dean
====================================
2011 D4 XS - OBD port protection, RLD spare wheel protector, All LED interiors lights, Timed Climate enabled, iiD tool paired.
2011 D4 Landmark - Stolen from same dealer before I paid for it
2011 D4 GS - Stolen whilst at dealer  ... All LED interiors lights, DRLs, Spare Wheel protector.
1996 300Tdi - Eaten by tin worms
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| 21st Apr 2021 9:00 pm |
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MorganD379
Member Since: 29 Sep 2016
Location: SA62 3PP
Posts: 425
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I picked up a LR040248 from oz on fleabay... Just need to get my hands on a 2" pintle for it.
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| 22nd Apr 2021 12:27 pm |
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NC500
Member Since: 18 Sep 2017
Location: On the NC500
Posts: 496
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...I’ve considered one of those too but it would still be too low to accept a Sankey trailer...
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| 22nd Apr 2021 12:50 pm |
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Duc750
Member Since: 07 Aug 2017
Location: northampton
Posts: 305
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NC500 wrote:Thanks Andrew. Having now read up on the current law I understand and agree. This essentially precludes towing an ex military trailer with anything other than a Defender (old type). This is a sh@t as standard ball hitch trailers do not have the ground clearance for off roading so I’m somewhat stumped.
I either knowingly break the law and tow something that meets my needs or I tow something that is legal but that will ground when I go off road.
May as well buy a Skoda Yeti and a caravan... 🤢
Thats not really true
there's quite a few options still - you could go with a tow trust marked bar and one of their e marked drop plates and provided you have an e marked nato Jaw its all good
you could do similar with the genuine fixed bar but the ground clearance would be worse
Having had my car and trailer inspected a few times in Germany and Austria they didn't give a monkeys as long as my surge brake was an approved type, the nato ring was approved and the jaw - they didn't really care how it was attached to the car - in that they didn't even look at it as the tow pack I had on my D2 the Dixon bate label had long since bleached away to nothing ness 05 D3 V8 HSE, LR Passion tree bars, wildbear compressor guard, LRP switch panel, ARB rear locker + compressor, Trigger 6 shooter electrical system
12 RRS SDV6 HSE (Hers) - Gone and replaced with an I Pace - I can tell you now EV is not the future yet
Metalian Camper trailer
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| 22nd Apr 2021 9:52 pm |
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NC500
Member Since: 18 Sep 2017
Location: On the NC500
Posts: 496
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Well my researching has continued. I now know that the NATO ring can be removed, (it just unbolts) and a ball hitch manufactured by the same company that makes the ring can attach to the shaft. The replacement ball coupler can rotate 360 degrees and so the coupler mechanism can be inverted to the base of the towing A frame and the ball hitch remains upright (but retains full articulation). This set up retains the same braking mechanism.
This drops the hitch height on the trailer from 700mm to 500mm (ish). The towing height of the D4 is 400mm so now there is only a 100mm nose drop. This could indeed be reduced further by use of a D&B drop plate if required.
I think I may have finally got to a workable, safe and legal solution. The replacement ball coupler also overcomes the problem of how the AA might recover the trailer in a breakdown situation.
Thanks to everyone for their help and advice!
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| 23rd Apr 2021 7:45 am |
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FidoNick
Member Since: 18 Jan 2021
Location: Purton, Wiltshire
Posts: 120
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Glad you're getting somewhere - I look forward to the photos when it's up and running. 
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| 23rd Apr 2021 8:26 am |
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Duc750
Member Since: 07 Aug 2017
Location: northampton
Posts: 305
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Let us know how any of the other channels pan out though as there's a few of us trying to solve the same problem 05 D3 V8 HSE, LR Passion tree bars, wildbear compressor guard, LRP switch panel, ARB rear locker + compressor, Trigger 6 shooter electrical system
12 RRS SDV6 HSE (Hers) - Gone and replaced with an I Pace - I can tell you now EV is not the future yet
Metalian Camper trailer
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| 23rd Apr 2021 11:06 am |
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nigethecat
Member Since: 11 Sep 2016
Location: Marnoch
Posts: 4142
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Not rated for towing but maybe there is a way to get it certified ?
https://www.expedition-equipment.com/produ...ery-hitch/
would come out at about the right height? I want to see the sweets before I get into your windowless van... I'm not stupid!
Corris Grey D4 Commercial SE 2016
Zermatt Sliver 2007 D3 SE manual (gone)
Indus Silver D4 HSE 2015 (gone)
Bonatti Grey D3 HSE 2006 (gone)
White D3 S (LHD) 2007 (gone)
Firenze Red D4 HSE 2014 (gone)
Black RRS 3.6TDV8 2008 (gone)
Rusty Green Defender 110 1997 (gone)
Black FL2 HSE 2013 (gone)
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| 23rd Apr 2021 6:50 pm |
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NC500
Member Since: 18 Sep 2017
Location: On the NC500
Posts: 496
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That looks like the solution manufactured by Ray and also the one made in Oz (called a Mitch-Hitch). It would indeed raise the towing height to put a Sankey with the mods I mentioned in my previous post on a level towing height.
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| 23rd Apr 2021 7:27 pm |
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Iguana
Member Since: 14 Oct 2013
Location: 'Sunny' Zomerset
Posts: 9402
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nigethecat wrote:Not rated for towing but maybe there is a way to get it certified ?
https://www.expedition-equipment.com/produ...ery-hitch/
would come out at about the right height?
That's the one I had, used for years with issues Iggy/Ieuan
Current LR =
2015 RR Sport Autobiography
&
1992 Land Rover Defender Camper
- Gone but not forgotten:
MY10 D4 GS
MY05 Disco 3 'S'
MY14 FL2 HSE manual in Blue
MY15 Disco 4 HSE Lux in Santorini Black
MY08 Disco 3 SE manual in Buck Blue
1960 Series 2 88" (No idea why I sold it!)
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| 23rd Apr 2021 8:14 pm |
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