Ball Hitchy thingy...

[The Patrolman]

Been thinking about something along these lines for a while.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/231279092077?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

 

[The Patrolman]

Too lazy to follow the link..

 

[AlexD333]

Too lazy to follow the link..

Cheers :lol

 

[Sweety]

They can be very handy if you hitch up different types of trailer with different type of hitches as it saves you from keep having to change your tow hitch

 

[cncfabs]

Ive got one of these http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3500kg-ge...free-P-P-/221350458164?_trksid=p2054897.l5664
Dont like the idea of the ball being detachable

 

[Barrbeast]

Looks like a Bradley Autohitch bud, same as mine :thumbs

The pin (with ball on end) locks in solid with a spring loaded turn catch and then there's an R clip on the bottom for added safety.

3.5 ton capacity so fully up to the Trol capacity. Very handy on the farm, having the option of the jaw on the odd occasion you might need it! (Ignore the gay steps... it's an old pic! :lol)

 

[Paff]

Ive got one of these http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3500kg-ge...free-P-P-/221350458164?_trksid=p2054897.l5664
Dont like the idea of the ball being detachable

That's the one I have just fitted to replace the ball that was also the pin.

 

[Lazy-Ferret]

Ive got one of these http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3500kg-ge...free-P-P-/221350458164?_trksid=p2054897.l5664
Dont like the idea of the ball being detachable

The other advantage to this design, which is why I have one, is you can use it with caravans that have a "Hitch Stabiliser"

 

[zippy656]

The other advantage to this design, which is why I have one, is you can use it with caravans that have a "Hitch Stabiliser"

Not sure if alko hitch has enouh room. Look atthe bottom of bothbarms for damage.

 

[Lazy-Ferret]

You are right. Just checked and the bottom of the rounded bit each side of the hitch is slightly scuffed.

sent from my phone, sorry for any typo's.

 

[zippy656]

You are right. Just checked and the bottom of the rounded bit each side of the hitch is slightly scuffed.

sent from my phone, sorry for any typo's.

Just catch it wrong, and the trailer WILL pop off..

 

[Thomas-the-Terrano2]

fancy a dixon bates combi jaw ball, generic type where ball isnt on pin.

so ball is further out to help miss spare. had one on troll amd would wrap
breakaway around pin.

from about £25 on the bay.

 

[rustic]

... would wrap breakaway around pin....

The breakaway cable also guards against the ball hitch bolts coming loose, or shearing, possibly weakened by corrosion, so the pin does not help here.

I prefer a seperate fixing.

However even that doesn't stop a tow bar complete, breaking away, or in the case of the older land rovers, with excessive corrosion, the whole rear section of the chassis pulls out...

 

[Thomas-the-Terrano2]

agreed but can be issue finding suitable point on chassis and indeed breakaway
cable might need to be longer.

the chance of the bolts failing is far less than the ball shearing, ironic as of course
its legal to have cable around ball. Caravan club says better to have round ball
than have it incorrectly to another point.

Funny really as if does come loose you'd expect be better staying with you using
secondary coupling as per smaller non braked trailers than heading off at any
direction with hand brake trying to stop it.

 

[rustic]

I guess you have to think under what circumstances is the safety cable going to put the trailer brakes on?

I would think that a common event is on initial start up, operator didn't secure the hitch correctly, under these circumstances you snap the cable rip out the electric plug
Then hand brake on would cause least damage to the set up.

Going up a steep hill, the ball could snap, to be honest I'm not that sure if the handbrake would hold a trailer, as on my boat trailer if you use the handbrake to control the decent down a slipway, the auto reverse override kicks in, and the brakes come off Scary the first time...

 

[Thomas-the-Terrano2]

in the states a pair of chains are used. diagonally under hitch so acts as a cradle should things split. personally would sooner have same and keep my trailer.

looking at original image with the two hd eyes could do same. mounting chains to an alko chassis could be an issue though