NS Tow bar

[kimbo27]

A couple of quick questions:

1) Is the standard MM tow bar the removable type or is it fixed ? By that I mean does it have a large pin that you remove and the whole thing slides out - there's a phrase that describes this type, but for the life of me I can't remember what it is, maybe it's a "receiver hitch" (or something like that).

2) Can someone, with a LWB NS, running standard suspension, standard profile tyres and a standard MM tow bar, do me a big favour and measure the height of the top of the tow bar (i.e. to where the towball bolts on) from the ground ?

Cheers ... Kimbo

[danc12]

Answer to Question 1: yes it is the removable type, ie it has a single hole and a single pin with clip, also a locking bolt underneath so that you can stop it from rattling around and hopefully reduce the likelihood of somebody stealing it.

Answer to Question 2: Yes I can do that for you, I assume you also want to know what the measurement is, but this will have to wait until tonight. BTW I have the Exceed, not sure if this makes a difference.

What are you wanting to know this info for, perhaps somebody could help just on the application.

Regards

Dan C

[kimbo27]

Thanks Dan. I'm in the process of ordering/buying a DiD Exceed Auto, so it's all very relevant. The reason I'm asking for the height, specifically, is because my trailer is kind-of high off the ground, and with my current Patrol, I have to invert the towbar to get the trailer level, otherwise it assumes a nose down attitude.

If the standard MM one wasn't one of the removable types, or, if fixed, the height is insufficient, then I'll not get the MM one, but go for an aftermarket Hayman Reece installation - so the questions are essentially to prevent unecessary spending.

I think I know the answer to this question already, but I'll ask it anyway - assuming the tow bar (in it's normal position) is too low for my needs, if you were to invert it, I reckon you won't be able to open the rear door, even if you have a spare tyre lifter fitted ?

No hurry for the measurements, coz I probably won't get back on this site until next week anyway.

Thanks in advance

Chees ... Kimbo

[Walker]

No, you wont. Although I have not towed my camper yet I know that I will never be able to open the rear door with it on. I am going to have to have the gooseneck go up a fair way to get my trailer level.

[kimbo27]

Thanks Adam, and the Treg coupling I've got sticks up even further than the normal tow ball, so it seems a lifter may have been a waste of money in any case, regardless of which way round the coupling is fixed. I'll wait to see what the Dan measures the height to be, but I think that's just solved a couple of other issues - 1) it pointless buying the tyre lifter, coz I won't be able to open the rear door either way, AND 2) as such, I can go for the larger profile, more common 265/70R17 AT's which opens up a much greater choice of rubber.

Makes you wonder what kind-of stuff designers smoke when they come up with these ideas - hard shell spare wheel cover that restricts the size of tyre you can run, and a rear door that won't open when you've got a trailer attached ? But then I'm probably just echoing the sentiments of every other NS driver that's already discovered this fact.

Cheers ... Kmbo

[JandG]

I tow an off-road camper with the NS SWB Pajero. The original tongue that came with the Mitsubishi towbar has a 45 degree cut/weld section and I was told that it can only be used with the tongue sloping down and not up.

To get the tongue higher up I had to purchase a tongue with a 90 degree cut/weld section which can be used up or down. I use it in the up way and have a Treg coupling mounted on there. With the pin in place I cannot open up the backdoor. With the pin removed I can open up the backdoor.

Hope this may help,
Gerard

[Errol]

Check out the Hyland coupling. They have good clearance.

[kimbo27]

Thanks Gerard.

Errol - already got the Treg so at this stage not looking to change, but may be in the future.

Cheers ... Kimbo

[danc12]

Measurement

Measured this on the weekend, From the flat top part of the bar, on which you then bolt the tow ball to the ground is 420 mm. If you want other measurements, I just thought it might be useful to flip the hitch and see how high it is, let me know.

regards

Dan C

[mrbitchi]

Get an Orac coupling. Sorta like a tregg but the pin is horizontal. Makes for a very low profile coupling.

couplings

Also sounds like you're a prime candidate for a suspension lift if your trailer is THAT high.

[kimbo27]

Thanks Dan - I'll compare that to my Patrol's hitch this evening - it looks to me like the Paj runs a little bit higher at the rear anyway, so it may not be a big a problem as it currently is.

John - yes, maybe that's true - the trailer was custom built for the guy I bought it from, to match his the height of his early LR Disco (and the race car that goes on it). The "trailer part" of the Treg is raised to bring it in-line with the Disco hitch - it might be easier to lower the trailer component than fitting new suspension - certainly cheaper !

Thanks for all your help and suggestions.

Cheers ... Kimbo

[kimbo27]

Well, looks like it may not be that big a problem - the Patrol hitch in it's normal position is 380mm, inverted, it's just over 435mm, which, if anything, is fractionally too high. So with the standard NS bar being at 420mm it may be OK - probably a "suck it and see" situation.

Thanks again for the help.

Cheers ... Kimbo

[Tom80]

Kimbo, I have a NS pajero with a treg hitch and a trailer that sits very high, I've inverted the tow hitch to make the trailer ride level, the only problem is that i can't open the door all the way now. (which is a minor inconveinience). For info i used to have a Terracan which required a towbar that was about 6 inches higher than the standard to account for the low ride and the 4 inches of sag in the suspension. The pajero sags about 1 and a half centimetres when loaded with my jayco outback camper.
Cheers Tom.

[kimbo27]

Thanks Tom appreciate the info. I suspect I won't really find out if it's a problem or not until I get that car - in the process of ordering it now - but it's all good background things to think about. I don't think tow ball weight and sag will be too much of a concern, the race car's rear engined, and the trailers built to cater for the bulk of the weight being at the rear - it's actually very well balanced, and the whole thing, trailer with race car loaded, can be moved around (when unhitched from the tow car), relatively easily, by 1 person - and it certainly doesn't cause the Patrol's rear to sag that much (and that's with 7-year old standard springs on it). But I'll just have to wait and see.

Cheers ... Kimbo