Advice needed on ring tow hitches

[Woodworks]

Looking at some SH machinery and its fitted with a 40mm ring hitch. My truck currently has just a ball but can swap it with a hitch on an old Landrover that has a pin as well. Now did a bit of googling and came across this http://www.ntta.co.uk/downloads/SafeLegalTowingShort.pdf On page 28 it talks about various pin sizes 30mm 40mm 50mm but the only hitch I can get locally and the one on the Landy is 25mm. The pdf if seems to say this is complete no no but the trailer centre who sell hitches says it's completely normal to use a 40mm ring with a 25mm pin

[pileswasp]

The eyes are 30/40/50mm. The pin is smaller so the trailer is braked by pushing against the jaws.

[woody paul]

Change it for a ball it will tow better.

[woody woodpecker]

Hi what you need is a reducer to go from 40mm down to 25 mm its like a washer with a lip that sits in the ring hitch to take up the differance in sizes i think mvf sell them.

cheers chris

[Woodworks]

Hi what you need is a reducer to go from 40mm down to 25 mm its like a washer with a lip that sits in the ring hitch to take up the differance in sizes i think mvf sell them.

cheers chris

 

Now that sounds like a cheap simple solution. Who are MVF?

[woody woodpecker]

mole valley farmers.

[pileswasp]

From your linked document: "The British eyeshafts have a round or toroidal section eye and are used with a parallel type pin with sufficient clearance in the eye to permit the correct sequence of towing on the pin and braking on the jaw. If the pin is too large or the clearance between the jaw and pin too great, then both towing and braking loads will be put onto the pin."

The pin is intended to be smaller than the ring.

[woody paul]

If its a eye which bolt on to shaft just replace with 50mm ball hitch its that simple then tow with any truck with 50mm tow hitch.

[madmatt]

Hi what you need is a reducer to go from 40mm down to 25 mm its like a washer with a lip that sits in the ring hitch to take up the differance in sizes i think mvf sell them.

cheers chris

 

 

Please do not do this. A twing eye is designed to be pulled along by the pjn but braked by the jaw not the pin. 30 and 40mm eyes are compatible with the dixon bate ball and pin hitch. They do clunk which is why people dont like them fit a reducing bush and you maybe in bother if pulled by vosa.

[Woodworks]

Please do not do this. A twing eye is designed to be pulled along by the pjn but braked by the jaw not the pin. 30 and 40mm eyes are compatible with the dixon bate ball and pin hitch. They do clunk which is why people dont like them fit a reducing bush and you maybe in bother if pulled by vosa.

 

Thanks for the warning. I have got the machine and tows surprisingly well and quite like the reassuring sight of a pin through the hitch as opposed to the hitch that looks the same when it's on or not quite on the ball. Yes a bit clunky on the lanes but easier to hitch up to on your own as can just drive into plate.