Help with tow hitch

[BluetangJo]

Hi All,

I need help with getting some kind of towing hitch working on No2 van so I can bring her from the front paddock where the tow truck dumped her, to near the house so I can play with her.

I figure I can either use the old hitch or find something to temporarily bolt on, bearing in mind that I have very little mechanical knowledge.

First question is, how does the old hitch attach to a car?


Second question, if I cant get the old hitch working, what could I use instead?






These are the measurements


Thanks,

Jo

[Tickos]

Hi Jo

It is a old coupling you cant buy a ball for it would be easy to buy a 50mm overrider hitch for about $80 and meet rego in NSW.

Ticko's

[Franklin1]

Hi Jo, How far is it from the front paddock to the house? Is the ground fairly smooth between the two places?

To answer your question about your old hitch, have a look at this article in the "old tow couplings" thread. Go to the fourth reply down, posted by chippydave01...

vintagecaravans.proboards30.com/index.cgi?board=technicalstuffboard&action=display&thread=1603&page=4

I would think your coupling is along the same lines as the article, where your coupling is placed on the towball, and then a bolt is screwed down through your coupling into the top of the towball. Something like this rough drawing...



To answer your question about moving the van, if the distance you have to move is a fairly smooth pathway, I would just sit the coupling on your towball and drive at walking pace. Vans are designed to weigh down at the front so the coupling will be forcing down on the ball. If your coupling is the old "1 and 7/8 inch diameter" then it won't fit over your 50mm (2 inch) towball. If that's the case, I would undo the towball and reverse it...that is, put it up through your towbar from underneath. Then turn your coupling upside down and screw the nut down into the coupling, as per this rough drawing...



You are only trying to move the van a relatively short distance, so any bit of "bush ingenuity" will get you there. Rope, chain, cable...anything to keep the van connected to the tow vehicle...and move SLOWLY.

...or ring Reddotel Removalists ...they'll have that van moved quicker than you can WINK!! (Usually it's best to keep your eyes shut while they do it, anyway... ;D ;D )

Finally, the basic "quick-release" coupling that is required for registration, costs about $30 from Repco, Supa Cheap autos, etc, and has a 2000kg rating. However these usually have only two bolt holes centred along the coupling. You would need to drill new holes on the drawbar plate for the coupling to fit on, or have the plate replaced if you didn't like the four old holes showing after the new coupling is fitted.

Hope this helps,
cheers,
Al.

[dunno]

its one of these

vintagecaravans.proboards30.com/index.cgi?board=technicalstuffboard&action=display&thread=1603&page=1

[BluetangJo]

Thanks guys,

Tickos, the hole placement in my van is different to the modern hitches, so I was originally balking at that as its an awful lot of drilling to do new holes with a battery operated drill That being said, its still looking like my best option.

Al, great diagrams, you can explain something to me till you're blue in the face, but I never understand it till I see a picture Unfortunately, although I only need to move the van 200mtrs, its down a steep dirt track, across a creek & up a steep drive. ;D Which is why I got the idiot removal guys to drop it where it is (they had already managed to break the roof on the trip to my place )

Dunno Thanks for the link, I looked before, but couldnt find it.

Jo