Member Since: 03 Sep 2006
Location: Manchester
Posts: 14372
Moo wrote:
Wouldn't it be easier to do something like this?
don't like the look of that ...and it would loose the off road height I made the trailer for !
plus if I went to all the trouble to do that ..I might as well change it for a standard tow ballG4 Gone ...but not forgotten
24th May 2017 12:03 pm
wiggs
Member Since: 03 Sep 2006
Location: Manchester
Posts: 14372
just to clarify ...I want to be able to take something portable with me ...and be able to use on a hire car (with a standard towball ) to allow me to tow my trailerG4 Gone ...but not forgotten
24th May 2017 12:05 pm
wiggs
Member Since: 03 Sep 2006
Location: Manchester
Posts: 14372
Iguana wrote:
Simon (Sailorboy), extended his hitch and converted to std hitch, the extension helped with the height
my normal daily set up is fine height wise G4 Gone ...but not forgotten
How difficult would it be to re-manufacture a NATO towing eye and shaft that has a standard trailer coupling on it?
And then how quick would it be to change them over in the event of a breakdown?
Edit: Doesn't overcome the height difference I know, but it would give you something that is lightweight and storable!Front Runner Rack, OEM Ladder & RAI, Tuff-Trek Foxwing, B'rakhah Ingonyama Expedition Trailer, RLD's Spare Wheel Protector, Bodsy's Bars, Empty Pockets! Member of Gloucestershire & Worcestershire 4x4 Response.
24th May 2017 1:10 pm
sailorboi
Member Since: 26 Oct 2012
Location: Bristol
Posts: 2021
Wiggs I don't see why something like your sketch would not work if made strong enough. The problem I can see is locking into the NATO ring tight enough as not to have any movement (otherwise you would have two pivot points). And you also dont want to loose the ability to brake the trailer.
The set up in the pic you show indicates what is possible but how strong is it pivot wise? And can the brakes still be used? Those would be my two concerns not so much the height difference as you can always make a bracket strong enough. If that makes sense?
I think you would need some extra "anti sway" type brackets on the trailer for your emergency towing adapter to slot into preventing a second pivot but allowing the breaking.
Edit: having looked closer at the pictures does it already do as I described above under the NATO ring? Is the tube inside something? If so sorry missed that and that would combat the problems I thought of. Sorry07 Java Black TD V6 D3, EGRs Blanked, Tow bar, Full dog guard & divider, LED Spots , DRLs, GG ATs, RLD Sump guard, RLD Spare Wheel Protector, D4 LED Rear Lights, Limo tints on boot and Midnight tint on rear windows, Kenwood screen with Garmin nav, Rear cameras, D4 Steering wheel with flappy paddles, T-max split charge system, Tree sliders, Prospeed roof rack & Ladder, Alisport fast road inter cooler,
Massey Ferguson 35x
Sankey Narrow Track Camping Trailer (Gone but to a great home)
Ok ... So you want to pull trailer behind tow ball equipped vehicle. Get it now.
Does the 8" difference not now help you rather than be the problem? Make something to mount standard kit BELOW the nato stuff and bolted through current metal work.
Take a picture from below current setup, one from directly above and one from side looking down at about 45 degrees and post on here..
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
24th May 2017 2:07 pm
Moo D3 Decade
Member Since: 13 Aug 2010
Location: UK
Posts: 14482
Hope it makes sense, what about something like this:
I had designed it as a tow hitch that slid into two tubes attached to a plate bolted under the Nato hitch. However, I did think about whether an adjustable Dixon Bate plate set horizontally might work with a drop down hitch attached to it with a standard hitch.
The idea being you can quickly attach a standard hitch set to a height that would enable you to fit it to a standard tow ball.D4 HSE EU6 (Known as Jeeves)
New Defender L663 110 SE (known as Noddy!) Sold
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Sold - D4 HSE (Known as Gerty)
No longer the Old Buses original owner
231,000 miles and counting
05 S manual owned from March 2005
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24th May 2017 2:13 pm
sailorboi
Member Since: 26 Oct 2012
Location: Bristol
Posts: 2021
Ye I was thinking something the same as Moo has drawn there (the tube idea) but maybe not as straight up and down to get the drop as that would great a lot of force on the top edge. Also breaks not enabled in that set up which would worry me when not towing with a substantial car.07 Java Black TD V6 D3, EGRs Blanked, Tow bar, Full dog guard & divider, LED Spots , DRLs, GG ATs, RLD Sump guard, RLD Spare Wheel Protector, D4 LED Rear Lights, Limo tints on boot and Midnight tint on rear windows, Kenwood screen with Garmin nav, Rear cameras, D4 Steering wheel with flappy paddles, T-max split charge system, Tree sliders, Prospeed roof rack & Ladder, Alisport fast road inter cooler,
Massey Ferguson 35x
Sankey Narrow Track Camping Trailer (Gone but to a great home)
I think you need to end up with socket of standard hitch forward of the NATO ring.
if far enough, a vertical piece through ring would give you same braking arrangement as normal connection.
rails of trailer will be about 3" by look of ones I've tried to google, so two sections of that should get you near enough the desired 8".
if connection NATO-ring to trailer is A-frame shape, some strength comes from the shape spreading out the stresses.
you could - think - leave most of the metalwork in place permanently without affecting off-road capabilities too much.
i'll try and sketch something later but no promises. Football to watch !!.
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
The beauty of connecting into the existing NATO ring is it applies brakes on the trailer, the drop height of the Sankey Mk111 is perfect for normal D4 towing with a RLD adapter, so as Ade says this needs to be a simple emergency add on.
Ade, I think you design will be fine, may be worth calculating the max angle you can fit a ball hitch onto the tow ball, that way towing at a downward angle would minimise the drop required
Wouldn't trust anything I designed tonight. 🍺🍺🍺🍷🍷🍷.
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
24th May 2017 8:56 pm
Deerfold
Member Since: 07 May 2017
Location: Radnorshire
Posts: 99
50mm tow ball for emergency and then the same bolt pattern NATO ring. I am just waiting for the new 45mm shaft to come back from chroming and I will post a pic. Excuse the vehicle and the trailer, one is a works truck one is a work in progress.
Cranking the A-frame makes it naff for off road use with a real Land Rover.A vaccine does not stop you catching a virus, or passing it on, or getting ill from it, really ill. It does reduce the likelyhood of you dying when really, really ill. Stay Alive - KEEP AWAY FROM PEOPLE.
25th May 2017 11:16 am
Deerfold
Member Since: 07 May 2017
Location: Radnorshire
Posts: 99
Maybe, but it is towed with a defender, ranger and disco (iminantly) and it works with both. True off road (forestry tracks have been my testing ground for clearance) hasn't been an issue as the trailer is designed to be towed by a pinzgauer or 110 hi cap and the base of the drawbar chassis is all but the same height as a sankey except that the hitch sits inboard , thus I am able to tow with the ranger. In reality offroad (whatever that is) might happen a couple of times a year so it suits my needs.Ill be there in a minute!!!
I've had a look at my Sankey and see how this can be done fairly simply.
When the NATO coupling shaft is pushed inward it acts on a crank lever. A 50mm hitch mounted lower, and perhaps a bit forward of the NATO one, could be arranged to work on a different lever on the same shaft.
The would need an elongated shaft with a second lever. This could be left in place. Six slightly longer bolts to hold the hitch on the drawbar, also left in place.
Then a plate with a 50mm hitch as the emergency coupling. It would have a flange on each side to fit it below the A-frame on the six bolts already in place.
So, nothing to remove in an emergency. Just carry the hitch on its plate.A vaccine does not stop you catching a virus, or passing it on, or getting ill from it, really ill. It does reduce the likelyhood of you dying when really, really ill. Stay Alive - KEEP AWAY FROM PEOPLE.
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don't like the look of that ...and it would loose the off road height I made the trailer for !
... All LED interiors lights, DRLs, Spare Wheel protector.
