Type Approved Receiver Hitch for 120?

[Trevor]

I have just come away from my local fabricator guy after discussions on building a rear bumper for the 120.

Requirements being:-

Accomodate a winch tray
Recovery points
Hi Lift cutouts
Rear Fogs
Chequer Plate on top surface
Detacheable towbar instead of the current plough

No probs, except the idea of a receiver hitch with drop plate. Yes these can be made or butchered from other makes and incorporated into the bumper design but will not be type approved.

So my questions are:-

Is there anything off the shelf that will conform to regs?

Can you get "the thingy you made" to pass approval easily?

 

[Graham]

Look at Lexus 470 over in USA.

They are off the shelf receiver hitches.
Far stronger than any thing that can be bought her, but probably, not approved for use in UK.

Or this here

http://www.rv4x4.net/en/index.php?ac=view&id=81


Graham

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

Got the same problem on my 100, would prefer to lose the UK style blade but there doesn't seem to be anything alse available that has type approval. Kaymar and ARB both do bumpers with a hitch built in but I've no idea if they're type approved, I suspect not.

 

[Gary Stockton]

Toyota in Oz sell a factory fit receiver hitch for the 120. Again it won't be type approved for here. I'll see if I can find my link ...

 

[Gary Stockton]

Here we go:

Toyota part number is PZQ64-60100

Not sure if you can find one - if you do I want one

Btw - Kaymar make one too - at a huge price!!!

 

[Gary Stockton]

Maybe available in Russia?

 

[callum]

...and iceland

http://www.arctictrucks.is/?pageId=1559&itemId=ARC61J2X1

alas not of much help.

 

[Rob]

There seems to be a gap in the market...

 

[Chris]

None of this matters of course if you don't intend to tow anything with it.

How does an MOT station know that if it has a shackle in there? Cough. OK we're all law abiding people and we have covered this before. But properly welded... I mean how many tow bars actually fail? How many people get prosecuted for this offence. The weak point is the bolts in the chassis, not the welding on the bar. Seemed to pull Jonnie OK at the Visitor Center. Far more than a trailer etc would exert.

Yes yes, I know law law law blah blah. I'm only saying. Not encouraging anyone.

The opinions expressed in this post are my own and in no way infer any liability upon the site owners or the Queen dah dee dah

As my truck is really old there aren't any laws that apply to it anyway, except a really old one about smuggling run in it on a Sunday when there is an R in the month.

Chris

 

[andyw]

This on fleabay http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Modified-Terrafir ... 45f7f6c96d

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

I think your MOT man only cares if towing attachments look secure not if they're type approved and I *think* it only starts getting into the relm of type approval when you mount a coupling device i.e. the ball. So AFAIK nobody cares about you having a reciever tow bar fitted with a recovery shackle mounted. Even when you mount a ball, if all you're doing is taking the trailer to the tip then the chances of getting into trouble must be slimmer than winning the lottery. If you're going to tow a caravan though, especially larger ones, then it might be a bit more of a worry because every now and again you come across VOSA check points taking an interest in caravans and they do inspect hitches and towbars / coupings, for safety, I don't know if they are switched on enough to be checking for the type approval plate.

 

[Chris]

And as I don't tow a van Jon, I can't comment. I do tow a trailer with a quad in and in Scotland where quad theft is rife, I have anticipated a stop when up there. Never happened yet. I have been stopped though, oops. Sorry officer, how fast?? Ahh. I see. Really?

But in terms of them (not VOSA) checking the bar, I think that I stand more chance of a date with Ms Diaz.

Chris

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

Every now and again there'll be an article in one of the caravan mags about VOSA road side safety checks so I know it happens but haven't been stopped myself while towing the caravan (had then crawling all over my old 80 once though). I've settled for only putting my towing bar on when it's needed, using the bottom position on the blade for the ball which still isn't low enough and a spacer between the caravan hitch and chassis to stay legal and have everything at the right height but a drop plate on the bar would be much safer (for vehicle stability not material strengths).

 

[Trevor]

My towing needs are for a twin axle 2 tonne trailer, total weight when fully loaded is 2450 Kg. I probably tow 60 days in a year which is why the removeable receiver type arrangement suits especially as I want to do a bit more offroad stuff (Happy Valley for a shiny? Anyone?) and not have the plough effect going on.

Incidentally, is 5mm steel for fabrication of a bumper about right or overkill?

1st run of a bumper, I've been quoted £500 which feels into ouch land, any comments? any fabrication volunteers?

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

That sounds like quite a bit of towing to be doing with a towbar that can get you into a lot of trouble ... I only have to undo 4 bolts to remove or fit my towing bar, then do them up again, 15 minute job. What's it like on a 120?

5mm for the whole rear bumper is a bit ott because your rear cross member is already pretty strong, unless you're cutting the rear cross member off and replacing it? I will be using 3mm for mine , even on the wings where it'll be well box'd and gusseted.

Making bumpers is quite time consuming especially the details and designing them so £500 for a one off custom fab is IMO a good price if you get what you want rather than what they want to make

 

[Graham]

What's it like on a 120?

Now that I have done it, I can take mine off, or refit it in 20 - 30 mins. easy.
And 50% of that time is taking off the rear bumper.
Which is 2 x nuts and bolts each side underneath
Then about 6 off, under the plastic trim, when you open the rear door.
Then just pull the rear bumper backwards, and off.
Simple.

The tow hitch is bolted driectly to the rear cross member with 6 off heavy duty bolts.

Graham

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

Perhaps your custom bumper could leave access to where the tow hitch mounts so you can take it on and off easily then Trevor?

 

[Trevor]

I guess what I was looking for was convenience. As one can never fully ascertain just when and why I may need to tow, and the certainty of horizontal rain at some point in time when I do. The prospect of 15-20 mins buggering about bolting the towbar on is a PITA in my view.

Yes I could only take the towbar off when going laning or offroad but "we have the technology" in the form of the receiver, I think I'm about to fall into the catagory my Dad used to tell me about "lazy people take the most trouble to avoid a problem that doesn't exist".

Would still like a chunky solid rear bumper with a winch in it though, I take your point John with "buggeration factor" with the fabricator having to work everything out on the production of a one off. Just a shock to the wallet as I have not enquired about this sort of work before.

 

[Chris]

Trevor, are there no traditional bolt on type tow bars for the 120? I had one on a 55 plate and I too had the clamshell type design that clamped onto the chassis which needed the bumper taking off, but I am sure that there was also the cross bar type that is more familiar. If that's the case then going down JW's route of having one modified one made up with a hitch and one untouched with a ball affair would be very very easy to swap over. Worth looking around to see. You could buy one and have the modified one (the cross bar) made up completely to the same bolt holes. It's box section with a plate on either end! The mounting brackets to the chassis would stay in place for both bars. Actually easier to make up a whole fresh receiver bar than to modify one in the first place


Possibly like this sort of thing as an initial stab http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Tow-bar-Toyota-La ... 41536ebd79

Chris

 

[Trevor]

Chris, sounds possible. I have not yet had the bumper off to properly see whats going on underneath, next job really. Then I might have a bit more confidence, however I have no fab skills or equipment so still in for costly build if I go ahead I think.

This on top of the Freeways Lattitude front bumper, winch and snorkel which I just have budget for, and after Crispins success on his suspension lift I need to get the magic fund raising hat on.....I only bought it for comfortable towing originally