Tow ball, maypole, Dixon bate?

This site contains affiliate links for which LandyZone may be compensated if you make a purchase.

Discodevon

Well-Known Member
Posts
1,434
Hello everyone, been looking at getting a new tow ball but one with the pin going through as well, there is Dixon bate at about £50.00 or maypole which look the same and rated for the same weight and are only £28.00, or is it risky being so much cheaper?
 
When you say one with a pin going through, do you mean to accept a NATO type hitch ?, if that is your intention be VERY careful to match it to what you want to tow. If the trailer hitch is fixed then your hitch must be able to swivel or you risk ripping it off, or damaging your crossmember.
 
When you say one with a pin going through, do you mean to accept a NATO type hitch ?, if that is your intention be VERY careful to match it to what you want to tow. If the trailer hitch is fixed then your hitch must be able to swivel or you risk ripping it off, or damaging your crossmember.
You cannot tow a nato hitch with a standard pin type towball. the nato ring is too large and needs the specific nato hitch which as mentioned also need to be matched in terms of fixed or rotating. If it is for the ring hitch found on "domestic" plant trailers and the like then a standard pin one will work no problems. I would second the vote for Dixon bate over nearly anything else, but I would also have a look s/h. I picked mine up at an auto jumble for £10 and have two just pin hitched on my front bumper camel trophy style (one genuine land rover, on dixon bate) which cost about the same. There were plenty available at newbury last weekend and are fairly easy to inspect for accident/abuse damage.
 
Hi it’s not to hitch a nato hitch on, only as a good anchor point on the back end really
 
Hi it’s not to hitch a nato hitch on, only as a good anchor point on the back end really
If you want it as an anchor point rather than to tow with I would recommend a nato hitch pintle correctly fitted with the correct spreader plates directly to the rear crossmember. You do not get a much more solid anchor point than this! It also removes any of additional stresses added with the drop down towbar assemblies as all force is transmitted in a straight line directly though the chassis.
 
You cannot tow a nato hitch with a standard pin type towball. the nato ring is too large and needs the specific nato hitch which as mentioned also need to be matched in terms of fixed or rotating. If it is for the ring hitch found on "domestic" plant trailers and the like then a standard pin one will work no problems. I would second the vote for Dixon bate over nearly anything else, but I would also have a look s/h. I picked mine up at an auto jumble for £10 and have two just pin hitched on my front bumper camel trophy style (one genuine land rover, on dixon bate) which cost about the same. There were plenty available at newbury last weekend and are fairly easy to inspect for accident/abuse damage.
Sorry an all that. I was forgetting the different sizes.
 
Back
Top