tow bars

[kiwi535 538]

it turns out i have a detachable tow bar on the 120,which is handy for the occasional trip to the dump and or cycle carrying.However.......the tow ball is 50mm which is not compatible with 100 percent of the hire trailers round here.I was told that you can have either,and i thought that 50mm is the NEW std.....whats the go?I dont want to buy a trailer for the 1x in 5yrs that i will need it

[leithcm 0]

You could go out and buy a nice, new, chromed 1 7/8"" ball - the old standard size - and fit that to the removable tongue instead. I think you may find that most trailer tow hitches are so worn the 50 mm new standard will fit. After all, there is only 2 mm between the two sizes!

[Lucan 196]

I've been told that there are 2 standard sizes.

Most trailers you hire from the petrol station etc are the smaller sized ones. But on my parents car has a larger tow ball, heavier duty for their boat and car trailers, which both have larger tow hooks, weird I know! I only found this out when I tried fitting a hired trailer on

Smaller size would be the way to go unless your hauling an XL trailer around.

[kiwi535 538]

You could go out and buy a nice, new, chromed 1 7/8"" ball - the old standard size - and fit that to the removable tongue instead. I think you may find that most trailer tow hitches are so worn the 50 mm new standard will fit. After all, there is only 2 mm between the two sizes!

cant change the ball the arm and ball are all one peice...what i want to know is..will the 50mm coupling become more common?

its similar to this

Edited December 21, 2010 by kiwi535

[OP6 27]

its similar to this

You can get that towbar machined down to the 1 and 7/8th size. Last time I heard it was $120 here in Chch. Chapman engineering in Maryland Place Christchurch if you cannot find anyone in Wellington.

[hybrid 1043]

you can machine them down to 1 7/8's ... makes it incompatible with 50mm however.

Basically, you need two or pick a hire company that hires 50mm

[kiwi535 538]

you can machine them down to 1 7/8's ... makes it incompatible with 50mm however.

Basically, you need two or pick a hire company that hires 50mm

but is 50mm to be the new std??

[Braeden320 0]

http://www.nzta.govt.nz/resources/glovebox...ing-towing.html

Looking here you would think so, but will probably take along time to become the more common option. I would go 1 7/8, your local hire company are unlikely to change anytime soon, and if they do will not doubt keep some older style trailers as allot will still have 1 7/8

[Driftit 2078]

Most trailers these days are both. Unless they are very old. Lift the handle and turn it 180deg. All the trailers at my local gas stations are both sizes. They need to be these days.

[deeveus 81]

I've got a multi-fit on the X5 so within seconds I can change from 1"7'8ths to 50mm, 1"7'8th's is the standard for most trailers/boats e.t.c under 2 ton. If you have the standard donkey cock you can take this in to be machined down to the size you need.

[kiwi535 538]

Most trailers these days are both. Unless they are very old. Lift the handle and turn it 180deg. All the trailers at my local gas stations are both sizes. They need to be these days.

Well i went to every gas station from central wellington to Johnsonville,including karori,and every single one was the 1 7/8 coupling.Are the duals marked 1 7/8 one side and 50mm the other?Most of the "service" station attendants(when i did ask) had no idea what i was talkin about.

[kiwi535 538]

I've got a multi-fit on the X5 so within seconds I can change from 1"7'8ths to 50mm, 1"7'8th's is the standard for most trailers/boats e.t.c under 2 ton. If you have the standard donkey cock you can take this in to be machined down to the size you need.

that sounds like what i will do I have thought about getting the "donkey cock" machined to allow the fitment of the convertable balls,but not sure it is possible

[westy 614]

I have a fancy Canadian thing on mine with 3 different sized balls!

Those Canadians got balls allright,

[kiwi535 538]

We went metric in 1972 isn't about time some people accepted this??

The most stupid one is Sports commentator describing a player as 6 foot 3 and 81kg WTF ?

1-7/8 is 48 mm not 50 mm

exactly,a 50mm coupling will go on a 1 7/8 ball but a 1 7/8 coupling will not go on a 50mm ball.

i still think fuel consumption in mpg

[Driftit 2078]

Well i went to every gas station from central wellington to Johnsonville,including karori,and every single one was the 1 7/8 coupling.Are the duals marked 1 7/8 one side and 50mm the other?Most of the "service" station attendants(when i did ask) had no idea what i was talkin about.

Yeah most will say which side is what size. My car trailer has one of these. You just pull the handle up and turn it to the other side. Most rentals I have encounted are the same.

But on my E30 I had two Donkey cocks. Just bunged in what ever one fitted. See if you can locate the other size.

http://www.trojan.co.nz/index.asp?PageID=2145834345

[hotwire 352]

Yeah most will say which side is what size. My car trailer has one of these. You just pull the handle up and turn it to the other side. Most rentals I have encounted are the same.

But on my E30 I had two Donkey cocks. Just bunged in what ever one fitted. See if you can locate the other size.

http://www.trojan.co.nz/index.asp?PageID=2145834345

But Dan - you are talking brake couplings - arent you?

I have not seen a standard coupling as dual fit - not that I remember anyway

[kiwi535 538]

Yeah most will say which side is what size. My car trailer has one of these. You just pull the handle up and turn it to the other side. Most rentals I have encounted are the same.

But on my E30 I had two Donkey cocks. Just bunged in what ever one fitted. See if you can locate the other size.

http://www.trojan.co.nz/index.asp?PageID=2145834345

might look again tomorrow

[Driftit 2078]

They have them at some of the local gas stations around where I live. And the Hirepool ones I have hired have both and they were also un-braked.

[kiwi535 538]

They have them at some of the local gas stations around where I live. And the Hirepool ones I have hired have both and they were also un-braked.

only looking to hire a little trailer,not a car trailer.

[kiwi535 538]

confirmed.ALL the the hire trailers from gas staions around here are 1 7/8 only.hire quip have one tandem axle trailer(braked) with a multifit coupling.All the furniture trailers and the car trailers are 50mm only(hirequip)

I note that trojan(make trailer bits)have a multifit non braked coupling.hopless,most of the service stations i went to didnt even know what i was asking!

[Driftit 2078]

only looking to hire a little trailer,not a car trailer.

Yeah thats what I am talking about. Own my own car trailer so don't hire them.

Spose it depends on when the hire trailers were made.

[deeveus 81]

exactly,a 50mm coupling will go on a 1 7/8 ball but a 1 7/8 coupling will not go on a 50mm ball.

i still think fuel consumption in mpg

If it's a 120d mate, I can't see you towing more than 1500kg - normally 50mm ball's are 2500kg + say. I have two interchangeable balls.

Edited December 24, 2010 by The Diesel Guy

[kiwi535 538]

If it's a 120d mate, I can't see you towing more than 1500kg - normally 50mm ball's are 2500kg + say. I have two interchangeable balls.

i dont want to tow 2500 but the tow bar/ball thing that came with the car IS 50mm,and being able to take a trailer every now and then is bloody handy,but its very frustrating to find that i cant use it!

[deeveus 81]

i dont want to tow 2500 but the tow bar/ball thing that came with the car IS 50mm,and being able to take a trailer every now and then is bloody handy,but its very frustrating to find that i cant use it!

Definitely not, I'd say the 1 series would have a tow rating of 1200-1500kg?