Do you need a fancy hitch?

COMMENT

The types and functionality of trailer hitches are many and varied, and some of the prices of the latest-and-greatest options are mind boggling to say the least.

Trailer hitches have ratings as to how much load they can handle, and once you know that the next most important aspect is how the hitch operates.

Operation is not restricted to how it performs when traversing rough terrain but also how it attaches to the tow vehicle and how easy and stress free that attachment may be.

It’s even easier with a well-positioned reversing camera focused on the hitch pin but in the absence of that technology, accurate reversing and clear direction from someone at the tail end is critical -- especially when the trailer can’t be maneuvered over the hitch due to its weight or inability to roll the jockey wheel if it has one.

So are there any hitches to steer clear of? Probably not and in my experience, the cheapest and simplest usually do a pretty good job.

The standard 50mm ball hitch performed well for me on boat trailers in the Northern Territory running up to 3000km per week and that was over plenty of corrugated roads.

The trick with this type of hitch is to use high tensile bolts to attach it to the drawbar and in the construction phase of the trailer, not welding the hitch to the draw bar. The two components are steel and cast metal respectively and welds will break away under stress.

The other trick to getting longevity from this type of hitch is to keep the ball greased and maintain adjustment with the ball tensioning screw and lock nut. Those two actions alone will make for quiet, rattle and bang free towing on rough tracks.

The scope of twist of the trailer in relation to the tow vehicle is restricted compared with dedicated off-road hitches but I’ve found you can dish up some pretty rough treatment off road without detriment. For heavy duty applications a 75mm ball and hitch system is available.

However, as most insurance companies require the use of a recognised trailer lock when the trailer is in storage (and 50mm ball hitches don’t often have this security feature fitted as standard) an aftermarket lock needs to be installed.

My camper trailer has a Vehicle Components DO35 hitch, which has performed faultlessly over seven years of use. The system by which the hitch is secured to the pin consists of a plunger pin locking a sliding plate forming a collar around the pin. The problem with this system is that it requires lubrication which in turn attracts dust and sand, so regular cleaning and re-lubrication is required.

This hitch also provides 360 degrees rotation, which means if you tip the tow vehicle on its roof chances are the trailer will stay upright. And should the trailer end up rolling over it shouldn’t destabilise the tow vehicle or break or twist the towbar. However, the DO35 I have doesn’t have an integrated locking device for storage security.

For the caravan I now live in full-time, I use a McHitch Uni-Glide trailer coupling which has an approved hitch lock built in. It too offers 360 degree rotation and 90 degree offset to the tow vehicle via a universal joint in the coupling.

As with many of the available hitch and pin systems the tolerances between the two are very fine and the application of too much grease will prevent the hitch from settling into a locking position.

To prevent galling between the contacting parts, a quick clean of the pin to remove dirt and a spray of WD40 or similar lubricant will hold you in good stead.

It seems regardless of which hitch you use or how much you spend, you can’t afford to avoid maintenance…