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| blackwolf Member Since: 03 Nov 2009 Location: South West England Posts: 17435   
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Your best approach would be to remove the NAS step and fit the pintle to the rear cross-member (using the appropriate reinforcing plate) in the factory-approved manner. This is the only method which is legal if your Defender is recent enough to require a type-approved coupling (I can't tell from your photo due to the vanity plate) or, of course, if it is an M1 variant vehicle.
On a civilian vehicle you will still find that the pintle is rather low for the lunette on the trailer, but it is the best that can practicably be achieved and is satisfactory. You can get the pintle marginally higher if you use a DB slider-type mount (which are also TA) but will only be an inch or so higher. Note that if using a pintle on the cross-member you must run with the pintle free to rotate and you must use a reinforcing plate between the pintle and cross-member. Although some people have mounted pintles on NAS steps there is no effective way to get it anywhere near an acceptable height and most involve terrifying buckshee lash-ups. Even if not required to be type-approved it is not a good idea. If TA is required, it is blatantly illegal and quite likely to get you into quite a lot of trouble (guaranteed in the even of an accident). |
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26th Apr 2024 12:55pm |
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| 110Matty Member Since: 20 Apr 2023 Location: Somerset Posts: 129
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Hi, thanks for comments @blackwolf. I see you are SW Eng - whereabouts?
Vanity plate is no longer fitted, it was the previous owners. It's a 2004 and is N1. I'm not really sure if I like the NAS rear step or not, I thought I did! I had thought that a normal folding rear step would actually make it easier to get in the back, as the NAS step is a little narrow and is quite high from the ground and also not great when it's wet. So basically, I could remove the NAS step and fit an adapter / backing plate and then a Dixon Bate type rotating pintle hitch? Are there recognised part codes for what I would need, some seem to be no longer available? |
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26th Apr 2024 1:17pm |
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| blackwolf Member Since: 03 Nov 2009 Location: South West England Posts: 17435
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I'm in the Wimborne area, at least when I am home!
With a 2004 N1 vehicle you do not need your towing equipment to be type approved, which allows a greater range of options. My preferred solution is as shown below. This consists of a receiver hitch from Safari Equip (see https://www.4x4overlander.com/product/safa...-receiver/ ) with a NATO pintle fitted to the cross-member. The receiver hitch bracket negates the need for the reinforcing plate on the cross-member and is in fact much stronger, and the spacer plate you can see in the top photo is there to allow the catch that locks the pintle or allows it to rotate can be operated. The second photo (taken long before the others, when I still had an exceptionally rusty swing-away carrier fitted) shows a short Dixon Bate "ladder" fitted to the SE drop plate, which I use if I need a ball or ball/pin coupling at a conventional height. It fits with the pintle bolted up, although (evidently) the pintle wasn't fitted when I took this photo. The final photo shows how I usually run if I am not towing, with a Smittybilt "Beaver Step" (see https://www.smittybilt.com/product-skus/sm...ck-27046b/ ) fitted in the receiver. Not only does this facilitate access to the back of the vehicle, it also stops you from walking into the pintle and whacking your kneecaps on it. You can tow a Penman or Sankey trailer on the pintle with the step in place. The "Beaver Step" is also designed so that you can use it to attach a rope for towing, which can be handy.  Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge |
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26th Apr 2024 2:25pm |
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| 110Matty Member Since: 20 Apr 2023 Location: Somerset Posts: 129
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That's great info, thanks @ blackwolf , much appreciated.
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26th Apr 2024 3:17pm |
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| Ianh Member Since: 17 Sep 2018 Location: Essex Posts: 2028
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Regarding getting the spare wheel higher so you can open and close pintle with rear door shut.
I used one of these https://foundry4x4.co.uk/index.php?route=p...uct_id=352 Designed for mounting larger diameter wheel/ tyre combinations it raises the wheel by 2 inches and works fine for me with a BFG MT 255/85 r16 on the rear door. It does reduce the view through rear screen but that’s minimal already. |
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26th Apr 2024 5:02pm |
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| Screbble Member Since: 26 Apr 2015 Location: Lancashire Posts: 2103 
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Lovely set up Blackwolf, and a very well look after pintle. You need to sort those dandelions out though! |
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26th Apr 2024 5:29pm |
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| 110Matty Member Since: 20 Apr 2023 Location: Somerset Posts: 129
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All great info, thanks everyone 👍
Anyone seen / heard of these? (Hydraulic Coupling Damper) Google doesn’t bring up much at all. Are they desirable for a Penman or best avoided? 🤔 Click image to enlarge |
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28th Apr 2024 3:07pm |
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| Mdm Member Since: 11 Sep 2013 Location: Sunny Lancashire Posts: 1621
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that is not a penman hitch and is off a much older trailer.
the trailer has been changed from standard. i would only be looking at genuine non modified ones |
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28th Apr 2024 6:54pm |
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| Mdm Member Since: 11 Sep 2013 Location: Sunny Lancashire Posts: 1621
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Click image to enlarge the correct hitch |
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28th Apr 2024 7:04pm |
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