 | Home > Expedition & Overland > Trailers with Nato Hitch are they legal? |
 
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| Scoobeenut Member Since: 04 Mar 2015 Location: West London Posts: 310   
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I have been towing my Sankey trailer now for some time with a ring hitch and Dixon Bate Nato hitch. Yes it is legal but you will need to fit a break away safety cable from the towing vehicle to the trailer that automaticaly pulls on the trailer brakes if the hitch lets go.
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22nd Dec 2015 12:45pm |
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| Caterham Member Since: 06 Nov 2008 Location: Birmingham Posts: 6298  
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might be wrong here....
some (if not all) sankey's have the cable for applying the brakes (mine does - wolf mark 3) - don't know about the others? my understanding is that for it to be road legal / worthy is it should have an auto reverse feature ie when you reverse the brakes don't apply but when travelling forward they do? I'd also be interested to know for sure what the facts are.  |
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22nd Dec 2015 1:34pm |
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| Rosco Member Since: 03 Dec 2010 Location: Burntwood Posts: 1833 
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My vague understanding is in the UK we are all fine and dandy, although certain sensibilities like brake away cables are required due to potential capacities.
Where it becomes unclear is on the continent where everything needs type approval, but hopefully this thread clears up some of the mystery. http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic35964....nato+hitch Hopefully someone with better knowledge will be a long shortly 2007 - Stornoway Grey 90 XS SW - Gone 2002 - Black Discovery II - Gone 2014 - Montalcino Red 110 XS SW |
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22nd Dec 2015 1:43pm |
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| miker Member Since: 13 Sep 2015 Location: Surrey Posts: 1763 
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The guy I bought my 110 off used it for years towing his NATO hitched Sankey around Europe. Legal or not, he never had any trouble!
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22nd Dec 2015 1:46pm |
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| Caterham Member Since: 06 Nov 2008 Location: Birmingham Posts: 6298
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thanks Rosco - will have a read through later.
Mike - as I'm sure you'll appreciate safe and legal can be very different things.  |
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22nd Dec 2015 1:54pm |
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| miker Member Since: 13 Sep 2015 Location: Surrey Posts: 1763
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I'll expand, he never had any problems despite being pulled over by foreign police for other reasons!
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22nd Dec 2015 1:59pm |
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| Stacey007 Member Since: 25 Sep 2015 Location: Cheshire Posts: 3748
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Hello
I can sort a break away cable, but as suggested I need it Legal and Safe, I would be towing over Europe (roads) and with family on-board. It would have to be proper. Can I fit a nato hitch to my existing towbar or ideal both so I can still tow normal stuff... such as this? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Universal-Pin-Ba...1338902239  Click image to enlarge Thanks |
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22nd Dec 2015 2:03pm |
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| JWL Member Since: 26 Oct 2011 Location: Hereford Posts: 3443 
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Many of us use Dixon Bate sliders and have separate saddles with different hitches on to suit whatever we tow plus they accommodate the different hitch heights.
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22nd Dec 2015 2:09pm |
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| Caterham Member Since: 06 Nov 2008 Location: Birmingham Posts: 6298
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stacey007 - that's no good.
loads of threads on here about the tow pintel having to rotate as the eye on the trailer doesn't. in terms of legal you often don't find out what is or isn't legal until something major goes wrong and insurance companies send assessors out to pick up the pieces so to speak. I would imagine there's millions of miles that have been covered by the armed forces over the years without a single problem relating to the auto reverse but again it doesn't it's legal for you or I. .....it might be legal - it's just that so far as I'm aware it isn't. |
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22nd Dec 2015 2:11pm |
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| landy andy Member Since: 15 Feb 2009 Location: Ware, Herts Posts: 5692 
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Not fully on topic, but for info. Most recovery companies won't recover a trailer with a non standard tow hitch, and that includes NATO hitch.
Andy |
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22nd Dec 2015 2:33pm |
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| Mash Member Since: 09 Feb 2015 Location: Guernsey Posts: 1674  
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The military have used the set up for years in various countries and whilst using a vehicle/trailer it needs to conform to that countries road laws.
Ref the moving pintle, the military NATO pintle on the Land Rover wolf series has a locking bracket, this remains locked whilst towing on roads and is only to be unlocked whilst traversing cross country. That means unless you are doing some heavy off roading with the trailer on a fixed tow pintle will be fine. 90 wolf - Jasmin http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic39408.html 90 V8 - Maggie http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic42564.html 110 TD5 - Buggsy http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic59029.html 52HG25 lightweight https://www.defender2.net/forum/topic72342.html D3 Hse - Fiona Capri 2l S - Anna Think I might have a problem............ |
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22nd Dec 2015 5:00pm |
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| keith Member Since: 15 Aug 2012 Location: Edinburgh Posts: 2212 
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Use my wide track trailer ever day . No problems .
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22nd Dec 2015 5:02pm |
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| blackwolf Member Since: 03 Nov 2009 Location: South West England Posts: 17367 
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Trailers manufactured after 1989 must have auto-reverse brakes, so ex-military trailers made since then are not legal for civilian use unless so fitted.
Certain vehicles (though not most Defenders) must use type-approved towing equipment. Recent DB/Bradley NATO pintles are TA, but earlier ones (though identical) are not. So the answer to the OP's question is legally a definite maybe! Chances are that you'll get away with it anyhow. There is also a great deal of Castor and Pollux talked about the military coupling, but the fact is that EITHER the pintle OR the lunette MUST rotate, but not both. If you're towing an early trailer with a rotating lunette the pintle must be fixed. If a later trailer with a non-rotating lunette, the pintle must rotate. Under condition of severe articulation the early type will lock and unless you are aware of this you'll destroy the lunette, or your crossmember, or both, which is why the change came about. |
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22nd Dec 2015 6:04pm |
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| strang Member Since: 16 May 2012 Location: Happy Valley Posts: 1380 
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My mate Sebastien (the manic French Land Rover collector) came from France to collect some parts from me with no issues, plus travelling all over the rest of the UK with it.
[URL=] [/URL]
But, they can be dangerous................ [URL=] Click image to enlarge[/URL] Admin note: this post has had its images recovered from a money grabbing photo hosting site and reinstated Euro-Leafing to infinity and beyond..... |
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22nd Dec 2015 7:15pm |
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