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| LandRoverAnorak Member Since: 17 Jul 2011 Location: Surrey Posts: 11324  
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Ah, I didn't want to take any chances of leaving any unnecessary nooks and crannies for rust to take hold. Darren 110 USW BUILD THREAD - EXPEDITION TRAILER - 200tdi 90 BUILD THREAD - SANKEY TRAILER - IG@landroveranorak "You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought!" - Princess Leia |
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23rd Sep 2019 7:31pm |
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| LandRoverAnorak Member Since: 17 Jul 2011 Location: Surrey Posts: 11324
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It depends, to an extent, on how you do it. As you don't have the 12S socket anyway, I'd be inclined to buy a complete 13 pin kit and install it from scratch. LR wiring kits are excellent and whilst it's a bit of a faff crawling around underneath to do so, they fit very well indeed. The other consideration is the socket position. I favour fitting to the recess in the rear crossmember but it is more involved than on a regular mounting plate attached to the tow bar. In my case, as I already have both 7 pin electrics installed, I'm going to cut the plugs off and install a waterproof junction box from which I can take a single 12 core cable to the new socket, which will hopefully be next weekends' job. I've even made myself a conversion chart to make the wiring easier:  Click image to enlarge Darren 110 USW BUILD THREAD - EXPEDITION TRAILER - 200tdi 90 BUILD THREAD - SANKEY TRAILER - IG@landroveranorak "You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought!" - Princess Leia Last edited by LandRoverAnorak on 24th Sep 2019 7:29am. Edited 1 time in total |
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23rd Sep 2019 7:39pm |
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| LandRoverAnorak Member Since: 17 Jul 2011 Location: Surrey Posts: 11324
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Ah, I have a different cunning plan in mind. Not quite ready to share that one yet, though  Darren
110 USW BUILD THREAD - EXPEDITION TRAILER - 200tdi 90 BUILD THREAD - SANKEY TRAILER - IG@landroveranorak "You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought!" - Princess Leia |
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23rd Sep 2019 7:41pm |
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| LandRoverAnorak Member Since: 17 Jul 2011 Location: Surrey Posts: 11324
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I'm really impressed with them, so far. If they're as good in the cold weather as my previous AT2's were, I'll be delighted. Darren 110 USW BUILD THREAD - EXPEDITION TRAILER - 200tdi 90 BUILD THREAD - SANKEY TRAILER - IG@landroveranorak "You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought!" - Princess Leia |
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23rd Sep 2019 7:42pm |
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| LandRoverAnorak Member Since: 17 Jul 2011 Location: Surrey Posts: 11324
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Quite literally, the missing link for my receiver hitch arrived today (all the way from Belgium, which was cheaper than any UK suppliers
 ):
Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge It's a very sexy lump of polished aluminium that may end up being painted yellow... Darren
110 USW BUILD THREAD - EXPEDITION TRAILER - 200tdi 90 BUILD THREAD - SANKEY TRAILER - IG@landroveranorak "You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought!" - Princess Leia |
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26th Sep 2019 8:56pm |
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| Sulisuli Member Since: 30 Oct 2016 Location: South west Posts: 4795 
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Looks very smart Darren, perhaps black rather than yellow?
 2015 HT XS 90
2008 SVX 90 2000 XS TD5 90 |
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26th Sep 2019 9:02pm |
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| LandRoverAnorak Member Since: 17 Jul 2011 Location: Surrey Posts: 11324
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Hmm, that's an interesting point that I hadn't considered. Having now checked, it's not actually the same as the one in the picture on the advert either, which does appear to be steel. I have made enquiries with the vendor... Darren
110 USW BUILD THREAD - EXPEDITION TRAILER - 200tdi 90 BUILD THREAD - SANKEY TRAILER - IG@landroveranorak "You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought!" - Princess Leia |
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27th Sep 2019 11:19pm |
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| Procta Member Since: 03 Dec 2016 Location: Sunderland Posts: 5159
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looking great ask always pal, Why did you go for this setup? I like the idea of a removerable towbar but then again its also stops people sitting up the arse of the car. Defender TD5 90 ---/--- Peugeot 306 HDI hatch back
Success is 90% Inspiration and 4 minutes Preparation # you can make it! |
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28th Sep 2019 12:17am |
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| Devon-Rover Member Since: 22 Jan 2015 Location: South Devon Posts: 914 
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Why not? Factor 55 do a Ali one https://factor55.com/product/hitchlink/ Kings in AUS do an alli one https://www.4wdsupacentre.com.au/adventure...ackle.html the maxtrax THI is ally http://www.exploringelements.com/maxtrax-thi/ A4A own range campboss hitch is ally too https://www.all4adventure.com/product/boss-hitch/ Not being difficult but why not an aluminium receiver recovery point instead of heavier steel? When funds allow I will go over to a alli softshackle compatible one Also can be found on Fb, Ytube, Insta & Twitter @4WDSouthwest |
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28th Sep 2019 10:08am |
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| blackwolf Member Since: 03 Nov 2009 Location: South West England Posts: 17353 
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I stand corrected! Aluminium is good! Aluminium is the new steel!
Every day is a school day. |
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28th Sep 2019 2:12pm |
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| LandRoverAnorak Member Since: 17 Jul 2011 Location: Surrey Posts: 11324
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That's all a bit more encouraging
Novelty value, as much as anything. I don't really need a tow bar anymore but I wanted a strong recovery point and I've never had a receiver hitch before. Darren 110 USW BUILD THREAD - EXPEDITION TRAILER - 200tdi 90 BUILD THREAD - SANKEY TRAILER - IG@landroveranorak "You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought!" - Princess Leia |
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28th Sep 2019 7:03pm |
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| LandRoverAnorak Member Since: 17 Jul 2011 Location: Surrey Posts: 11324
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Todays' task was to sort out the towing electrics that had been cable tied up out of the way since removing the regular tow bar. I also want to convert from twin sockets to a single 13 pin, so a junction box was the order of the day.
I've used a waterproof box, mounted to a spare hole in the fuel tank strap, just under the fuel filler. As there's only one mounting point, I've beefed up the bottom edge of the box with a strip of 6mm plastic and it's fixed with stainless M8 bolts and penny washers: Click image to enlarge Into the back of the box are three 20mm glands, one each for the 12N, 12S and 13 pin wiring, and a strip of choc block with which to make the conversion. Into the rear end of the box is a two pin waterproof socket, more of which later. The box is positioned behind the mud flap and Gwyn Lewis mud shield, so is hopefully quite well protected: Click image to enlarge I've still got to install the 13 pin socket and connect it up. Darren 110 USW BUILD THREAD - EXPEDITION TRAILER - 200tdi 90 BUILD THREAD - SANKEY TRAILER - IG@landroveranorak "You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought!" - Princess Leia |
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28th Sep 2019 7:27pm |
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| sako243 Member Since: 08 Jul 2014 Location: Wales Posts: 1218  
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Because their quoted tensile strength is still less than boggo standard mild/carbon steel - before you even bother going into the high-tensile stuff. The main issue with aluminium won't be the tensile strength of it but the fact that it's a softer material than steel which means that the hole will become oval quicker. Then that sets off a chain reaction as you start shock loading it more and start deforming it even more. Ed 82 Hotspur Sandringham 6x6 95 Defender 110 300Tdi |
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28th Sep 2019 8:26pm |
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| LandRoverAnorak Member Since: 17 Jul 2011 Location: Surrey Posts: 11324
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And now for something completely frivolous
Whilst researching receiver hitches, I came across various accessories for them, which included this auxiliary LED brake light: Click image to enlarge As I knew that I'd be re-wiring the towing electrics anyway, I thought what the hell. As delivered, it came with a strange, flat, four pin plug, which I gather is the standard in the US. The four connections were supposedly earth, brake, left indicator and right indicator. A quick test with a 12v supply identified the earth and the stop light supply (I couldn't make the other two connections do anything) and so the lamp was quickly dismantled in order to adapt the wiring suit my purpose: Click image to enlarge A few snips with the cutters and a touch of the soldering iron and heat gun saw a new 2-core cable attached to the appropriate wires and the redundant ones sealed off with heat shrink: Click image to enlarge With everything tested, the lamp was re-assembled and a waterproof 2-pin plug soldered to the end of the new cable: Click image to enlarge At the rear of the lamp. the new cable was glued to the inside of one of the corners to prevent it fouling the securing pin holes: Click image to enlarge With the lamp installed in the hitch, it was plugged into the socket fitted for the purpose in the towing electrics junction box described above: Click image to enlarge And the thing in operation: Click image to enlarge This is one of those things that I don't really need and didn't even know that I wanted, but it does make me smile  Darren
110 USW BUILD THREAD - EXPEDITION TRAILER - 200tdi 90 BUILD THREAD - SANKEY TRAILER - IG@landroveranorak "You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought!" - Princess Leia Last edited by LandRoverAnorak on 7th Sep 2021 8:08am. Edited 2 times in total |
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29th Sep 2019 9:22pm |
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