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bear100



Member Since: 22 Mar 2010
Location: South Wales
Posts: 1914

Wales 2010 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 USW Santorini Black
2" receiver or tow ball
Going to buy a NAS step (again Shocked ) for the 110, the reason i am buying one is purely the step combined with the towing setup, the step helps us take the Oztent out of the Ozpod.

Masai do 2 zinc plated versions of the step, a standard tow bar and a 2" receiver

Now which one to buy? i think the the receiver looks neater plus there are different types of accessories which can be fitted for eg an adjustable towing plate and recovery shackle.

Im sure i have read that a tow ball and pin isn't classed as a recovery point

they mention the receiver is an American market and the other a uk version are there any legalities with towing a caravan with the receiver?

My Range Rover has a 2" receiver fitted at the factory (stronger than the deployable) so there should be issue?

any drawback you can think of?

Thumbs Up 2016 Range Rover Autobiography 4.4 TDV8
2010 110 XS Utility 2.4TDCI
2010 Range Rover Sport TDV8 (gone)
2007 Discovery HSE TDV6 (gone)
1993 110 csw 200 tdi (gone)
1994 90 HT 300 tdi (gone)
1994 discovery 300tdi (gone)
90 hybrid 3.5 v8 (gone)
Range rover bobtail 3.5 v8 (gone)
Post #829624 7th May 2020 8:56am
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pj2106



Member Since: 20 Dec 2012
Location: Huntingdon AKA The Shire
Posts: 1500

United Kingdom 2008 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 USW Stornoway Grey
It depends if your towing a heavy trailer a lot?

2 inch receivers are great for ease of change for different things but do have a tendency to rattle

Personally I like the 2” as so adaptable 2008 110 2.4 XS Utility (Hagrid)
2002 90 TD5 Hardtop (Sully) Sold
1998 300TDi D1 (Billy) Sold
Post #829626 7th May 2020 9:00am
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db950



Member Since: 01 Feb 2012
Location: Lincoln
Posts: 560

United Kingdom 1997 Defender 110 300 Tdi HT Nato Green
2” receivers aren’t Type approved for the UK.
But... if yours is classed as a light commercial (N1 on the V5) then you don’t need a type approved tow bar.
This is my understanding of it anyway!
Post #829629 7th May 2020 9:08am
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blackwolf



Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 17372

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
^^^ That depends on the age of the vehicle, later N1 vehicles do require TA.
Post #829655 7th May 2020 12:17pm
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db950



Member Since: 01 Feb 2012
Location: Lincoln
Posts: 560

United Kingdom 1997 Defender 110 300 Tdi HT Nato Green
Sorry, yes after 31/10/2012 all need TA
(I was assuming his was a 2010my)
Post #829662 7th May 2020 12:36pm
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bear100



Member Since: 22 Mar 2010
Location: South Wales
Posts: 1914

Wales 2010 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 USW Santorini Black
Yep mines a 2010MY

So we are all good with a 2”? 2016 Range Rover Autobiography 4.4 TDV8
2010 110 XS Utility 2.4TDCI
2010 Range Rover Sport TDV8 (gone)
2007 Discovery HSE TDV6 (gone)
1993 110 csw 200 tdi (gone)
1994 90 HT 300 tdi (gone)
1994 discovery 300tdi (gone)
90 hybrid 3.5 v8 (gone)
Range rover bobtail 3.5 v8 (gone)
Post #829663 7th May 2020 12:39pm
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Bluest



Member Since: 23 Apr 2016
Location: Lancashire
Posts: 4209

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 XS CSW Java Black
I though type approved tow bars were required much earlier than that on passenger vehicles, 1998 or something. I remember working out I needed a type approved one on my '07 2007 110 TDCi Station Wagon XS
Post #829665 7th May 2020 1:03pm
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db950



Member Since: 01 Feb 2012
Location: Lincoln
Posts: 560

United Kingdom 1997 Defender 110 300 Tdi HT Nato Green
Type approved came in on 01/08/98 for passenger vehicles (M1) but light commercials (N1) were exempt until 31/10/12 when it changed to all needing type approval.
All depends on the age of the Defender and if it was registered as a N1 commercial.
Post #829671 7th May 2020 1:13pm
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blackwolf



Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 17372

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
Yes, earlier for M1 vehicles, not until 2012 for N1.

My 2007 Double Cab doesn't require TA for towing attachments, if it had been an SW of the same year it would have needed TA, and the RFL would have been much greater too. Very Happy
Post #829673 7th May 2020 1:15pm
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bear100



Member Since: 22 Mar 2010
Location: South Wales
Posts: 1914

Wales 2010 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 USW Santorini Black
Mines a utility.....will it say on the log book if it’s light commercial? 2016 Range Rover Autobiography 4.4 TDV8
2010 110 XS Utility 2.4TDCI
2010 Range Rover Sport TDV8 (gone)
2007 Discovery HSE TDV6 (gone)
1993 110 csw 200 tdi (gone)
1994 90 HT 300 tdi (gone)
1994 discovery 300tdi (gone)
90 hybrid 3.5 v8 (gone)
Range rover bobtail 3.5 v8 (gone)
Post #829710 7th May 2020 4:16pm
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CarMan



Member Since: 29 Nov 2010
Location: Cotswolds
Posts: 1860

United Kingdom 
Yes, half way down 4 on the 2nd page item J is vehicle category - my hard top is N1 Rob

1993 200tdi 90 hard-top
1998 300tdi 90 soft-top
2016 2.2 XS 90 hard-top (sold)
Post #829716 7th May 2020 4:43pm
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apt100



Member Since: 05 Mar 2015
Location: Derbyshire
Posts: 1547

United Kingdom 2016 Defender 90 Puma 2.2 XS CSW Aintree Green
If you go on the tax checker website https://www.gov.uk/check-vehicle-tax it will tell you whether it is shown as N1 or M1 on the database.
(which may or may not be correct, and may or may not be what it 'should' have been registered as, but worth a look anyway)
Post #829718 7th May 2020 4:49pm
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blackwolf



Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 17372

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
Easiest way to to tell us how much the annual RFL you pay is. If it's £580 then you have an M1 vehicle and you need TA on your towing equipment, if it is £270 you have an N1 vehicle and you don't.

I think those are the current rates.

It's a nice thought for the BH weekend that having a 2007 double cab has saved getting on for £5k in VED compared to a Station Wagon!
Post #829719 7th May 2020 4:51pm
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BuckBlu110



Member Since: 19 Apr 2014
Location: in the pub
Posts: 712

United Kingdom 1994 Defender 110 BMW M57 3.0 Diesel CSW Buckingham Blue
Just to add on what to what Bear100 has asked, would a 2” receiver and drop plate be ok for towing a horse box with two medium sized horses? So let’s say 2-2.5t that moves a bit.
Post #829728 7th May 2020 5:17pm
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sailawaybrad



Member Since: 14 May 2016
Location: Nr Exeter
Posts: 43

United Kingdom 2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 USW Keswick Green
The yanks use 2” receivers for everything....so I’m happy for use a 2”. Also tidier too! 2011 2.4 110 Utility Wagon
1963 2.25 88 Soft top
Post #829747 7th May 2020 7:09pm
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