Life on the road, Tips & Tricks The easiest caravan tow hitch

[@MrAshfrench]

Thanks for taking the time to show the hitch and explain it, good one mate

[@nowhereboundtouring]

Gday Frenchy, Two years on and we are still using the same hitch and airbag set up. It has been very good 👍

[@billroach2393]

Thanks Karl, Like you I have a Bushtracker and tow it with a Silverado (not sure what your tow rig is, but judging by the number plate, it's a heavy vehicle too). One thing I was curious about....maybe Hitch Ezy has altered the specifications. You mentioned yours was a 5.5 tonne unit; whereas mine is only 5 tonne. Also, I noticed that when you lowered the van onto the truck, you didn't need to hold the "cap" on the van in the open position. If I don't hold it open (I actually use a pin to do so), the female won't drop all the way onto the male....I guess they've updated the system. One final thing (if you're interested)....I've got a similar electric stand (different brand) and I have added a winch cordless remote into the wiring, so I can drop the van onto the truck from the driver's seat. That way, if I don't quite happen to get the positioning spot-on the first time, I can raise the hitch, move the truck slightly and have a second attempt...all without getting down out of the cab.

[@michaelbayly5166]

Bill do a video mate I'm sure people would be very interested.. me being one.

[@billroach2393]

@@michaelbayly5166 already done mate....see if you can make this link work: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hIqlqGhoatqMbck&ab_channel=BillRoach

[@billroach2393]

@@michaelbayly5166 just posted the link to the video I did some time ago. Please note that I have since replaced the 70mm risers (that I mention near the end), with 100mm risers as I found when I viewed the video later, that the foot WAS STILL vulnerable when fully retracted. It isn't vulnerable any longer!!! hahaha

[@nowhereboundtouring]

Thanks Bill 👍

[@billroach2393]

@@nowhereboundtouring I've been concerned about how you two are getting on these days. Your last video knocked me for a six and I have been hoping like hell that you're doing okay. Lots of love to you both, Bill

[@rjl110919581]

thank you for share detail video and show great ideal with setup for towing

[@Cooliemasteroz]

That’s a much better setup, I’ve always thought the the conventional tow ball arrangement wasn’t really good enough.

[@michaelarundel2269]

Good one

[@nowhereboundtouring]

👍

[@gerdacoonan7250]

Great video, very informative. You may have already heard of it, but if you go to witi.com.au they produce a brilliant security system for the caravan when you leave it unattended. Cheers, thanks for sharing.

[@nowhereboundtouring]

Hi thanks BigKev I will have a look, glad you enjoyed Cheers Katty

[@robertgrayson3394]

Great info thanks Karl! I think you've sold me on the bulldog jack but I have a question regards the handbrake lever. I'd need to relocate mine similar to yours. Did you do this yourself, id it just a case of making up a mounting plate and adjusting all the cables?

[@nowhereboundtouring]

it is a simplicity hand brake, they make simplicity suspensions and they are located in Victoria. You would just need to make a bracket and relocate the hand brake cables to the new location. Cheers Karl

[@DavidAllan-xs3ih]

Hi Karl, are you still happy with the shocker hitch? It's really hard to find much Australian info on them and I'm trying to decide between the shocker hitch and Gen Y. Cheers. David

[@nowhereboundtouring]

Hi David, We have just upgraded to a Air Safe hitch, and will be releasing a video comparing 4 hitches in the coming months. Hayman Reese load distribution hitch vs Shocker Hitch vs Gen Y vs Air Safe. If you can’t wait until our video…. Shocker hitch vs Gen Y, easy choice in my opinion. I have had them both. Shocker Hitch is much much better than Gen Y, there is no comparison. Make sure you purchase the one with the correct drop to suit your towbar style. It is important the airbag fits under the bottom of your tow bar. The best hitch for your setup depends on what you are doing and the tow vehicle & trailer weight. In any combination of these the Shocker Hitch is better ( vs Gen Y), but the Air Safe performs better again. The shocker hitch dose have some wearing parts though. Gen Y does not. Cheers, karl

[@DavidAllan-xs3ih]

@@nowhereboundtouring Thankyou!

[@nowhereboundtouring]

👍

[@donbrown8686]

Hey Karl. I'm interested in the hitch pin securing your Shocker hitch to the truck. Is it rated over 4.5T or is there no rating for hitch pins? I don't like the standard offerings you can readily buy so I'm after something with a lock and cotter pin or similar. Where did you get it? Don

[@nowhereboundtouring]

Hi Don, That is a good question. Our tow bar was created with a 18mm hole for the hitch pin. It was the first ATW bar with a 4.5t rating. I had problems as there is no pin that size. In the end I used a Treg Coupling pin. It does not have a 4.5t rating, but I have found the standard pins are not created from a “special” steel, so I this will be way stronger. I drill out the hitch receiver to 19mm and also the solid steel Shocker Hitch tongue. They did not have a problem with this. It has no wear at all after 2years, even the plating is mostly still on it. The receiver holes have some wear. I would do the same again, and the lock works ok. Hope this helps you. Cheers, Karl

[@michaelbayly5166]

Hey Guy's Currently getting ready to do a 4x4 truck build. Been looking over all the available hitch receivers there are. How have you found the Shocker Hitch...any problems?, Why did you go with this vs GenY. It looks like it sits closer to the truck than a Gen Y would. TIA

[@nowhereboundtouring]

Hi Michael, We have found the Shocker Hitch to be very good. I watched some videos on the Gen Y hitch, and it looked to me that the tow bar was flexing more than the hitch in every video. The Shocker Hitch does sit a lot closer in to the rear axle, which I thought was very important, as the tow point is already so far back on the Isuzu. I adjusted and added some extra rebound rubber bump stop, to help control the up movement, as there is nothing that dampens this movement. I would recommend the hitch as I think it is good value for the cost. I think we had some video of the hitch working in one of our Old Eyre Hwy videos. Cheers, Karl

[@michaelbayly5166]

@@nowhereboundtouring Thank you for getting back to me, You helped me a lot. I also thought the same thing about the GenY. We tow a Kedron van, which is heavy not much different to the Bush tracker weight wise.. Safe Travels hope to see you on the road some day.

[@anthonybyrnes5998]

Where did you get the 5.5Ton hook ? is there a webiste link ??

[@nowhereboundtouring]

Hi Anthony, I will have to ask Karl when he gets home tonight 👍

[@anthonybyrnes5998]

Where and who fitted the shocker hitch ?

[@nowhereboundtouring]

Hi Anthony, I purchased it directly from Shocker Hitch Australia. Their contact info is on their website, or in our video description. Fitting is simple, it is just a Hayman Reese style young that slips in. If you are going to purchase one, just be careful you get the correct one to suit your tow bar style. There is differing depths from the young to the top of the air bag mounting surface. Cheers, karl

[@thomaslipstenstien5282]

What do you call 'this'?

[@nowhereboundtouring]

do you mean the hitch?