Be lucky to find one of them mate better buy a new one

Submitted: Monday, Mar 20, 2006 at 21:55

ThreadID: 31961 Views:1874 Replies:7 FollowUps:7

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Batboy

Further to the conversation with the towbar guy as below view post I was told that the type of bar i had would only take a certain type of tongue. The problem being that the box section the tongue slides into is slightly crimped. ie the sides of the box section are slightly curved and apparently you have to find curved box section to make the new tongue out of.
Which the nice man tells me is hard to get hold of and for $480 I can get a new bar with the tongue i want.
Basically true or false? do different bar manufacturers make there bars out of differently shaped steel so thet only accept their tongues? I beleive my bar is a Nissan bar but am not sure.

Cheers Jim

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Reply By: Lone Wolf - Monday, Mar 20, 2006 at 22:06

Monday, Mar 20, 2006 at 22:06

Most receptors are using standard SHS shapes.

If you can remove the one you have, and you have to anyway, cut the old tongue off, and make a new one. 75 x 20 flat bar, broach a hole, bit of heat, bend to shape, and weld it on. Get your local metal dude to do it, nothing in it, it's like kissing your sister.....

Wolfie

AnswerID: 161790

Follow Up By: Willem - Monday, Mar 20, 2006 at 22:11

Monday, Mar 20, 2006 at 22:11

Get your local metal dude to do it, nothing in it, it's like kissing your sister.....

Hmmmm keeping it in the family, eh? ..LOL

FollowupID: 416452

Follow Up By: Lone Wolf - Monday, Mar 20, 2006 at 22:14

Monday, Mar 20, 2006 at 22:14

I will never forget that saying! My instructor when I did my trade school, would always say that, after he had welded up some REALLY thin sheet, like....REALLY thin, measure it in nanometers. He would shrug off the feat, and say.....

So, it has stuck.

Wolfie

FollowupID: 416453

Reply By: Nifty1 - Monday, Mar 20, 2006 at 22:11

Monday, Mar 20, 2006 at 22:11

I had a mismatch between the solid square tongue from (I think) a Hayman Reese hitch, and the new receiver on an Astrel towbarwhich had rounded corners. Couldn't even get it in more than half an inch.

I ground off the corners of the bar to make it fit and it's all OK now.

Guess that doesn't help you get it out though, sorry.

AnswerID: 161791

Reply By: Leroy - Tuesday, Mar 21, 2006 at 09:33

Tuesday, Mar 21, 2006 at 09:33

Jim,

I have a Nissan hitch/reciever/square hole. I recently bought a Hayman reese height adjustable tongue and it went staight in the Nissan hole!!! 8-0
I was under the impression this type of hitch is a standard.

Leroy

AnswerID: 161861

Follow Up By: Batboy - Wednesday, Mar 22, 2006 at 18:34

Wednesday, Mar 22, 2006 at 18:34

Interesting as an adjustable hitch is what i am after when i get this thing out. how much would i be looking at for an adjustable number from Hayman reece?

Cheers jim

FollowupID: 416974

Follow Up By: Leroy - Wednesday, Mar 22, 2006 at 20:25

Wednesday, Mar 22, 2006 at 20:25

I got mine from ARB Northern in Melb and was $95 but I think they may of made a mistook as others have quoted at least $50 or more than what I paid in previous posts.

Leroy

FollowupID: 417022

Reply By: BenSpoon - Tuesday, Mar 21, 2006 at 11:17

Tuesday, Mar 21, 2006 at 11:17

Have seen reece hitches and tongues 2nd hand in the quokka for $50 before.... may be worth having a hunt around in there. The only problem I could see is if you have a dual rear wheel carrier or a gas tank where your spare was the install gets a little harder.

AnswerID: 161883

Reply By: Member - Roachie (SA) - Tuesday, Mar 21, 2006 at 11:41

Tuesday, Mar 21, 2006 at 11:41

I bought a brand new Ford Maverick in 1990 and got a factory-fitted box-section towbar fitted. It had the same issue, the only box section I was ever able to slide into it was the one they supplied me at time of purchase. A 'normal' Hayman Reece tongue was a bee's dick too wide to slide in!!!

AnswerID: 161891

Follow Up By: Alloy c/t - Tuesday, Mar 21, 2006 at 18:28

Tuesday, Mar 21, 2006 at 18:28

Mate bought 92 poverty pack nissan patrol with factory fitted Hayman reese lookalike ,same as u ,only thing that fits is the original ,a total bugger if camper has tregg style and boat trailer has ball style,lots of mucking around swapping ball to tregg ect ,impossible to find another original tongue.

FollowupID: 416622

Follow Up By: Member - MrBitchi (QLD) - Wednesday, Mar 22, 2006 at 09:15

Wednesday, Mar 22, 2006 at 09:15

Had excact same with my NH Pajero. Bought 2ND hand from a yard and they delivered it without the tongue (detailers had removed it). Dude brought around 4 tongues and all were different size. Only one would fit.

So much for standards....

FollowupID: 416820

Reply By: Max - Sydney - Tuesday, Mar 21, 2006 at 18:01

Tuesday, Mar 21, 2006 at 18:01

Jim

Seems to me that for $480 you will get a nice new towbar, in good condition and with a rating plate. All of which helps insurance if you ever have to claim and you won't have to fiddle around trying to make it all fit. Further you can use a range of tongues over the years without all the fuss.

Max

AnswerID: 161984