Tregg vs Hyland hitch

The ORAC gets my vote too.

And gets my vote too. Having an isolating sleeve of polyurethane to asorb vibrations has to be better than steel to steel!

I've also recently fitted a Hyland to our 16 ft Jayco. Despite contacting the manufacturer, I am unable to easily disconnect the coupling from the ball. As suggested by others, there is a great deal of winding up and down and moving the vehicle back and fro before it lets go. Although lining up and gettting the couping on the ball is easy we experience problems during hitch up to get the ball lock to fully engage.

I use a Hayman Reese WDH and rfeplaced the standard height ball with a higher one hoping this would fix the problem as it seemed the bottom of the Hyland coupling was actually resting on the hitch.

Do you have any tips that helped you overcome these problems. Do you have a 3.5 tonne ball?

Hi Wizard. The brother-in-law had the exact same problem that you describe.
I was there on several occasions trying to uncouple the van - damn frustrating.
Turned out to be the size of the ball.
There was a date at which Hiland changed their coupling size - not by much mind you - but the change created the 'too tight to get off' problem.
The date of the van was close to the date of the change - so even the van manufacturer didn't realise the mismatch.
The owner of Highland also lives in Brisbane, so actually came around - identified the problem and supplied the new ball. Nice of him - Problem solved.

Also be aware that the Highland coupling can turned the WRONG way.
Bit hard to describe, but here goes : You can rotate the shaft 180 deg in the horizontal, AND then swivel the socket 180 Deg vertically. This LOOKS almost the same as before, but the steel frame around the ball is upside down, and it is NOT symetrical. It will hold the ball up - though the weight of the van may be enough to force it on - and again you will suffer grief trying to uncouple the unit. Recognizing that little puzzle was a bit like solving Rubics cube :)

........Hope the above gives you a plan of attack.......Keith
(nb - I use a Tregg.).

Wasn't a change from 2" to 50mm dia balls in the design?
Got caught on a trailer with this too.
2" = 52.4m, while the new size (well has been for a while) is metric 50mm.

Kieth,

I didn't think there were so many different ways to spell Hyland.

I rang Darren Hyland, as I live in the Gold Coast, he has offered to come down from Beenleigh and have a look at the problem. I think that is outstanding service.

He did suggest the slight variances in ball size (in millimetres) might be enough, as suggested by others, to be enough to make the process of hitching and unhitching more difficult. At the same time he could probably avoid these problems with better design and development to accommodate the slight variances in ball size; but if he's willing to come out a remedy the problem then I'm happy.

Your suggestion about things being the wrong way around are very interesting and worth persuing.

I agree,
The AT35 hitch is easy to connect up to, just get the height right and the sideways movement is easy. (Bad Back and all)

Kev

Another vote for the at35.

David

On larger off road caravans the Hyland hitch comes into it's own as you don't have the ability, due to their weight, to manhandle the van when you are trying to line up the other hitches. I use the supplied tow ball, and haven't had the problem others seem to have had in connecting the van to the car.
Regards Col.

Dont think anyone has said its "hard" just that there is something easier. Why give yourself extra work, ball & chain will have plenty lined up for you.

IME there was no noticable difference between the Hyland & Treg in vibration/shock. However the vans are different so towing will also be different.

Vans are:

Jayco Swan (Treg)
Trakmaster Kimberly (Hyland)