Towball on the front of your vehicle

[rwells9999]

This topic is getting to be hard work!!!.
Yeh I know about the hitch lock, and if you see from the photo the trailer in on the FRONT of the vehicle. Just how pedantic to I have to get.......

[Mr__Bean]

This topic is getting to be hard work!!!.
Yeh I know about the hitch lock, and if you see from the photo the trailer in on the FRONT of the vehicle. Just how pedantic to I have to get.......

Jeepers......... No criticism or scarcasm was intended.

If it has come across the wrong way, then full apologies!!!!

When I saw the photo it just reminded me how I have been trapped before, no inference to your activities intended (prolly still have jockey wheel still down for all I know).

For what it is worth, I too am a supporter of the front towbar and use it as you describe. An earlier post here: http://www.ausfish.com.au/cgi-ausfis...1120205755/5#5

- Darren

[seatime]

rwells9999,
I had only seen the permanent type of couple-mate that are often seen on the back of old folks caravan hitches. They seem to leave them fitted permanently on the rear, I thought it was one of those.

Mr Bean,
Have forgotten the thumb clasp before, fortunately it didn't come off. I did try to use the wrong size tow ball once before though.
Boy, did that hitch punch the back of the WB ute hard numerous times on the rough gravel road. With the corrugations on the road it was like there was an anti-aircraft gun in the back of the ute with the safety chain and the ballance just right on the trailer. Lesson learnt there.

[Relaxed]

G'Day Darren

Every Bl00dy time I hook up, I just about forget the hitch lock.

I now have a routine where I stop just after leaving the driveway and do a check around the boat and car.

Cheers Andy.

[Boz]

Great idea although definitely illegal.

Would be a good idea to try and make a quick release version where you can permenantly mount the bracket behind the bumper/bullbar then just fit the tongue/ball assembly when required.
Probably a market in it too if anybody was to have a serious attempt at it.

Boz.

[Black_Rat]

If I can just drift off topic slightly........

Looking at the picture reminds me of how many times I have been caught out with one of those tow hitch locks.

It must be three or four times I have driven off down the street with gravity only holding it on the towball, only came off once thankfully, now I always seem to remember about 300 yards down the road.

Now come on, be honest, do others get caught out not locking down the thumb clasp as shown in the piccy below?

- Darren

...eerrrrrrrr guilty

[2iar]

Great idea although definitely illegal.

Would be a good idea to try and make a quick release version where you can permenantly mount the bracket behind the bumper/bullbar then just fit the tongue/ball assembly when required.
Probably a market in it too if anybody was to have a serious attempt at it.

Boz.

That's not a bad idea Boz. Would be interesting to hear if anyone's come up with it before.

Have you heard of this catchy_fishy?

Good luck,
Mike

[88fishframe]

My grandfather always used a towball on the front of his vehicle for the same purpose.

It was said earlier though, beware if your vehicle has airbags fitted - not just for obvious reasons but also because you should be careful fitting any accessories to the front of the vehicle that are not airbag compatible for insurance reasons. Some car manufacturers charge so much for replacement airbags on newish vehicles that the cars are often rightoffs just because the airbag is deployed. This is extreme, but I saw a 1 year old mercedes at an auction 4 months ago which went for a bargain - the panel beater fellow next to me didn't even bid and said he had priced a new airbag on it at over $30,000 !! Too bad if you 'miss' the tow hitch and run your vehicle into the trailer setting off the airbag .....

Another idea is to just buy a little forklift to move your boat in and out of storage

[Pirate_Pete_Tas]

I have seen & used these towbars before. The best bet is to use the same style of hitch as that is on the back with the square tube & pin to hold the tongue in. That way you only need the 1 tongue & in normal use it’s on the back where it belongs. It also helps if it’s in the middle.