Porny Posted August 30, 2006 Share Posted August 30, 2006 I'm after a detachable tow hitch for my 90 (300Tdi).... but which ones best??? Getting fed up having to fit and remove my Dixon Bate affair depending on whether I'm going off roading, or towing my trailer. The two options seem to be: The Southdown jobbie (www.southdown4x4.co.uk) or the one from Safari Equip (www.safari-equip.co.uk) AFAIK the Safari Equip tow hitch is the same as the Scorpion Racing one - but I'd rather buy from Safari. Price wise: Southdown: £217 all in Safari Equip: £147 + postage Any one got any other suggestions for suppliers, or has any one used either of the above - good/bad points. (or has any one got one for sale???) Being a bit strapped for cash at the moment, the Safari one is looking appealing. Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
white90 Posted August 30, 2006 Share Posted August 30, 2006 Southdown no question it can also have the recovery eye fitted as seen here: doubles up as a winch mount should you ever want one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
white90 Posted August 30, 2006 Share Posted August 30, 2006 PS Will Warne had one for sale IIRC not to long ago (southdown) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark90 Posted August 30, 2006 Share Posted August 30, 2006 Southdown. Have one on my 110 and wouldn't be without it. The two pin fitting of the two drop plate means you get NO movement of the drop plate like you do with DB sliders or the 2" reciever hitches. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
callum Posted August 30, 2006 Share Posted August 30, 2006 you sure about th price of the southdown, i priced one up on the website and it looked around £300 including the drop plate bit. that was for a 110 mind. regarding the safari equip one, i think its well over £200 for the scorpion 'version' and £80 for the drop plate bit !! that seems a pretty good price from safari equip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike_hammond Posted August 30, 2006 Share Posted August 30, 2006 Very nice kit that Southdown I know what I want for Christmas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JST Posted August 31, 2006 Share Posted August 31, 2006 Southdown detachable towing setups: free delivery this month as well according to the web site. tdi 90 - £185 +VAT tdi + td5 - 110 £239 + VAT disco td5 a+ tdi - £245 + VAT they all come with a drop plate and delivered for that price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NicTheOrange90 Posted September 2, 2006 Share Posted September 2, 2006 As the man says it has to be Southdown.. Ive got one on my 90, and another on my Disco, one removable plate has a 50mm ball the other a NATO hitch (sankey trailer) and also the ring attachment (er thats the recovery ring)... Not just a tow hitch its a whole lot of protection as well... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calle-fas Posted July 21, 2009 Share Posted July 21, 2009 Opening up an old thread here. Do you guys know if the Safari Equipment one is type approved for Defender (3500 kg)? I would much rather get a Southdown one, but since's it's not I can't go that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted July 21, 2009 Share Posted July 21, 2009 I thought all the southdown ones are rated to 3500Kg :s All of our Detachable Tow Packs are rated to 3500kg in their Standard Format. Available in Bare Metal or Zinc Plated 5mm Steel with 10mm Bracketry. From here: http://www.southdown4x4.co.uk/DetachableTowing.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JST Posted July 21, 2009 Share Posted July 21, 2009 I thought all the southdown ones are rated to 3500Kg :sFrom here: http://www.southdown4x4.co.uk/DetachableTowing.htm they are rated but i dont believe they are type approved, i could well be wrong, i am sure Dave will correct. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BogMonster Posted July 21, 2009 Share Posted July 21, 2009 I doubt it as I suspect type approval involves manufacturer approval and I doubt whether LR approve anything other than what they offer as accessories - basically means Dixon Bate stuff I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calle-fas Posted July 21, 2009 Share Posted July 21, 2009 I know about the Southdown ones, as they clearly state on their website that they are not approved. "Please Note- Post 1998 vehicles that are Non Commercial should comply with the current Type Approval Towing Regulations, customers should be familiar with these regulations and satisfied that the product suits their needs before purchase." What this means is that it that it does not comply with the e11 ratings. I am not 100% sure that the towbal/pintle/hook has to be approved for the specific car, as long as it has an e11 rating. Very uncertain about the towbar though. We have a company that sells Safari Equipment towbars. I'll give them a call as soon as they are back from their vacation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wytco0 Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 I would love on of those southdown ones but they don't seem to do it for the TD5 90 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BogMonster Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 I would love on of those southdown ones but they don't seem to do it for the TD5 90 I think I read somewhere that they stopped doing it for Td5 90s partly due to variations between the vehicles which meant lots of fitting problems. Having had first hand experience of that on my 110 one I can understand why! The story of my fitting saga is here http://forums.lr4x4.com/index.php?showtopic=13421 unfortunately Mr Southdown took it as a direct attack on his company and refused to deal with me again, but it was never meant in that way as is probably fairly clear from reading the thread. I guess the other issue is that most 90's are non commercials (station wagons) and all Td5 non commercials will require type approved towing equipment which basically means Land Rover stuff only, so there's probably not much of a market for expensive detachable drop plates for the handful of commercial 90's around and the small export market so it probably wasn't worth the hassle developing and maintaining it especially if there are 87 different templates required to accommodate all the different size 90 chassis that Land Rover produce in a typical week Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CountryGent Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 Very nice kit that Southdown I know what I want for Christmas Well I was just looking for some thing completely unrelated but this ^^^^^^^^ looks the dogs doobreys. I want to replace the fixed one that's currently on my 110 - obviously no point at the mo tho as it's still having it engine replaced!! Happy fitting and put some pics up if you do a 'fiitting' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BogMonster Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 Well I was just looking for some thing completely unrelated but this ^^^^^^^^ looks the dogs doobreys. I want to replace the fixed one that's currently on my 110 - obviously no point at the mo tho as it's still having it engine replaced!! Happy fitting and put some pics up if you do a 'fiitting' It's absolutely the best solution if you need to tow something like a twin axle Ifor Williams where you need a low hitch height and also want something to use seriously off road. Anybody who has ever used a vehicle with a fixed drop plate, even the fairly short ones fitted to some older 90/110, will know what a liability it is. I don't often need the towing bit but when you do it takes 2 min to put on and 30 sec to take off afterwards. Back to the OP's question, I don't know how much work it would take to make the pre Td5 90 version fit to a Td5 age 90, it would have to be easier than starting from scratch. By the way if anybody has a spare or surplus Southdown drop plate to suit the Def 110 Td5 version of the guard, I'd be interested in buying it as I still want one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JST Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 (edited) I would love on of those southdown ones but they don't seem to do it for the TD5 90 -i have one for Sale!!! he did do a few of them as trails and i have one of these, the 90 was sold last year so no longer have a need for it, its complete with the drop plate for a tow hitch to go onto and has the recovery eye. there i/was a thread in the FS forum ages ago for it (early 09?)found it Back to the OP's question, I don't know how much work it would take to make the pre Td5 90 version fit to a Td5 age 90, it would have to be easier than starting from scratch. too much bends etc are completely different. By the way if anybody has a spare or surplus Southdown drop plate to suit the Def 110 Td5 version of the guard, I'd be interested in buying it as I still want one a td5 110 one are pretty much std arent they? if so i could get you one probably. Edited September 20, 2009 by white90 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BogMonster Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 a td5 110 one are pretty much std arent they? if so i could get you one probably. From looking at photos I had formed the opinion (a while ago now) that the 90 & 110 versions looked different but I was never sure and as its the only one here I don't have anything to compare it to. If you reckon they are the same or could lay your hands on one to suit my guard I'd be interested as I still want to be able to have a NATO on a drop plate for my boat trailer as the noseweight is about 400kg which may be a tad high Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JST Posted September 21, 2009 Share Posted September 21, 2009 From looking at photos I had formed the opinion (a while ago now) that the 90 & 110 versions looked different but I was never sure and as its the only one here I don't have anything to compare it to. If you reckon they are the same or could lay your hands on one to suit my guard I'd be interested as I still want to be able to have a NATO on a drop plate for my boat trailer as the noseweight is about 400kg which may be a tad high correct the 90 and 110 ones are different but i could probably get you a std 110 one, i am just wondering if they are made as matched units when made up. ie if the holes in for mounting the drop late are all slightly different, maybe one without holes would work and you could drill your own? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BogMonster Posted September 21, 2009 Share Posted September 21, 2009 correct the 90 and 110 ones are different but i could probably get you a std 110 one, i am just wondering if they are made as matched units when made up. ie if the holes in for mounting the drop late are all slightly different, maybe one without holes would work and you could drill your own? I wondered that as well - might be a safer option to drill it to suit the hitch though the holes are a funny size - 19mm IIRC. Could you drop me a PM with a price if you can get one? Ta Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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