Recovery point with a receiver hitch

[Chris Davies]

I've bought a 2" receiver hitch for the back of my 90. Plan was to fit it with a Nato hitch through the hitch and through the cross member. This would then satisfy the need for a recovery point and to be able to tow a Sankey.

Problem is the design of the hitch means the Nato hitch can't be fitted with the receiver hitch

So change of plan, the Nato hitch I'll have to think about but what are the best options for a recovery point?

I've seen receiver tubes with either a hole for a shackle and also a receiver tube with a double crossed welded hoops.

Another option might be the recovery points that look like they have a nato bolt pattern with a big closed loop that also bolts through the cross member but I've no idea if these fit with a receiver hitch in place.

Anybody got any thoughts or first hand experience of any of these options or what else is available.

Cheers

Chris

[SPendrey]

I use the recovery hitch and shackle (like this one) on my Disco. Perfectly happy with it, and of course its central to the car for a straight pull. They are much more expensive here in the UK, probably because of the low volume of 2" receivers.

[Bowie69]

Why not use the NATO hitch as the recovery point?

[David Sparkes]

Why not use the NATO hitch as the recovery point?

My thoughts exactly, why does anyone need a recovery point AND a NATO hitch?

The only circumstances I can think of is if you are nervous about having the NATO hitch unbolted and pinched, so it is only fitted when towing, but you might need a recovery point when the hitch isn't fitted.

In which case I'd have thought this sort of design appropriate, the NATO hook, when fitted, is secured by the bolts through the rear cross member, while the receiver hitch is permanently available beneath it. I'm sure other manufacturers and designs are available.

[Chris Davies]

The nato hitch will not fit on the cross member with the receiver hitch fitted because of its design. I plan to mount the nato hitch on a receiver tube for towing so I guess this is good enough for recovery too?

[Chris Davies]

After typing the above I'm not sure a nato hitch bolted to a plate welded to a piece of 50x50 box would be up to a snatch recovery. Quite happy to tow a trailer with it like that but not sure about recovery.

Thoughts/opinions please.

Cheers

Chris

[Mo Murphy]

Chris, if it were me, I'd bolt the nato hitch to my crossmember and use it to tow the sankey and to recover from, it's strong enough for both providing you have mounted it properly.

I don't really understand from your post why you'd need a second recovery point.

Mo

[Bowie69]

Exactly, well put Mo.

I would be dubious about a heavy snatch recovery using effectively a tow bar to do it with.

NATO hitch is more than up to the job though, and is in the correct place on the cross member.

[Chris Davies]

That is the problem and the reason for my question, the Nato hitch WILL NOT fit onto the rear cross member because of the design of the receiver hitch.

To add a little detail . . . . . the receiver hitch has a small tab above the receiver tube, an M12 bolt attached to the drop plate tightens against this and stops any rattles. This tab occupies the same space as the bottom of the nato hitch wants.

In addition even if I could space the Nato hitch away from the tab, the bottom of the nato hitch would prevent full access to the receiver female tube, the M12 bolt mentioned above will not pass past the bottom of the nato hitch.

I wish I could add a picture as I'm sure my attempts to describe the design are causing confusion. Google 'Goodwinch receiver hitch' this will get a picture of the receiver hitch I have.

Cheers

Chris

[western]

'Goodwinch receiver hitch' this will get a picture of the receiver hitch I have.

[Chris Davies]

Thank you, thank you, thank you Ralph

The tab can clearly be seen, my hitch is the one on the right and the drop plate is the one above that.

Soooooooo take it as a given the Nato hitch will not fit, so I'm looking for the next best compromise, the double loop in the pic above is one option.

@SPendrey, Thanks for the link, that is the other option I have found, of the 2 I think I prefer this one.

So thought/opinions please of those 2 options or of any other's that I may not have found.

Cheers

Chris

[Bowie69]

What do you need the receiver hitch for?

[bushwhacker]

Seems to me there must be alot of force on the recever pin. I often thought the same for 20/40ft trailer pins.

[Chris Davies]

@Bowie69 I need to be able to tow various trailers, Ifor flat bed, cattle box etc but I don't like the lack of ground clearance and the ploughing effect of a DB adjustable hitch. The receiver hitch means I can quickly and easily remove the drop plate and gain about 8" of clearance.

[muddy]

I made this, I don't think I'd be happy going for any big snigs with a 2" receiver.

I've beefed up the under crossmember parts and moved the pins back for better thread engagement and got rid of the adjustable bit on the mk11.

I'll try and get a better picture tommoro.

Will.

[Roverdrive]

On my RRC I had a receiver hitch incorporated in to a tank guard.

I had two plates for it.

One incorporated a drop plate for towing trailers, and the other had a four bolt flange to take a NATO hitch for a recovery point.

I just swapped the two as required.

[missingsid]

I made this, I don't think I'd be happy going for any big snigs with a 2" receiver.

image.jpeg

I've beefed up the under crossmember parts and moved the pins back for better thread engagement and got rid of the adjustable bit on the mk11.

I'll try and get a better picture tommoro.

Will.

I have seen this excellent and neat solution in use as well, the only slight down side I can think of could be possible chattering of the ring in the NATO hittch during towing, how was it with yours Will?

Marc

[missingsid]

Thank you, thank you, thank you Ralph

The tab can clearly be seen, my hitch is the one on the right and the drop plate is the one above that.

Soooooooo take it as a given the Nato hitch will not fit, so I'm looking for the next best compromise, the double loop in the pic above is one option.

@SPendrey, Thanks for the link, that is the other option I have found, of the 2 I think I prefer this one.

So thought/opinions please of those 2 options or of any other's that I may not have found.

Cheers

Chris

Does the pointy tab actually serve any purpose?

[David Sparkes]

Does the pointy tab actually serve any purpose?

Yes, look again at the drop plate adaptors that fit in the receiver; they all have the 12mm bolt referred to earlier to 'bind' the adaptor in place. The bolt bears against the pointy tab.

It may or may not be the 'best' design in the world, but that is how the Goodwinch system works.

Regards.

[muddy]

Mine doesn't rattle at all because you wind it tight on the top links so it pulls it hard down into the bottom of the nato hitch.

[Boris113]

Could you invert the removable drop plate and fit the NATO hitch to that for towing the sankey to get the height correct then use a cross-member mounted loop as a recovery point? The below pictures are stolen from Extreme 4x4s website but explains the idea, looks like there is room behind the drop plate that the recovery eye will clear it.

[MrKev]

A quick pic of mine, with NATO hitch. The M12 bolt on my drop plate just misses the NATO hitch. There's about 1/2 inch below the rear crossmember before the receiver tube.

[UdderlyOffroad]

I think really what you need is a Southdown/Terrafirma/Whatever they’re called these days Tank guard with removable tow point. You can then fit a one of the smaller Dixon bate sliders to it to use as an adjustable height 50mm tow ball. I’d still use the NATO hitch as a recovery point though - bolted to the crossmember with the the appropriately sized spreader plates.

Yes I know it’s spendy but it’ll do what you after.

Matt

[honitonhobbit]

If you remove the tab for the locking blt. then do what the Extreme 4x4 receiver hitches have - drill a hole in the side of the receiver tube and weld a nut over it

[MrKev]

You need the bolt on the top, not the side to catch the movement in the hitch when the nose unweights. The side nut is for removing side to side play.

Kev