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WarPig



Member Since: 04 Dec 2009
Location: Sheffield
Posts: 1748

England 1996 Defender 110 300 Tdi USW Bonatti Grey
Alko Towball Neck?
Just had an interesting chat with my local Towbar fitting centre.

He said that the only reason why the alko towball has a taller neck is so that the ball is positioned further away from the car, so the alko hitch can drop onto it without fouling on the rear bumper. He said that on a car like a Defender the towball has sufficient clearance anyway, so a normal towball would suffice.

Now, I always thought that the alko towball had a taller neck so that the ball could be gripped by the friction pads in the alko hitch, and that a normal ball, even if sufficiently clear from the rear bumper, wouldn't locate inside an alko hitch correctly?

Im not sure whether to believe what Ive just been told?


Last edited by WarPig on 15th Jun 2013 1:13pm. Edited 6 times in total
Post #243779 15th Jun 2013 10:04am
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ARC99



Member Since: 19 Feb 2013
Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 1831

United Kingdom 2008 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 USW Cairns Blue
The reason its taller is so those who think the know better can wrap the break away chain and the extra cable round it. Twisted Evil Don't make old people mad.
We don't like being old in the first place,
so it doesn't take much to Censored us off.

Richard
Post #243799 15th Jun 2013 12:07pm
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TJ101



Member Since: 30 May 2007
Location: Taunton Somerset
Posts: 3748

Isle Of Man 2015 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 XS CSW Montalcino Red
ARC99 wrote:
who think the know better can wrap the break away chain and the extra cable round it. Twisted Evil


Nicely put !!! Rolling with laughter Thumbs Up California F1, 75th 110 "Kermit", 50th Ann V8, 90 V8 Hybrid, 55 Series 1

Main Brian James Trailer Dealer for South West UK
Post #243801 15th Jun 2013 12:16pm
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ChrisCM



Member Since: 10 Jun 2013
Location: Cornwall uk
Posts: 572

United Kingdom 2010 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 SW Santorini Black
Hi,

The reason that the Alko ball has an extended neck is to allow a greater range of articulation without the edge of the Alko hitch catching the bottom of neck of the ball which could happen on high speed bumps or rough ground with a standard 50mm ball. A normal 50mm ball will fit the Alko hitch and 99 times out of a 100 will be fine but there is always that one time!

The Alko ball is also 50mm so will fit the normal trailer hitches.

Chris
Post #243838 15th Jun 2013 2:25pm
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WarPig



Member Since: 04 Dec 2009
Location: Sheffield
Posts: 1748

England 1996 Defender 110 300 Tdi USW Bonatti Grey
As I thought Chris, but the towbar man thought otherwise. He suggested that if there was enough clearance between the car and towball then an alko ball wasnt necessary.

The conversation came about as I was asking him to price up an Alko Dixon Bate Drop Pin Coupling. He said I'd be fine with a none alko, but im not so sure.
Post #243860 15th Jun 2013 3:48pm
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ChrisCM



Member Since: 10 Jun 2013
Location: Cornwall uk
Posts: 572

United Kingdom 2010 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 SW Santorini Black
I'm sure we are right, if you just needed to extend the reach of the horizontal clearance then you could use a spacer. I have looked at two vehicles I have with non Alko tow balls, both have a longer horizontal arm than the Alko (without a spacer) but both have a shorter neck, the distances from the body also depends on how the tow bar fits, I imagine there is some EU standard for rhe distance from the rear of the vehicle as there is for the height of the tow ball.

Chris

Ps sorry about the double post, still getting the hang of my iPad!
Post #243864 15th Jun 2013 4:05pm
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LandRoverAnorak



Member Since: 17 Jul 2011
Location: Surrey
Posts: 11324

United Kingdom 
When using an Alko hitch on a standard DB ball and pin, the hitch head rubs on the top of the pin. Removing the pin solves the problem but the Alko compatible version avoids the problem in the first place. Darren

110 USW BUILD THREAD - EXPEDITION TRAILER - 200tdi 90 BUILD THREAD - SANKEY TRAILER - IG@landroveranorak

"You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought!" - Princess Leia
Post #243869 15th Jun 2013 4:12pm
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WarPig



Member Since: 04 Dec 2009
Location: Sheffield
Posts: 1748

England 1996 Defender 110 300 Tdi USW Bonatti Grey
Useful to know Darren, thanks. I shall be ingoring the advice of the tow bar shop and will be buying an alko version, from somewhere else Thumbs Up
Post #243872 15th Jun 2013 4:25pm
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