Where does the hitch Derek uses have limited rotation, It swivels 360 degrees on both axis,but I agree  the DO 35 is better engineered.

yobarr wrote:

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Plain Truth wrote:

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Where does the hitch Derek uses have limited rotation, It swivels 360 degrees on both axis,but I agree  the DO 35 is better engineered.

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 The hitch that Derek uses does not,I have been told and seen in videos,rotate 360 degrees in the part bolted to the drawbar of the van? Stand corrected but,as I said,rotation seems to be limited to about 90 degrees,or 45 degrees either side of centre.We can rattle on for hours,but it will not change the fact that the DO35 is clearly a better product.Cheers

-- Edited by yobarr on Thursday 9th of September 2021 03:49:59 PM

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 Yobarr, I have the earlier model one,and it rotates 360 degrees through both axis.If you look at my post I said the DO 35 is better engineered.

Please come down from your High Horse,Cheers

yobarr wrote:

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Possum3 wrote:

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Derek Barnes wrote:

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 Why is the "pin" type structure of the DO35 stronger than the 50mm ball?

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 Without having Engineers Reports it is difficult to guess - I would say the problem would be with the quality of steel in forged towball Vs DO35 Pin, the machining may be a factor as with the gap tolerance of pin to coupling Vs ball to cup (rattling/vibrating).

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If Derek takes the time to compare the two products,and have a close look at the workings of a DO35,he should be able to see that the system he has is not even in the same class.At present I have misplaced a photo that I have of a towball tongue bent through around 90 degrees by a huge weight hanging off a DO35 hitch.The DO35 pin is not even bent,let alone broken,but the towbar is well and truly bent! I will keep looking for my photo,and post it if I can,but comparing a DO35 with the other product is a non-event.Cheers

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 Thanks for getting back to me. Since the ALKO off road ball coupling (for 3.5 tonne) is available for from $255 to $345 and the DO 35 hitch (3.5 tonne) is available from $412, it sounds like it would be worth getting the DO 35 for a new build. The question is would it be worth changing from the ALKO off road to the DO 35?

Derek Barnes wrote:

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No one has answered my question. WHY is the DO35 hitch so much better than an ALKO off-road ball coupling having a universal joint? You say that tow balls often break. Do you mean that the tow balls break off in the off road hitches or in the normal tow ball hitch which have no swivel joint. Why is the "pin" type structure of the DO35 stronger than the 50mm ball?

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Because as Yobar so eloquently put it. " I have seen hundreds of DO35s being used by more responsible caravanners who understand the frailties of a regular towball,"

Its obvious we who have had other now unfashionable tow hitches for 50 years are Not responsible as he is.....

Yep the "DO35s being used by more responsible caravanners" Damned I wish I was as responsible for unkind unfriendly statements like that....

dieseltojo wrote:

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Derek Barnes wrote:

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No one has answered my question. WHY is the DO35 hitch so much better than an ALKO off-road ball coupling having a universal joint? You say that tow balls often break. Do you mean that the tow balls break off in the off road hitches or in the normal tow ball hitch which have no swivel joint. Why is the "pin" type structure of the DO35 stronger than the 50mm ball?

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Because as Yobar so eloquently put it. " I have seen hundreds of DO35s being used by more responsible caravanners who understand the frailties of a regular towball,"Its obvious we who have had other now unfashionable tow hitches for 50 years are Not responsible as he is.....  Yep the "DO35s being used by more responsible caravanners" Damned I wish I was as responsible for unkind unfriendly statements like that....

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You might like to consider that 50 years ago there were few towing hitch options,and that the vast majority of towballs are used only to tow the 6x4 trailer,laden with rubbish,to the local tip.Likewise,the stresses imposed on the tow equipment of the HQ towing a 16'Viscount, travelling at 50mph, were nothing like the stresses imposed on the towing equipment of a Y62,for example,towing a 3500kg  ATM  24' van at well over 100km/hr.When I was driving B Doubles interstate,I usually travelled at 100km/hr (OK,maybe a little BIT more!),but it was not uncommon to have caravanners hurtle past me,and disappear into the distance,as if there was no tomorrow.Surely you can understand that it is vital that these people use the best equipment available? Cheers

If you have a heavier van there is a DO45. I was actually looking at one this morning at a caravan place in Wangaratta.

I'll just go with a McHitch.

Edit....Wangaratta NE VIC. 

iana wrote:

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If I was to by a fully articulated hitch, and the difference between the DO35 and others was only about $200, I would definitely choose the DO35. With the DO35 compared with using the tow ball, I can see that the DO35 gives a more direct pull fore and aft, the ball center of pull being higher.

Yobars picture of the broken tow ball was due to poor maintenance, the ball assembly being loose on the tongue,allowing the ball to move fore and aft, and putting stress on the shaft. Even the DO35 hitch pin would fracture if the setup was in the same state.

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Ian,if the ball was moving "fore and aft",surely there would signs of movement on the part of the towball shaft that is inside the towbar tongue? The only signs of any movement are just above the threads,where maybe a spring washer was a little loose.Good explanation by you,however,of how the centre of pull is much higher on a towball than it is on a DO35.Thanks.