HAVE U SEEN THIS TOW HOOK???

[hotpod]

Thanks Syncro G for clearing that up.
And cheers for the link Sebastian S. I have been trying to find out about it unsucessfully for years now.
I may have to get another one for the camper now.
Mine doesnt look quite as shiny as the new ones but it is flippin handy.

[Syncro G]

Something worth noteing is some new crappy law designed to stop terrorists buying millatry kit now means you can't take ex army equipment overseas without lots of paperwork. This in theory includes stuff like NATO hitches, even if they are on a civvy spec vehicle

You will only have trouble if the item is a pure military item, if the item is dual use (Civil/Military) then it does not need paperwork.

I don't think there is a way to say that the hook is military or civil as there should be no marking numbers on it.

However if you find a number in a 4 2 7 format i.e. 1234-99-1234567 watch out, that is the NATO Stock Number and is only to be found on Military equipment.

Agree'd it can be a tricky thing to call as a lot of "militry features" are avalable options on other models, thus not nesiserally ex militry (though they are still undeniably "millatry spec"). All Land-Rover wheel rims made by Dunlop have a millitry part number stamped on them for example. Doesn't change the fact people are having problems with Sankey trailers and NATO hooks when they get to the docks though! I surpose a lot of it depends on who sees you driving through and how stupidly they are interpriting/misinterpriting the rules.

[Syncro G]

Syncro G, could you please share pics of the ones you are talking about?

If you mean the other "normal" Westy towbars, this is the best I can come up with from my HDD (don't apear to have taken a picture of one off the van, but the bit behind the bumper looks like the one in the original post).


Syncro version on the left, 2WD "swan neck" on the right. Note the ball on the syncro sits slightly further below the bumper than on the Caravelle to undo the extra syncro ride height.

It does spoil the departure angle slightly but not by much in a relivent way, my exhaust can scrape the mud anyway so without the towbar it'd be even more vonrerble to damage; the aproch angle will be a constraint around this angle too.
Perhaps its the Land-Rover's agricultural routes but if they are fitted with a towbar at an apropreate height to tow a normal trailer with they'll beat a syncro at a ploughing contest by a very long way! (I think if it wasn't for the rig on the back of my Series 1 Station Wagon it would have made the only complete assent of a snowy bank in a quarry last month, instead it just missed out on the furthest climbed (to a much more modified S1) and most satisfyingly got a fair bit further than a blinged up off road disco). Didn't realise it was dragging so much but its a hell of a lot better than it was before I put some 235/85R16's on it.

[AutoBot]

Syncro G, thanx for sharing the pics and is your Series 1 all original?
we are trying to decide what sort of hook should be bolted on to that bar...any ideas?? ...anyone??

[Syncro G]

Syncro G, thanx for sharing the pics and is your Series 1 all original?
we are trying to decide what sort of hook should be bolted on to that bar...any ideas?? ...anyone??

Its resionably original looking, but its got a very good 2.25 diesel (which is actully quite a good engine when its not worn out), a 2A 'box and a fariey overdrive so its very useable and quite cheep to run (often get 30mpg out of it), being an 88 (second home market 88SW built I think) those both drop in on the original mounts so its not been hacked about. Needs to be cheep and reliable as I use it dayly as a main vehicle (except when its off the road for service, which includes right now; if the syncro is running I tend to use that on long weekend trips, but the landy will do them fine too infact its not much slower than the syncro as its got higher gearing!). It looks used but sound enough. If you happen to come across some proper S1 SWB SW rear seats I'm after a couple - its about the only bit of SW trim missing, bar all the duluxe cab matting which was never going to last half a century, think that fell to bits at 40 years. Its actully going to be featured in LRO in the next couple of months - thats why it was climbing hills in a snowy quarry!

Original tow hook on the series 1 being 1950's would be a 2in ball(identify them by their domed top), but as I don't have an original Brockhouse Trailer its got the far more useable modern 50mm ball (they have flat tops, sometimes stamped 50mm) with pin on it. Its very important not to mix them as they can detatch themselfs quite easy, early impereal hitch on a metric ball is probubly the combination most likely to fail - guess the 2in hitch is a different profile and that extra 0.8mm makes all the difference - mines got a cap on the ball anyway so no one will know. Doesn't get used for towing that much save cars out of ditches - I've got one of them crappy licances that doesn't let you tow much, but then when my Dad pulled over a tonne with it you realise 60bhp doesn't go very far these days, save the traction his 174PS T5 wins, though I think the Landy is still technicly able to pull a tonne more legally - you'd never get it out of low range

[AutoBot]

Original tow hook on the series 1 being 1950's ...

sorry for not making myself clear but I was asking for ideas for my bus's tow bar.

And I really like the sound of your series 1. Would you happen to have any video links to that snow climb??