Is this a bumper hitch?

[Ilikemice]

I'm pretty sure it is, but not having ever seen one I wasn't sure. Under the plastic bumper is a 5-6mm sheet of metal attached to the frame with four hefty bolts.

Laws here mean I can't tow a combined trailer weight exceeding 750kg. Someone said it's enough for a very small car on a trailer (Geo Metro?). Would this hitch be able to pull that?

I know ideally I need a proper hitch but I don't plan on towing a lot and it'd be nice to use a feature my car has.

Cheers for any info.

 

[KELLY88]

If you can mount a trailer ball then you have a bumper tow hitch. That looks like one of them. And yes you can tow with it but I'd be real wary about how much weight you have. You can tow a small car with it so long as you don't have to go down bumpy roads, up any real steep inclines or anything else to increase the stress on the bumper. It wasn't meant for pulling very much weight but only a little here and there and you should be safe. If you plan on towing quite a bit though you're going to need a proper hitch mounted to the frame.

 

[Ilikemice]

Thanks. It should be perfect for what I need. If I ever do a car on a trailer I'll get a proper hitch.

My friend is making a trailer out of half a small car and wants me to test tow it in my Explorer...

 

[Will]

That is a strange looking Explorer. I didn't realize they made them for the export market. That thing is gluttony on wheels in Europe.

 

[Ilikemice]

It's made in Brazil I think. Like the second gen Blazers they only imported 4-door top spec models for our market. The only dealer option being leather seats or not.

I'll use it for off-roading eventually and yeah. The 4.0 is a big engine but it's the auto gearbox that gets me laughed at.

 

[AllanD]

While here I have never seen either a Land Rover Discovery or
a RangeRover with a manual transmission...

Asking about a manual transmission at the dealer got a friend of mine
nothing more than a free "dumb look" and the question "why?"

AD

 

[Beanmachine7000]

While here I have never seen either a Land Rover Discovery or
a RangeRover with a manual transmission...

Asking about a manual transmission at the dealer got a friend of mine
nothing more than a free "dumb look" and the question "why?"

AD

I've seen plenty of them... Almost bought a Disco I with a 5-speed...

Here's a link to a thread of a guy who just bought a 5-speed Disco I

http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=8767

 

[Ilikemice]

I'm not up to date with my Land Rover models... The Range Rovers I think are auto. Discos probably have it as an option but I've only seen manuals. The Defenders only come in manual I think.

I must admit though after driving my LHD S10 I do like the auto column shifter. If I could somehow put one on my Explorer I'd be happy.

 

[Beanmachine7000]

...The Defenders only come in manual I think...

Sadly, a very cool truck we, of course, can't get here in the states

 

[Ilikemice]

Yeah I read about that. You're not missing much.

My mate drives a lifted SWB one. I drove it once and it was alright, but I wouldn't buy one.

 

[Beanmachine7000]

Yeah I read about that. You're not missing much.

My mate drives a lifted SWB one. I drove it once and it was alright, but I wouldn't buy one.

I probably wouldn't have one either, I would have a Landcruiser... Sadly, we can't get any 4x4, diesel solid axle small truck here...

 

[Ilikemice]

I'm not sure I'd define the Landcruiser as small! Another guy I know drives a Nissan patrol, very similar to the Landcruiser, with the Holden 3.0V6 twinturbo diesel. It's outstanding off road.

When I bought my Explorer I was half-wanting a solid front axle truck. I'll end up SFA-ing my S10 if anything and keep the Explorer for daily driving/gas guzzling.

I owned two turbodiesel trucks in the past. A 2000 Nissan Navara king cab and a 2004 Ranger double cab. Both had a 2.5 and I never had a problem with them. I kinda miss them now, and if I knew then what I know now I'd still have the Nissan!

 

[Beanmachine7000]

I'm not sure I'd define the Landcruiser as small! Another guy I know drives a Nissan patrol, very similar to the Landcruiser, with the Holden 3.0V6 twinturbo diesel. It's outstanding off road.

When I bought my Explorer I was half-wanting a solid front axle truck. I'll end up SFA-ing my S10 if anything and keep the Explorer for daily driving/gas guzzling.

I owned two turbodiesel trucks in the past. A 2000 Nissan Navara king cab and a 2004 Ranger double cab. Both had a 2.5 and I never had a problem with them. I kinda miss them now, and if I knew then what I know now I'd still have the Nissan!

A TLC is smaller than a Ford F-250 (the only option for a solid axle, diesel 4x4 rig in USA)... I like the "world" Ranger, and wish we got it here, I think one of the turbo diesel engines would be really nice in my Explorer

 

[Ilikemice]

Time for some pics! This was my '04 Ranger

And a few more of the Explorer

I think the newest Nissan Navara D40 trucks have a 170hp 2.5 turbodiesel which would be nice to drop into something.

Surely you can get an old Hilux in the US? Or did they put petrol engines in those too?

 

[Beanmachine7000]

Yeah, the old Hilux's all got gas engines, the anemic little 22R I believe...