Aftermarket Hitch Options

[4advtr]

Is the Curt Hitch the only aftermarket hitch option for the LR3? It looks like a good deal from a price perspective but I'm struggling with it's rating 6,000/8,000 with the latter being with the addition of a weight distribution hitch. I understand that's a pretty standard rating for hitches as I used to have an F-250 that had a 10,000/12,000 Class IV hitch on it. However with the LR3 technically being able to tow up to 7,700 lbs I'd hate to break the rules on the Curt hitch by towing a 6,500 lb trailer with no weight distribution hitch.

Regarding the factory tow hitch. I just can't get myself to like or trust it. Plus it hangs way low, I'd likely have a bike rack hanging off the tow hitch when there's not a trailer on it so removing the hitch wouldn't happen too much.

Thoughts or experiences?

 

[tlt]

Here you go, about the only reasonable alternative I know of.

http://store.mitchellbros.com.au/discovery-3-4-and-rrs/discovery-3-tow-hitch.html

 

[4advtr]

Holy smokes that's expensive! The Curt is looking like the best deal out there at $150 right now.

 

[Skunkape]

I ended up returning the Curt hitch, it did not work with the full size spare ( I should have done my homework). Also, If you remove the Curt hitch you will spend a lot of time on your back trying to fish the fastners out of the chassis frame. I found a used Land Rover hitch for $250 which was totally worth it.

 

[4advtr]

Hmm, so even a stock full sized spare won't fit under there. I thought I saw that it would just barely fit, although that might have been with a BFH slight adjustment...

As far as on my back, I have a 4 post lift so it's super easy for me.

 

[jwest]

Is the Curt Hitch the only aftermarket hitch option for the LR3? It looks like a good deal from a price perspective but I'm struggling with it's rating 6,000/8,000 with the latter being with the addition of a weight distribution hitch. I understand that's a pretty standard rating for hitches as I used to have an F-250 that had a 10,000/12,000 Class IV hitch on it. However with the LR3 technically being able to tow up to 7,700 lbs I'd hate to break the rules on the Curt hitch by towing a 6,500 lb trailer with no weight distribution hitch.

Regarding the factory tow hitch. I just can't get myself to like or trust it. Plus it hangs way low, I'd likely have a bike rack hanging off the tow hitch when there's not a trailer on it so removing the hitch wouldn't happen too much.

Thoughts or experiences?

First, replace the rear bumper with a Kaymar. Then you can mount a bike rack to the tire carrier.

Second, the factory hitch is the best for towing. There is simply nothing wrong with it to worry about except yes, it is a little low, but the newer/current receiver block was redesigned to be higher by roughly an inch or two. I have both but have not done a careful measured comparison but it's obviously not as low.

You can also compromise and get the new block, then a Thule or Yakima swing away style bike rack so that it's easy to swing the bikes out of the way when accessing the rear hatch. I think both of these will allow the upper hatch section to open without having to first swing away the bikes though which is nice too.

The Yakima hitch mount designs are curved up directly out of the receiver so their brand wins in the ground clearance/departure angle category.

I just looked at that Mitchel Bros version.... VERY cool. I would get that in an instant.

People need to stop being silly about $150 vs $400 for things designed well and solving a problem.

 

[jwest]

Holy smokes that's expensive! The Curt is looking like the best deal out there at $150 right now.

Cheapest maybe, but certainly not the best "deal"!

 

[Skunkape]

Hmm, so even a stock full sized spare won't fit under there. I thought I saw that it would just barely fit, although that might have been with a BFH slight adjustment...

As far as on my back, I have a 4 post lift so it's super easy for me.

I pushed the hitch as far back as possible and had an inch of interference. I was planning on pulling out the die grinder to make it fit but decided to return it.

4-post lift, nice, Man, I hope the lift is installed with strong anchor bolts.

 

[sprale]

I installed the Curt hitch, mostly being cheap and not liking the looks of the OEM hitch. I needed it to pull a 16' flatbed trailer, so seeing the overall capacity drop a bit was not a huge deal initially.

http://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Hitch/Land+Rover/LR3/2005/13456.html?vehicleid=2005301183

We rented a 26' travel trailer last year as a test to see if we liked it (I grew up camping in a converted full-sized school bus) and if our 2006 LR3 HSE could take pulling it. I think it was about 5,000# wet, then add on less than a half-ton for our camping gear. The rental came with a weight distribution hitch and pulled very well, though we only went a few hours from home. It took a few miles to dial in the brake controller, but after that it was easy enough. It pulled well, though I only recently learned that the Curt hitch actually increased the towing capacity to 800# tongue/8,000# trailer, more than the OEM hitch which Land Rover designed without being compatible with WD hitches.

We are looking at buying a 26-28' travel trailer now, and it seems that being cheap on the hitch originally and going with the Curt was the better choice in regards to being able to tow a heavier trailer. I just have to narrow it down to which WD hitch to choose, though this Reese model looks close to our needs.

http://www.etrailer.com/Weight-Distribution/Reese/RP66088.html

 

[4advtr]

First, replace the rear bumper with a Kaymar. Then you can mount a bike rack to the tire carrier.

Second, the factory hitch is the best for towing. There is simply nothing wrong with it to worry about except yes, it is a little low, but the newer/current receiver block was redesigned to be higher by roughly an inch or two. I have both but have not done a careful measured comparison but it's obviously not as low.

You can also compromise and get the new block, then a Thule or Yakima swing away style bike rack so that it's easy to swing the bikes out of the way when accessing the rear hatch. I think both of these will allow the upper hatch section to open without having to first swing away the bikes though which is nice too.

The Yakima hitch mount designs are curved up directly out of the receiver so their brand wins in the ground clearance/departure angle category.

I just looked at that Mitchel Bros version.... VERY cool. I would get that in an instant.

People need to stop being silly about $150 vs $400 for things designed well and solving a problem.

I've built up many a Land Rovers in the past, not interested in doing that with this one. Also already have the Yakima hitch below that I've been using on my D2 for a few years, love it and it's ground clearance: http://yakima.com/shop/bike/hitch/holdup

As to a hitch costing tons of money, not worth it to me. I can fabricate with the best of them however there's a point where people ask too much for something that is not worth it IMO.

Cheapest maybe, but certainly not the best "deal"!

A hitch is a hitch is a hitch. It either works or it doesn't. The only added value is ease of installation, will it interefere with factory features and ease of use. Granted the factory hitch is by far the easiest and won't interfere with anything but having it removable is of no value to me. I always liked the factory recievers on my RRC and D2's as they gave me a nice landing point when dropping off of the rocks.

4-post lift, nice, Man, I hope the lift is installed with strong anchor bolts.

Funny thing is, they actually make wheels for the 4 post lifts. You don't actually have to bolt them down. By their design they can't really go anywhere.

I installed the Curt hitch, mostly being cheap and not liking the looks of the OEM hitch. I needed it to pull a 16' flatbed trailer, so seeing the overall capacity drop a bit was not a huge deal initially.

We rented a 26' travel trailer last year as a test to see if we liked it (I grew up camping in a converted full-sized school bus) and if our 2006 LR3 HSE could take pulling it. I think it was about 5,000# wet, then add on less than a half-ton for our camping gear. The rental came with a weight distribution hitch and pulled very well, though we only went a few hours from home. It took a few miles to dial in the brake controller, but after that it was easy enough. It pulled well, though I only recently learned that the Curt hitch actually increased the towing capacity to 800# tongue/8,000# trailer, more than the OEM hitch which Land Rover designed without being compatible with WD hitches.

We are looking at buying a 26-28' travel trailer now, and it seems that being cheap on the hitch originally and going with the Curt was the better choice in regards to being able to tow a heavier trailer. I just have to narrow it down to which WD hitch to choose, though this Reese model looks close to our needs.

http://www.etrailer.com/Weight-Distribution/Reese/RP66088.html

That's good to hear. I'm on the fence about a WD hitch. I really don't fear that it will harm anything on the LR3 as many other vehicles have air bags and tow with WD hitches just fine. They will certainly eliminate any bounce the trailer might have going down the road.

We're considering a 24' or shorter one. I have a nice Roof Top Tent to use when not camping with the extended family.