Just heard a horror story from a mate about when his swan neck tow bar suddenly detached from the socket while he was towing his car trailer. Caused a bit of third party damage and wrote off the trailer. The obvious retort was that he hadn't had the lock wheel properly returned to the green and/or the key not locked. But he's very experienced with this and knows it was. Post accident the swan neck has been examined and it no longer needs the key to allow the release knob/wheel to turn. He's had some engineers look into it and it seems there's a weakness with the design. As it sits quite low, its possible to ground out the tow bar in some circumstances and that can dig the lock wheel prongs into the road surface and turn the wheel which will obviously cause it to release from the socket. So this post has three purposes:

1 To make us all aware of a potential danger with the design and be particularly careful and vigilant on any surface where grounding out may happen.

2 Apparently there was a recall many years ago on the original swan neck although that wouldn't apply here as the tow bar was only fitted in 2017 to a 2012 car. Anyone know what that earlier recall was about?

3 To ask if anyone has had a similar experience ? Has anyone here ever had the swan neck detach when it shouldn't?

Thanks... Mike - MPx

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I believe there are a couple of types of detachable towball used by Land Rover. One i believe was LR's own make and was subject to a recall, it suffered premature wear and became a loose fit in the receiver. On mine it has the Westfalia one, the same design I used for years on my Touareg and doesn't have any such issues.
As far as grounding goes it would have to be a pretty dire landscape to ground it out.

This is the one with the issue

Click image to enlarge

Yep that was the disco/rrs one the plugs into the rear crossmember directly and when left in it could rattle about and make the hole too big so the unit could come out.

Back to the op, what was his nose weight as if you put a vehicle on a trailer in the wrong place it could increase it possibly to beyond the limit.

Never liked land rovers L322 removable hitch design so I got the westfalia one which looks better when not connected as it plugs directly into the 2inch receiver, has a drop plate hitch on it and secures with a pin and clip. It does make a bit of noise with no nose weight but very quick and easy to attach and detach. Doesn’t fit in the little hitch cubby though and it is quite heavy. Current: RR L322 2010
Past: RR L405 2017, RR L322 2012, 2008 & 2004, 2018 D5, 2016 Defender, 2011 D4, a few Disco2s, P38, RR Classic, couple of Disco1's, SIII SWB

OK thanks. I've never seen that LR one before, only ever had the Westfalia swan neck on any of mine which is what John had too so its really their one that we are interested in.

Cant categorically say about the nose weight as no tool was used, but the same technique (see that the trailer is sitting level and moves up with a tug on the hitch) that has been used across many years and 14 (!) Range Rovers.

I like the idea of the one that fits the 2" receiver - is that what some refer to as the farmers hitch? I've had a quick look on the Westfalia site and cant see it (although I did find a picture of it on here in another thread) do you have a part number by any chance? And is it LR approved? Mike - MPx

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I got mine from pf jones as a complete fitted solution (for my last 2 L322's) but this looks to be just the hitch for the 2inch receiver.

https://www.pfjones.co.uk/landrover-range-...-only.html

You would need the pin too I would guess. Mine both had a little bag to keep the hitch in when not in use. Current: RR L322 2010
Past: RR L405 2017, RR L322 2012, 2008 & 2004, 2018 D5, 2016 Defender, 2011 D4, a few Disco2s, P38, RR Classic, couple of Disco1's, SIII SWB

Hmmm thanks again...but not sure that would work with mine as I've got the late body kit which looks like it may come too low and too far back. Mike - MPx

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Works with my 2012 AB Current: RR L322 2010
Past: RR L405 2017, RR L322 2012, 2008 & 2004, 2018 D5, 2016 Defender, 2011 D4, a few Disco2s, P38, RR Classic, couple of Disco1's, SIII SWB

Interesting...do you have the extended body kit on yours?

 Mike - MPx

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Would appear not

I guess that problem won't happen here in Oz, we use this type of towbar tongue (this is mine).


 Ron B. VK2OTC
2003 L322 V8 Auto
2007 Yamaha XJR1300
Previous: 1983, 1986 RRC; 1995, 1996 P38A; 1995 Disco1; 1984 V8 County 110; Series IIA

Farmers Hitch here it’s agricultural and can’t be noisy even with a perfect nose weight but it’s very secure, and when not fitted with the bung in the receiver the car looks great 👍

@P38. How do you get on with different trailer heights? John
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2005 TD6 Java Black Vogue - Written off!!
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MasseyFerguson 152 - No electronics!! - Sold

TJH1985 wrote:

Farmers Hitch here it’s agricultural and can’t be noisy even with a perfect nose weight but it’s very secure, and when not fitted with the bung in the receiver the car looks great 👍

Weegie wrote:

@P38. How do you get on with different trailer heights?

 John
2008 Stornoway Grey 3.6 Tdv8 Vogue
2005 TD6 Java Black Vogue - Written off!!
GAP iiD BT
2003 Discovery TD5 Auto, Nanocom Evolution - gone to a new home!
MasseyFerguson 152 - No electronics!! - Sold