Tow Ball Question

[NissanGQ4.2]

Good on'ya Threedogs, I am in 100% agreement, you would have to be a deadset idiot to recover from the towball, even if you where unaware of the "cannonball" effect if it failed. I am pretty fresh into the 4wd world, and as a deadset green fella when I started 12 months ago, I was pretty aware that it wasn't too secure when I just popped the snatch over the ball... what it it fell off? what if the strap popped over the ball, what if...

Don't be an Idiot... don't recover from a towball...

Well considering I let a mate hook a snatch over my towball for a recovery back in the days when I was new to the 4x4 scene I guess I'm just a dead set idiot. Still have the dent in my back door from when the snatch broke and went smashing into my door. Yep.......... could of been worse and I am very lucky it wasn't, did I learn from the mistake made yes, will I let let it happen again.....No F!ckin way

Well personally I don't think anyone is an idiot for recovering from the tow ball when not educated, hence the push with "WARNING: Towballs used for recoveries can, and do kill people and damage property." slogan

Dead set idiots are those that know the danger yet still do it

[threedogs]

Or Jeep drivers

[Biscuits]

His mate know's not to recover from the towball the question in the first post is WHY cant you when its rated to tow

The rating is not on the ball itself, it is on the entire towbar, bolts and the way it is bolted to the chassis/car. The ball itself, would probably still be made from mild steel, but maybe just a thicker shaft under the ball.

[NP99]

Or Jeep drivers

Mate, that's so funny with all the comments, he owns a jeep.....

[Maxhead]

The rating is not on the ball itself, it is on the entire towbar, bolts and the way it is bolted to the chassis/car. The ball itself, would probably still be made from mild steel, but maybe just a thicker shaft under the ball.

Hmm, ok.......I think the ball is rated to tow 3.5T
.uploadfromtaptalk1363943666246.jpg






.........on the move

[threedogs]

Toyota Stamp their towballs 3500 kg what that translates to I dont know .
I would assume it means tow capacity, Still people will want to push the envelope.
"It didn't break last time so lets try again" wrong
Never seen a towball with Nissan logo , but I come from the dark side
I have an old style cast iron towball with a machined coach bolt for display only
That was in the days when you had 2 size towballs if any one remembers

[Clunk]

I also must be an idiot coz I didn't know about the whole tow ball thing either until I joined here just after buying the patrol.......... Not everyone is clued up on the different types of stresses that are involved in different materials in different applications.

It's all about educating people or re-education for some.

Oh and no, I have never done any sort of recovery using a towball.....


Don't stroke it, TAP it!!!!.....

[NP99]

Toyota Stamp their towballs 3500 kg what that translates to I dont know .
I would assume it means tow capacity, Still people will want to push the envelope.
"It didn't break last time so lets try again" wrong
Never seen a towball with Nissan logo , but I come from the dark side
I have an old style cast iron towball with a machined coach bolt for display only
That was in the days when you had 2 size towballs if any one remembers

Yep, and always had the wrong size when I borrowed a trailer!

[threedogs]

Heaps of ppl get confused as most recovery equipment is actually lifting gear
maybe my comment was right , tell him it was mean't as a throw away line.
I get my gear tested for towing via a NATA testing facility. You'll find things
like shackles and snatch blocks perfect if used correctly. There are many different ways to recover
but there is only one safe way, that hopefully should be Auswide is all recovery courses

[Maxhead]

Toyota Stamp their towballs 3500 kg what that translates to I dont know .
I would assume it means tow capacity, Still people will want to push the envelope.
"It didn't break last time so lets try again" wrong
Never seen a towball with Nissan logo , but I come from the dark side
I have an old style cast iron towball with a machined coach bolt for display only
That was in the days when you had 2 size towballs if any one remembers

Each towball must have 3 markings size, max tow capacity and batch number as per the Australian standards and ADR Rule

Tow Couplings – 50mm Ball Type Coupling Body Markings (up to 3500kg ATM)
Clause 12.4 of ADR 62 provides for three marking options for 50mm Coupling Bodies:
Option 1 Australian Standards “AS 4177-2004 Caravan and towing components”
Markings complying with AS 4177-2004 shall be legibly and permanently marked with
the following information (characters must be no less than 5mm in height):
a. ;
b. The mark „50‟ to indicate the size of towball for which it is intended;
c. Maximum rating in kilograms, e.g. 750kg, or 2000kg, or 3500kg;
d. A code to indicate serial number, batch, production date, or similar; and
e(i). The words „DO NOT WELD‟ if the coupling is manufactured from non-weldable
material; or
e(ii). The words 'WELD ONLY' if the coupling body is specifically designed to be
attached by welding only