Hi Troy - Seemed to be a complicated exercise to hitch/unhitch - We use the 3.5T Hitch Ezy - They also supply the 5T- The process for our van I find much safer and virtually hands free. With the change you are tied to Lovells. As you rightfully say at the start of the video "Safety" is number one so, as with anything new I am sure over time you will adapt and find it easier to use.
Hey Troy, another great episode. I, too, have this Lovells system on my 200 series and have been using it for the last 2.5 yrs. It's definitely not as good as the DO35/45 hitches but we are very limited for choice when towing a heavy caravan/trailer with a conventional car, wagon or ute, hence why the American utes are becoming more popular for this application. A tip: Don't use grease on your hitch, use a silicone lubricant spray, preferably a dry lubricant something like WD40 - Dry PTFE. This greatly reduces the build up of dirt etc. on the pin and inside the hitch. Cheers Paul
Thanks Paul, very true 👍. that's a good point, l don't really like the grease idea it's messy, and you're right everything sticks to it, 🤔 Thanks for sharing 👍
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again… thanks for the transparency especially when it comes to prices to things. Keep up the good work mate and I love the honesty. Looking forward to a review down the line.
I have the Lovells hitch and GVM, BTC, GCM upgrade. My first hitch was replaced because it failed with the top release cap unable to be rotated. The replacement hitch came with a new pin that was extremely hard to remove with the very fine thread pitch and nyloc nut. My current Lovells hitch is working well. Uncoupling is straight forward. Hitching up requires quite a bit of careful positioning otherwise it doesn't drop down. The locking ring is no trouble, just position it at the required rotational angle for the coupling to drop on. The pin to hold it in position is a lynch pin. These are quite cheap and easy to get from Bunnings. The coupling needs more grease via tye grease nipples as it appears to be a bit light on from manufacturing. I use a small amount of lithium spray gease for the pin. Fit the supplied rubber dust cover over the hitch while travelling.
@@JourneyUnknownThe other big 3 have at least a metre extra in wheelbase over the LC, less of the tail wagging the dog with the length of your new van - just a bit more stabilised at highway speed.
Love your channel guys and your unbiased commentary - I went Lovell’s (3800kg) upgrade on my cruiser based on your feedback and I would think others have also. I am yet to buy a van but will buy something to suit weights. Crikey-I think the Lovell’s hitch would put me off caravaning. Keep up the great work👍
Great content Troy, very informative and well explained. You said it Laura ‘B’ hitch. I’m Sure it’s something you’ll get used to but looks very complex. Need to allow an hour for hitch up 😂 Love the draw system in the back in the 300. They have done an amazing job and have everything you need for travels. Enjoy guys
Thanks, guys. we had a few other choice words putting it on 😂. one thing I will say is that the hitch tows well. you're right, you need an hr to hook up 😆
First time viewer…..excellent content, thanks and most appreciated. I have a Lovells upgrade on my 200 series 3.8 GVM 4t BTC with the older style Lovells hitch. I simply love it. Hitching and unhitching is easy enough but as you point out, it is quite heavy. I did experiment a bit with towball hight and found that I was able to reduce the nose weight by about 8 kilograms by adopting a small nose down attitude to the van. (24 foot bogie wheel rocker suspension). Once again, great video and thanks for sharing.
Hi John, Thanks so much for tuning in. it's great to hear you enjoyed the content. Ahh ok great idea. It does take a little bit of playing around to get the right fit for your setup. Happy travelling, mate 👍
Excellent, EXCELLENT video Troy. I’m in the process of researching new vehicle/van combos, and the Lovells towing upgrade for the 300, was part of the considerations, now you’ve got me thinking……….. Keep up the great content, I really appreciate it…..🍻
G’day Troy, another great video. I certainly appreciate your explanations, grips on certain things/topics, you pay big $$$$ to get your vehicle upgraded to a certain tonnage and then they just hand all those items to you expecting you can fit it all yourself. It was great that you said a few times, you are not sponsored or officiated with either of those companies, well done 👍. I totally agree with Paul saying do not use grease on the hitch, use something like WD-40 so it will not keep hold of any dust/sand. That Pin you use for the hitch, is not a split pin. I’m not exactly what they’re called, you use them on the Cat 1 or 2 three point linkage on a tractor and possibly other machines. You’ve given (for those who need it) lots of good👍 information/advice.
Thanks David it's great to hear you enjoyed the episode. Well, keep telling it how it is. Hopefully, people can get the full story behind what goes on. Thanks for the heads up in regards to spraying the tongue. This makes plenty of sense 🍻
We have been using the Lovells 5500 hitch for two years now. No problems hitching up or unhitching. Yes, it is a heavy setup. And the 'lynch pin' is an additional safety connector. Good video. Nice drawers
Troy, Great video very truthful and informative in the way you guys usually are. I do not have a large / heavy caravan , ( only 1.8ton), and I won’t be getting one either, but I now respect and appreciate what you guys that do tow those big girls around have to understand about your particular vans. Thanks again for a very informative video. Love watching you and Laura’s travels. Cheers Ross
Interesting hitch. The real issue is we are trying to get vehicles to tow weights well above their OEM design spec, so we have all these 2nd Manufacturer solutions (Lovells) etc. But at the end of the day we still have a vehicle that was initially designed to only tow a certain weigh and we are now expecting it to perform outside it's original design specifications. It has a drive train that is designed to the factory specs but now somehow it is all ok now that we have heavier springs, hitch and other related aftermarket components. Its like any mechanical item once you start to push it beyond its engineered design it will eventually fail prematurely. Keep up the great videos.
Hi Troy great informative video. There is some great videos on the operation on Lovells Hitch overnon their LSP YT channel. Ive upgrade to this LSP hitch this year and find it great. For me there is really no difference in its operation, if you know what your doing, compared to DO35/DO45. To be fair I expect the only reason for any coupling breakages is due to people not correctly turning the safety coupling as you demonstrated. I have also never needed to carry that tool to turn the top rotating lock. The tool is even called an Athritis Aid. The rotating colar and the lynch pin to lock it is simply a secondary safety feature as the jaws of the coupling are doing all the securing work.
G'day Troy, that Lovells hitch makes things appear unnecessarily complicated . I love the Do 35/45 all-day for the weight & simplicity..... one of the main reasons we chose to tow 2.6 ton with our LC200 (with a gvm) to keep things simpler & I believe safe in my opinion. safe travels
If car is level you certainly wont need WDH. Great episode with all of Lovells rules would put you off, if other company don't force you to use only there brand of hitch.
Troy that hitch is a disaster I’ve heard lots of bad reports about them but have never seen one explained like you did,they are a poor copy of the hitch ezy an Aussie invention and a excellent hitch.I purchased a Curt rebellion pretty much on your recommendation and could not be happier with it I tow a 3500 kg off road van and the difference it made to the towing comfort is fantastic I use aDO 35 hitch and no weight distribution bars all good I think you will have trouble with that hitch when you get off road and try to unhook on uneven ground but no doubt you’ll sort it out one way or another good luck, it was good to Coco still has her bed installed in your new drawer system.Cheers.
Thanks Roger, lm glad you're really happy with the CURT REBELLION hitch, she's a ripper 👍. Mmmm the verdict is out on the Lovells hitch. We have to do a heap more testing to see how it goes 🤔
I find Lovells “snap it and back half a turn” attitude to their bolt tensioning completely unacceptable. Assuming the bolts are 14mm grade 8.8 then around 160nm is close and 16mm is 245nm. These specs are easy to find and there is no excuse for not setting the correct torque. Every bolt on your vehicle has a correct torque setting for a reason. This is coming from someone that has aways tensions the wheel nuts on my vehicles for the last 40 years. I can assure you I have seen some very poor wheel fitting done by tyre shops over the years. From snapped wheel studs from being over tightened to others being accidentally left loose. I’ve never lost a wheel, or anything else, from one of my vehicles but I’ve seen plenty that have. You’re doing a great job and providing unbiased but very useful information. Cheers.
True, it wasn't good. we feel for the elderly that have to deal with undoing these issues, its just not right, especially when you hand over a lot of coin. thanks for tuning in 🍻
Hi Troy curious to know what they require tow bar wise or if youve had to upgrade that as well given the toyota bar and hayman reese are rated to 3,5 tonne
You need the Lovells hitch to legally tow the 4Tonne van with their GVM upgrade. We are broke too. Silly that a DO45 is not accepted - almost the same hitch. The annoying part also is that I needed a 140mm drop to make the van level, the Stage 2 hitch only drops 100mm.
Mate I feel your pain. We just went through this exact nightmare just to be able to carry and extra 200kg. Luckily our 200 already had the upgrades done but was still a nightmare.
I enjoy your channel. Not to be negative, but with the weight of the van, is the 300 the correct vehicle for towing. Even if GVM/GCM is upgraded? IMHO the tow vehicle should weight more than the van at its ATM. That's why most go either an American vehicle or an actual truck.
@aarontwigg1042 look at the Chevy 3500 curb weight. 3710kg. Now add passengers and some extras. You'll be hitting 4T pretty quick. Having a heavy van and a lighter vehicle will have its own issues.
@SJI_77 i can not even find a 3500 for sale on carsales, and you would need to upgrade your licence to drive it as it would be classed as a truck. The average person travelling are not going to be buying such a vehicle.
@SJI_77 but even at 3.5t you cannot find a vehicle that weighs 3.5t they might have a gvm of 3.5t but no one is running at full gvm in just the vehicle alone. Or do you include ball weight in your calculations.
Hi Troy, this is very interesting, I actually went for a Raptor hitch, they are rated up to 4.5t and make a short tongue to suit the short sleeve the 300 has . That Lovells hitch looks like an absolute nightmare, I think the Lovells engineers need to look at simplicity, that hitch looks like it belongs on a tractor. No offence, just stating the obvious, I feel your pain with the extra cost incurred to be legal. We have no issue being compliant, but you would think in doing so would make for a more user friendly product. Keep doing what you’re doing, we love watching you guys 👍
Is there any reason you didn’t have the van ATM plated to your cars max tow capacity to save confusion down the track? IE car tow capacity 4T current van ATM 4.5T
There wouldn't be much point in doing that. 1 for resale reasons 2 if we decide to change our tow vehicle down the track. you would be losing a lot of payload
Hey Jackson, haha, absolutely. It's probably the best the car and van have towed, to be honest. a bit will also be due to the airbag suspension as well 👍
You could have upgraded to 4 tonne towing on the Cruiser by keeping your DO45. My 200 series is upgraded to 4 tonne using DO 45 and Hayman Reese hitch and WDH bars with dual cam sway control. Far cheaper and easier to use than Lovells system. All accepted by insurer and NSW rego authorities. Has 7800 kg GCM with earlier Lovells 3800 kg GVM upgrade. All done and fitted by Johanson Bros Motorsport, Woolgoolga, NSW.
Hi Troy, I have the full Lovells hitch system on my 200, got the car upgraded prior purchase, everything was through Toyota, showed them the specifications of the caravan and told them I wanted a system that was achievable, too which they done the car and I was left with the WDB, Hitch etc, and yes I felt a little uncomfortable as you expressed in your video. So, I put everything together as per the instructions, then I took it to Toyota to ask them to inspect /check everything had been done correctly basically to cover myself should anything go wrong. Thus my thoughts would be for you to install everything including the (WDB) as per what you were doing on last video then speak to Lovell and tell them you'd like to have someone verify what you've installed is correct, I know there are Lovell distributors throughout the country, TJM are one of them, and it only takes 10 mins for them to check, but that way you have the tick in the box (verification). The system is good once you get used to it, it's a good strong system. I don't have to use the WDB, but I do, just gives me the comfort that should anything go wrong then shouldn't be any issues with insurances. Hope all goes well Cheers PB
Hey Gavan, yep, we certainly did. No manufacturer can give you a guarantee of what the weight will be, especially when you add items along the way. this was also a brand new product (fibre tech). we had a bit of a ball park that's about it.
Great info video. Just wondering why you swapped out the Curt for the Lovells? The Curt does up to 4.5t and we have a Curt and about to get a 4.2t van so just wondering if we will need to change.
If you want the 4T BTC compliance plate on the LC300, you need the Lovells Hitch. Curt cannot plate the car, neither can D045, Hiitch Ezy, or Jmax. As Troy said, Lovells conditions. You can see Troy's frustration! However, good question on your part. I went through all this myself, stayed with 3.5T BTC and went elsewhere!
My partner and I have been going backwards and forwards about getting the Lancruiser with the BTC upgrade or getting a truck. This has made my mind up, truck it is.
Yep, all of the above is correct👌. l would've preferred to use the CURT Rebellion hitch. Unfortunately, Lovells have the market with their towing upgrades. this wasn't explained to us at the time of the upgrade. We find their hitch tows really well it just takes time to operate. Like most things, not every setup is perfect. Just like spending time trying to get an American truck into tight places, there are pros and cons for every set up.
I've had quote for the hitch. I'm now wondering do I really need to get it. My Vans tare is 3108 . And 4T mass. Car has 4T Lovells up grade . Food for thought do I stick with my DO45 or upgrade to the Lovells BTC. Thanks mate for your video
Hi Troy, my wife and I are currently watching your video on 'The Biggest Hitch' can you please answer a question that's be plaguing us since we started caravanning. Can any vehicle in Victoria have a GCM upgrade
Hopefully you can get a engineer to certification that99 you can put back on the DO45, Talk to Cruiser Master for help, What a time consuming to put on and off that hitch, to many moving parts....
Hi Troy to the truth as usual.Great video.Wondering the cost of draw set up included all the gear you supplied?We have had the 200 series gvm upgrade to 4 ton ($5500) then also got a bigger van and upgraded again to 4.2 ton ($4500) all lovells upgrade.It was fitted by specialist yet engineers still had to look at it to pass.Our van we stayed with the 3.5 ton.Seems I don’t know how they can just give you parts and then say it is engineered without everything not fitted to caravan and car. Cheers we are at Warrnambool safe travels 🦐🐟🦈🎣👍
Cheers Rodney, yeah it all adds up, unfortunately. that was my thoughts . I can't see how they justify just handing boxes of gear for you to install. Gosh l really feel for the older generation 😕
The weight distribution bars, RAC have done tests and they play with vehicle and caravan stability controllers. RAC recommend you don’t use these on current vehicles. When the back vehicle goes down and so does caravan it puts a lot of stress on the back of vehicle and can overload tow bar. You may want to ask your vehicle OEM and caravan OEM. It maybe insurance way out not compatible so insurance won’t pay. Thanks for informative video, I won’t be buying the Lowell’s GCM upgrade.
Hey Troy aren`t the tow bars only rated to a tow maxium of 3.5 ton? To me that would mean that the towbar is noncompliant in your setup. Not trying to be that guy , I really enjoy your channel.
Hi Troy. I fear you are trying to make a silk purse out or a sows ear.. there are already videos of weight modified 300's with engine or transmission failures. Toyota clearly state in their hand book that they will not warrant modified vehicles. If you asked Lovells to take on the Toyota warranty I would think they would say no. May be you should have gone an American tow rig. Cheers.
Hey Frank, the issues that have been well documented are due to totally different reasons for failure. Toyota has already rectified a few warranty issues for us over the last 2.5 yrs. We're not concerned. Factory warranty is up shortly. plus we regularly serviced our car 👍
I'm not saying go down in size but , wouldn't it be cheaper and safer to get a lighter van. The van would cost more but it cost less to setup the vehicle, would tow better and you would have fuel savings
Cheers Phil, all in all, we're well under our weight limits. the van tows at 20/22 ltr per 100, which is just over our last van. can't really complain at the end of the day 👍
I’m a big fan of this channel. And learn heaps. But, boy. That extra weight and money spent on this upgrade doesn’t seem worth it. To be honest. Wouldn’t you just rather have a system where you don’t need to worry about breaking anything? And for that cost which I would expect to be quite high. Isn’t worth the stress. Anyways. Good luck on the road. Very interesting in seeing how it goes
That's awesome. Thanks for following along 🙏. We see it as an investment into our travels. We'll be spending so much quality time with family on our trips, it's worth every cent to us 😍.
Hey Troy, Great video as normal.. Just a quick one, it's not a split pin.. It's called a Q clip as it looks like a Q and same for the other type of clip is a R clip and for the same reason, looks like an R. Catch you on the next one
@@JourneyUnknown Hey Troy and no worries mate, i do it all the time and then think what the hell did i say that for lmao. Def mate, interaction in the comments is good.
I know Lovell's can probably stipulate what they like and I understand the tongue and the WDB being used if required (over 3.7T) but surely the hitch on the van has zero bearing in the legalities for the cars BTC as long as it meets the weight requirements. What I'm trying to say is that surely using the DO45 with the Lovell's tongue and bars would be perfectly legal in every way. Unless, of course Lovell's being Lovell's, they probably have their own shaft diameter for the pin meaning the DO45 pin can't be swapped into their tongue??? How was my guess? That Lovell's coupling is a disgrace and the increased weight of everything surely pushes your rear axle limits with those draws as well.
😄 🤣. yep 💯 but that's how the market is controlled. We didn't have this information in front of us when we had the tow upgrade certified. hopefully, people can get an informative idea now. Yep, I have no idea why l had split pin on my mind, perhaps because l was frustrated talking about the new hitch 🤣
Hi Troy with All this Money you Spent yes it's your Money but why didn't you go for a better tow vehicle 🤔 I also think it be hard to recover you Money when you decide to move the cruseier on Troy ...
Thanks, Bruce. l think every vehicle has its pros and cons. We didn't build this car for resale reasons and totally don't expect to get our money back. We will, though, have amazing memories and are completely happy with the 300. it's compact, great on fuel, and has plenty of power 👍
FFS, what ever happened to torque settings? And they used a rattle gun. I’d be demanding new bolts. We all know what happens to wheel studs when they’re over tightened. Yikes.
@ no we don’t but hubby drives a truck so it’s way easy for him and hitching and unhitching is fine but we don’t have a 4.5T van either Anyway all the best with it 😉😁 I do like how you tell the truth about products 👍🏼
Would be nice after spending that amount of money with them they couldnt ring and say we have your hitch in come on in and we can fit it for you no way lovels
I would've thought most caravanners carry a battery operated rattle gun whether it be Milwaukee, Dewalt, Makita etc.. That $2.50 split pin is actually called a lynch pin not a split pin.
Horrendously over complicated, over engineered. Throw it in the bin. There’s a reason biggest seller is cruise master, it just works. Not having a go, seriously I would rethink it all. I can you hate it yourself, you will never be happy with it. I feel your pain been there done that. Not your fault you don’t know till these items are in your possession and getting installed. Sometimes practicality doesn’t live up to the theory.
@@TomWilding1 There is. It's not in stereo. I only have sound in one speaker. And before you say it, my speakers are working with other videos. Even my headphones are only working on one side with this video.
From the video it appears that the new Lovells hitch arrangement is now even further past the vehicles rear axle which increases rear axle load. At the end of the day it doesn't matter how much money you pay and how much you try to convince yourself, you are trying to make the LC300 do a job that it wasn't designed for and it's dangerous no matter how much you try to explain it. Why would you want to have a setup that is right on the edge of the limits and doesn't provide stress free towing? Your setup is an accident waiting to happen fact.
You have no idea what our rear axle is rated at. We're nowhere near our limits. if you have something constructive to say, then go for it. otherwise insinuating something that's completely untrue is better kept to yourself
@@JourneyUnknown wow you need to read what I said which is correct, put your tow hitch further out the back increases rear axle load, it's called leverage. Also have a think about how you responded to my comment, really badly handled just saying, but then your choice to be easily offended.
Mate, we don't get offended. that was your opinion. We're just stating the truth about our car and how it isn't dangerous. we've gone above and beyond to have a safe towing vehicle and van.
Hi Troy - Seemed to be a complicated exercise to hitch/unhitch - We use the 3.5T Hitch Ezy - They also supply the 5T- The process for our van I find much safer and virtually hands free. With the change you are tied to Lovells.
As you rightfully say at the start of the video "Safety" is number one so, as with anything new I am sure over time you will adapt and find it easier to use.
Yeah, I totally agree. It will take a bit to get used to. thanks for tuning in and commenting 🙏
Hey Troy, another great episode. I, too, have this Lovells system on my 200 series and have been using it for the last 2.5 yrs. It's definitely not as good as the DO35/45 hitches but we are very limited for choice when towing a heavy caravan/trailer with a conventional car, wagon or ute, hence why the American utes are becoming more popular for this application. A tip: Don't use grease on your hitch, use a silicone lubricant spray, preferably a dry lubricant something like WD40 - Dry PTFE. This greatly reduces the build up of dirt etc. on the pin and inside the hitch. Cheers Paul
Thanks Paul, very true 👍. that's a good point, l don't really like the grease idea it's messy, and you're right everything sticks to it, 🤔
Thanks for sharing 👍
What a nightmare of a hitch, love how informative you guys are and truth telling no bull💩👌
Thanks, guys. This was our main reason not to be sponsored. we can talk the truth about all the products we use on our travels.
Thanks for the video on why I should never buy a lovells hitch!
ill say...... what a muck around... glad i only have to have a d045 and can run 4.5t all day long..
🤣
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again… thanks for the transparency especially when it comes to prices to things. Keep up the good work mate and I love the honesty. Looking forward to a review down the line.
Cheers, Craig. Thanks for your support, mate. we'll keep telling it how it is 👍
Exactly my thoughts
@JourneyUnknown had any feed back from lovells?
I have the Lovells hitch and GVM, BTC, GCM upgrade. My first hitch was replaced because it failed with the top release cap unable to be rotated. The replacement hitch came with a new pin that was extremely hard to remove with the very fine thread pitch and nyloc nut.
My current Lovells hitch is working well. Uncoupling is straight forward. Hitching up requires quite a bit of careful positioning otherwise it doesn't drop down. The locking ring is no trouble, just position it at the required rotational angle for the coupling to drop on. The pin to hold it in position is a lynch pin. These are quite cheap and easy to get from Bunnings. The coupling needs more grease via tye grease nipples as it appears to be a bit light on from manufacturing. I use a small amount of lithium spray gease for the pin. Fit the supplied rubber dust cover over the hitch while travelling.
Cheers mate, yeah it will take a bit to get comfortable with. l think you're right, plenty of grease and spray should keep it running well 👍
Next video will be the purchase of a new vehicle - a 3500 series American vehicle - such a massive weight swinging on the back of a short 300 series.
And what would be the point of that Salty. The Landcruiser is our car of choice, mate.
@@JourneyUnknownThe other big 3 have at least a metre extra in wheelbase over the LC, less of the tail wagging the dog with the length of your new van - just a bit more stabilised at highway speed.
Thanks, mate. we've towed with the van fully loaded on a very windy day last week at 95/100km with no issues at all. no tail waging
@@JourneyUnknownSorry, just me being over cautious - hate to see you come to grief - great vids too.
The point would be that the whole setup would be 10 fold safer and less mucking around but that’s your choice.
Love your channel guys and your unbiased commentary - I went Lovell’s (3800kg) upgrade on my cruiser based on your feedback and I would think others have also. I am yet to buy a van but will buy something to suit weights. Crikey-I think the Lovell’s hitch would put me off caravaning. Keep up the great work👍
Thanks Peter that's great to hear 👍. haha, yes, it is a little incumbent, although we are slowly getting used to it. It definitely tows well 🍻
Great content Troy, very informative and well explained. You said it Laura ‘B’ hitch. I’m Sure it’s something you’ll get used to but looks very complex. Need to allow an hour for hitch up 😂
Love the draw system in the back in the 300. They have done an amazing job and have everything you need for travels. Enjoy guys
Thanks, guys. we had a few other choice words putting it on 😂. one thing I will say is that the hitch tows well. you're right, you need an hr to hook up 😆
First time viewer…..excellent content, thanks and most appreciated. I have a Lovells upgrade on my 200 series 3.8 GVM 4t BTC with the older style Lovells hitch. I simply love it. Hitching and unhitching is easy enough but as you point out, it is quite heavy. I did experiment a bit with towball hight and found that I was able to reduce the nose weight by about 8 kilograms by adopting a small nose down attitude to the van. (24 foot bogie wheel rocker suspension). Once again, great video and thanks for sharing.
Hi John, Thanks so much for tuning in. it's great to hear you enjoyed the content. Ahh ok great idea. It does take a little bit of playing around to get the right fit for your setup.
Happy travelling, mate 👍
Excellent, EXCELLENT video Troy. I’m in the process of researching new vehicle/van combos, and the Lovells towing upgrade for the 300, was part of the considerations, now you’ve got me thinking……….. Keep up the great content, I really appreciate it…..🍻
Cheers mate, good luck with your research. thanks for following along 🍻
G’day Troy, another great video. I certainly appreciate your explanations, grips on certain things/topics, you pay big $$$$ to get your vehicle upgraded to a certain tonnage and then they just hand all those items to you expecting you can fit it all yourself. It was great that you said a few times, you are not sponsored or officiated with either of those companies, well done 👍. I totally agree with Paul saying do not use grease on the hitch, use something like WD-40 so it will not keep hold of any dust/sand. That Pin you use for the hitch, is not a split pin. I’m not exactly what they’re called, you use them on the Cat 1 or 2 three point linkage on a tractor and possibly other machines. You’ve given (for those who need it) lots of good👍 information/advice.
Thanks David it's great to hear you enjoyed the episode. Well, keep telling it how it is. Hopefully, people can get the full story behind what goes on. Thanks for the heads up in regards to spraying the tongue. This makes plenty of sense 🍻
We have been using the Lovells 5500 hitch for two years now. No problems hitching up or unhitching. Yes, it is a heavy setup. And the 'lynch pin' is an additional safety connector. Good video. Nice drawers
That's great to hear. Thanks for sharing 👍,. it will take some time to get used to 🍻
Troy, Great video very truthful and informative in the way you guys usually are. I do not have a large / heavy caravan , ( only 1.8ton), and I won’t be getting one either, but I now respect and appreciate what you guys that do tow those big girls around have to understand about your particular vans. Thanks again for a very informative video. Love watching you and Laura’s travels. Cheers Ross
Ahh thanks Ross that's nice to hear, mate. we have no other obligation than to tell it how it is 👍
Interesting hitch. The real issue is we are trying to get vehicles to tow weights well above their OEM design spec, so we have all these 2nd Manufacturer solutions (Lovells) etc. But at the end of the day we still have a vehicle that was initially designed to only tow a certain weigh and we are now expecting it to perform outside it's original design specifications. It has a drive train that is designed to the factory specs but now somehow it is all ok now that we have heavier springs, hitch and other related aftermarket components. Its like any mechanical item once you start to push it beyond its engineered design it will eventually fail prematurely. Keep up the great videos.
True, luckily, we won't be towing 4t. Well, under our limits 👍 thanks for watching and commenting 🍻
A friend of mine has the Lovells hitch set up, it’s one heavy duty piece of equipment. Great episode guys! 👍
Thanks Rodney 👌 😊
Love the detail in this one Troy, nice work mate. Now you just need to test it on a proper trip ;-)
Cheers Tim 🍻, yep definitely 👍 👌
I have watched you guys from the start and keep wondering what happens in your shed besides caravan improvements.😂
Hi Ian, thanks for following along 😊. 😆 Troy has a furniture restoration business
@@JourneyUnknownnever see any furniture restoration happening
Hi Troy great informative video. There is some great videos on the operation on Lovells Hitch overnon their LSP YT channel. Ive upgrade to this LSP hitch this year and find it great. For me there is really no difference in its operation, if you know what your doing, compared to DO35/DO45. To be fair I expect the only reason for any coupling breakages is due to people not correctly turning the safety coupling as you demonstrated. I have also never needed to carry that tool to turn the top rotating lock. The tool is even called an Athritis Aid. The rotating colar and the lynch pin to lock it is simply a secondary safety feature as the jaws of the coupling are doing all the securing work.
Thanks Adam, ok we'll have to check them out 👍. the hitch is very sturdy it will take a bit of getting used to 🍻
G'day Troy, that Lovells hitch makes things appear unnecessarily complicated . I love the Do 35/45 all-day for the weight & simplicity..... one of the main reasons we chose to tow 2.6 ton with our LC200 (with a gvm) to keep things simpler & I believe safe in my opinion. safe travels
Yeah, great call 👌 . this new system will take a bit of time to get used to 🤔
If car is level you certainly wont need WDH.
Great episode with all of Lovells rules would put you off, if other company don't force you to use only there brand of hitch.
Yeah, that's right 👌
Troy that hitch is a disaster I’ve heard lots of bad reports about them but have never seen one explained like you did,they are a poor copy of the hitch ezy an Aussie invention and a excellent hitch.I purchased a Curt rebellion pretty much on your recommendation and could not be happier with it I tow a 3500 kg off road van and the difference it made to the towing comfort is fantastic I use aDO 35 hitch and no weight distribution bars all good I think you will have trouble with that hitch when you get off road and try to unhook on uneven ground but no doubt you’ll sort it out one way or another good luck, it was good to Coco still has her bed installed in your new drawer system.Cheers.
Thanks Roger, lm glad you're really happy with the CURT REBELLION hitch, she's a ripper 👍. Mmmm the verdict is out on the Lovells hitch. We have to do a heap more testing to see how it goes 🤔
I find Lovells “snap it and back half a turn” attitude to their bolt tensioning completely unacceptable. Assuming the bolts are 14mm grade 8.8 then around 160nm is close and 16mm is 245nm. These specs are easy to find and there is no excuse for not setting the correct torque. Every bolt on your vehicle has a correct torque setting for a reason. This is coming from someone that has aways tensions the wheel nuts on my vehicles for the last 40 years. I can assure you I have seen some very poor wheel fitting done by tyre shops over the years. From snapped wheel studs from being over tightened to others being accidentally left loose. I’ve never lost a wheel, or anything else, from one of my vehicles but I’ve seen plenty that have. You’re doing a great job and providing unbiased but very useful information. Cheers.
True, it wasn't good. we feel for the elderly that have to deal with undoing these issues, its just not right, especially when you hand over a lot of coin. thanks for tuning in 🍻
Wonder when the lap will start
We'll be heading off the unconventional way as soon as we can 😍
Hi Troy curious to know what they require tow bar wise or if youve had to upgrade that as well given the toyota bar and hayman reese are rated to 3,5 tonne
Hi Chris, Lovells will only let you use their hitch to be able to comply with the 4t towing
You need the Lovells hitch to legally tow the 4Tonne van with their GVM upgrade. We are broke too. Silly that a DO45 is not accepted - almost the same hitch. The annoying part also is that I needed a 140mm drop to make the van level, the Stage 2 hitch only drops 100mm.
Yeah, it's a bit of a joke, really. The DO45 will do the same job. You just won't be compliant if you don't use the Lovells hitch
Mate I feel your pain. We just went through this exact nightmare just to be able to carry and extra 200kg. Luckily our 200 already had the upgrades done but was still a nightmare.
Mmmm, it's bloody crazy at the end of the day.
I enjoy your channel. Not to be negative, but with the weight of the van, is the 300 the correct vehicle for towing. Even if GVM/GCM is upgraded? IMHO the tow vehicle should weight more than the van at its ATM. That's why most go either an American vehicle or an actual truck.
Which American vehicle weighs 4 tonnes ? They can tow it, but they don't weigh it.
@aarontwigg1042 look at the Chevy 3500 curb weight. 3710kg. Now add passengers and some extras. You'll be hitting 4T pretty quick. Having a heavy van and a lighter vehicle will have its own issues.
@SJI_77 i can not even find a 3500 for sale on carsales, and you would need to upgrade your licence to drive it as it would be classed as a truck. The average person travelling are not going to be buying such a vehicle.
@@Azzadazza73 that's the price for towing over 3.5T. otherwise stay under 3.5T ATM and know your axle load limits.
@SJI_77 but even at 3.5t you cannot find a vehicle that weighs 3.5t they might have a gvm of 3.5t but no one is running at full gvm in just the vehicle alone. Or do you include ball weight in your calculations.
Hi Troy, this is very interesting, I actually went for a Raptor hitch, they are rated up to 4.5t and make a short tongue to suit the short sleeve the 300 has .
That Lovells hitch looks like an absolute nightmare, I think the Lovells engineers need to look at simplicity, that hitch looks like it belongs on a tractor. No offence, just stating the obvious, I feel your pain with the extra cost incurred to be legal. We have no issue being compliant, but you would think in doing so would make for a more user friendly product.
Keep doing what you’re doing, we love watching you guys 👍
Yeah, we couldn't agree more. the system is complicated, to say the least. Your raptor hitch sounds like the go 👍
Talking about the oil issues with the lc300. Are you using a different oil and if so which one ?
Thanks, Azza. Our oil is getting changed to a 5/30 next week
Great video so if you keep the van under 3500 can you use the curt system
I should also say I have the lovells bar and hate the way it works
Hi David,
Yes, that's correct, mate 👍
Is there any reason you didn’t have the van ATM plated to your cars max tow capacity to save confusion down the track? IE car tow capacity 4T current van ATM 4.5T
There wouldn't be much point in doing that. 1 for resale reasons 2 if we decide to change our tow vehicle down the track. you would be losing a lot of payload
You'll need another GVM upgrade to install all that weight :) I'd have bought a smaller van. :)
Yeah nah. we're well under our weight limit 👍
Hi Troy looks like you could tow a semi trailer with that hitch ! How is the ride in the 300 after the Lovells upgrade is it a lot firmer?
Hey Jackson, haha, absolutely. It's probably the best the car and van have towed, to be honest. a bit will also be due to the airbag suspension as well 👍
Surely if the DO 45 is weight compliant what makes the lovells better.
Hey Peter, you would think so 🤔. Lovells won't allow you to use anything else. Otherwise, their badge is not compliant. go figure 🤔 🙄
Great Episode Troy .
You would make a great classroom teacher 👨🏫 .🦘🦘
Haha l couldn't sit still 🤣
@@JourneyUnknown haha 😜
You could have upgraded to 4 tonne towing on the Cruiser by keeping your DO45. My 200 series is upgraded to 4 tonne using DO 45 and Hayman Reese hitch and WDH bars with dual cam sway control. Far cheaper and easier to use than Lovells system. All accepted by insurer and NSW rego authorities. Has 7800 kg GCM with earlier Lovells 3800 kg GVM upgrade. All done and fitted by Johanson Bros Motorsport, Woolgoolga, NSW.
Ahh, ok, yeah, I'm not sure if that would be the same for the 300. You're definitely better off with your system 👍
Hi Troy, I have the full Lovells hitch system on my 200, got the car upgraded prior purchase, everything was through Toyota, showed them the specifications of the caravan and told them I wanted a system that was achievable, too which they done the car and I was left with the WDB, Hitch etc, and yes I felt a little uncomfortable as you expressed in your video. So, I put everything together as per the instructions, then I took it to Toyota to ask them to inspect /check everything had been done correctly basically to cover myself should anything go wrong. Thus my thoughts would be for you to install everything including the (WDB) as per what you were doing on last video then speak to Lovell and tell them you'd like to have someone verify what you've installed is correct, I know there are Lovell distributors throughout the country, TJM are one of them, and it only takes 10 mins for them to check, but that way you have the tick in the box (verification). The system is good once you get used to it, it's a good strong system. I don't have to use the WDB, but I do, just gives me the comfort that should anything go wrong then shouldn't be any issues with insurances. Hope all goes well Cheers PB
Ahh, yep 👍, Thanks Pierre that's some great advice, mate. Cheers for sharing 🍻
Hey Troy didn't you factor in the change in waits before your new caravan built?
Hey Gavan, yep, we certainly did. No manufacturer can give you a guarantee of what the weight will be, especially when you add items along the way. this was also a brand new product (fibre tech). we had a bit of a ball park that's about it.
Great info video.
Just wondering why you swapped out the Curt for the Lovells?
The Curt does up to 4.5t and we have a Curt and about to get a 4.2t van so just wondering if we will need to change.
If you want the 4T BTC compliance plate on the LC300, you need the Lovells Hitch. Curt cannot plate the car, neither can D045, Hiitch Ezy, or Jmax. As Troy said, Lovells conditions. You can see Troy's frustration! However, good question on your part. I went through all this myself, stayed with 3.5T BTC and went elsewhere!
@MrlanceMoylan hopefully the F150 should be OK.
@@kevrendell the f150 is rated for 4.5t.... the 300s is not, thats the issue.. troys problems of having to use this hitch does not effect you
My partner and I have been going backwards and forwards about getting the Lancruiser with the BTC upgrade or getting a truck. This has made my mind up, truck it is.
Yep, all of the above is correct👌. l would've preferred to use the CURT Rebellion hitch. Unfortunately, Lovells have the market with their towing upgrades. this wasn't explained to us at the time of the upgrade. We find their hitch tows really well it just takes time to operate. Like most things, not every setup is perfect. Just like spending time trying to get an American truck into tight places, there are pros and cons for every set up.
I've had quote for the hitch. I'm now wondering do I really need to get it.
My Vans tare is 3108 .
And 4T mass. Car has 4T Lovells up grade .
Food for thought do I stick with my DO45 or upgrade to the Lovells BTC.
Thanks mate for your video
Hey Paul l think you've answered your question 😉 🍻
sorry you said your van is 4.5T? and your rated for 4T tow??? um im confused??
Hey David, the van is rated at 4.5t. This doesn't mean you travel at 4.5t. Our travel weight is around 3.6t
@@JourneyUnknown argh copy mate sorry i was just confused at the start when you were throwing the weights around.
@davedave5457 All good, it's a bit to get your head around 👍
Know one carrys a rattle gun around Australia......i do, 1000nm 18v makita, wouldn't leave home without it
That's good 👍
@JourneyUnknown I also have a fear of flat tyres 😆, can't rely on Roadside assistance
Hi Troy, my wife and I are currently watching your video on 'The Biggest Hitch' can you please answer a question that's be plaguing us since we started caravanning. Can any vehicle in Victoria have a GCM upgrade
Hi Stephen, Thanks for watching. , it depends on the suspension company and your car, l know Lovells definitely offer GCM
Hopefully you can get a engineer to certification that99 you can put back on the DO45, Talk to Cruiser Master for help, What a time consuming to put on and off that hitch, to many moving parts....
Yeah, that's a great point. It's worth looking into. thanks for sharing 👍 🍻
Hi Troy to the truth as usual.Great video.Wondering the cost of draw set up included all the gear you supplied?We have had the 200 series gvm upgrade to 4 ton ($5500) then also got a bigger van and upgraded again to 4.2 ton ($4500) all lovells upgrade.It was fitted by specialist yet engineers still had to look at it to pass.Our van we stayed with the 3.5 ton.Seems I don’t know how they can just give you parts and then say it is engineered without everything not fitted to caravan and car. Cheers we are at Warrnambool safe travels 🦐🐟🦈🎣👍
Cheers Rodney, yeah it all adds up, unfortunately. that was my thoughts . I can't see how they justify just handing boxes of gear for you to install. Gosh l really feel for the older generation 😕
@ cheers🍻
@ cheers Troy 🍻
Great episode Troy, I really hope the key board warrior's have learnt something.
Cherrs. 😆 we all know that will never happen 🤣
Good one troy.
Send wife out to work
And your working
hard
Or hardly working?
😅
It took the whole day to film this episode 😆
The weight distribution bars, RAC have done tests and they play with vehicle and caravan stability controllers.
RAC recommend you don’t use these on current vehicles.
When the back vehicle goes down and so does caravan it puts a lot of stress on the back of vehicle and can overload tow bar.
You may want to ask your vehicle OEM and caravan OEM. It maybe insurance way out not compatible so insurance won’t pay.
Thanks for informative video, I won’t be buying the Lowell’s GCM upgrade.
Yeah, great point. Thanks for sharing 👍
@ see if you can get a letter from insurance about the kit being completely covered with vehicle including distribution hitch.
Hey Troy aren`t the tow bars only rated to a tow maxium of 3.5 ton? To me that would mean that the towbar is noncompliant in your setup. Not trying to be that guy , I really enjoy your channel.
Hey mate, we had the car upgraded to be able to tow 4t. but otherwise yes it's 3.5t towing. thanks for following along 🍻
Hi Troy. I fear you are trying to make a silk purse out or a sows ear.. there are already videos of weight modified 300's with engine or transmission failures. Toyota clearly state in their hand book that they will not warrant modified vehicles. If you asked Lovells to take on the Toyota warranty I would think they would say no.
May be you should have gone an American tow rig. Cheers.
Hey Frank, the issues that have been well documented are due to totally different reasons for failure. Toyota has already rectified a few warranty issues for us over the last 2.5 yrs. We're not concerned. Factory warranty is up shortly. plus we regularly serviced our car 👍
I think you will find it’s not a Lovells hitch but a hitch-ezy. Also Troy, that’s not a split pin it’s a lynch pin
Yep 👌
I'm not saying go down in size but , wouldn't it be cheaper and safer to get a lighter van. The van would cost more but it cost less to setup the vehicle, would tow better and you would have fuel savings
Cheers Phil, all in all, we're well under our weight limits. the van tows at 20/22 ltr per 100, which is just over our last van. can't really complain at the end of the day 👍
You have the wrong tow vehicle, the 300 is not in this weight category, especially with the std rear axle
We absolutely have the right vehicle and are completely within our 2400kg rear axle weights. Thanks Steve 👌
I always take a batt rattle gun......????
That's great 👍
I’m a big fan of this channel. And learn heaps. But, boy. That extra weight and money spent on this upgrade doesn’t seem worth it.
To be honest. Wouldn’t you just rather have a system where you don’t need to worry about breaking anything? And for that cost which I would expect to be quite high. Isn’t worth the stress.
Anyways. Good luck on the road. Very interesting in seeing how it goes
That's awesome. Thanks for following along 🙏. We see it as an investment into our travels. We'll be spending so much quality time with family on our trips, it's worth every cent to us 😍.
Hey Troy, Great video as normal.. Just a quick one, it's not a split pin.. It's called a Q clip as it looks like a Q and same for the other type of clip is a R clip and for the same reason, looks like an R. Catch you on the next one
Cheers mate, 😆 yep l do know the difference. I'm not sure why l was saying split pin. but hey, it's getting plenty of traction 😂
@@JourneyUnknown Hey Troy and no worries mate, i do it all the time and then think what the hell did i say that for lmao. Def mate, interaction in the comments is good.
Farmers call the pin "TRACTOR LOLLIES" as they are constantly eating the pins under farm use. Lol😅
I know Lovell's can probably stipulate what they like and I understand the tongue and the WDB being used if required (over 3.7T) but surely the hitch on the van has zero bearing in the legalities for the cars BTC as long as it meets the weight requirements. What I'm trying to say is that surely using the DO45 with the Lovell's tongue and bars would be perfectly legal in every way. Unless, of course Lovell's being Lovell's, they probably have their own shaft diameter for the pin meaning the DO45 pin can't be swapped into their tongue??? How was my guess? That Lovell's coupling is a disgrace and the increased weight of everything surely pushes your rear axle limits with those draws as well.
FYI your $2.50 split pin is actually called a Linch pin or Lynch pin depending on country of origin 😉🤣 Probably closer to $5 too 😁 Big spender
😄 🤣. yep 💯 but that's how the market is controlled. We didn't have this information in front of us when we had the tow upgrade certified. hopefully, people can get an informative idea now.
Yep, I have no idea why l had split pin on my mind, perhaps because l was frustrated talking about the new hitch 🤣
Hi Troy with All this Money you Spent yes it's your Money but why didn't you go for a better tow vehicle 🤔 I also think it be hard to recover you Money when you decide to move the cruseier on Troy ...
Or smaller van
Thanks, Bruce. l think every vehicle has its pros and cons. We didn't build this car for resale reasons and totally don't expect to get our money back. We will, though, have amazing memories and are completely happy with the 300. it's compact, great on fuel, and has plenty of power 👍
What a bad hitch, much prefer cruise master system
Yeah, it's definitely harder to use 😕
FFS, what ever happened to torque settings? And they used a rattle gun. I’d be demanding new bolts. We all know what happens to wheel studs when they’re over tightened. Yikes.
Very true, they engineer the crap out of everything, then don't use a torque wrench to tighten bolts 🤔
What a pain hitching and unhitching. Too complicated.
Totally agree painful try doing that in the rain, wind or uneven ground that is a take with lovells
If you want more tonnage maybe go buy a truck
It takes a bit of time to hitch up. At the end of the day, no setup is perfect. even with an American truck, you're spending time trying to park it. 🙄
@ no we don’t but hubby drives a truck so it’s way easy for him and hitching and unhitching is fine but we don’t have a 4.5T van either Anyway all the best with it 😉😁 I do like how you tell the truth about products 👍🏼
Would be nice after spending that amount of money with them they couldnt ring and say we have your hitch in come on in and we can fit it for you no way lovels
Yeah 💯
I would've thought most caravanners carry a battery operated rattle gun whether it be Milwaukee, Dewalt, Makita etc.. That $2.50 split pin is actually called a lynch pin not a split pin.
They probably do, although we didn't have one with us at the time. haha yes lm not sure why l was saying split pin 🤔
Horrendously over complicated, over engineered. Throw it in the bin. There’s a reason biggest seller is cruise master, it just works. Not having a go, seriously I would rethink it all. I can you hate it yourself, you will never be happy with it. I feel your pain been there done that. Not your fault you don’t know till these items are in your possession and getting installed. Sometimes practicality doesn’t live up to the theory.
Yeah, you're 💯 right. We'll stick with it and see how it all pans out for now. definitely having to install it yourself is a bit rich, we thought 🤔
There's something wrong with the sound.
No problem with sound here.
Nothing wrong with the sound.
@@TomWilding1 There is. It's not in stereo. I only have sound in one speaker. And before you say it, my speakers are working with other videos. Even my headphones are only working on one side with this video.
do you own an android by any chance?
No problem with the sound for us
From the video it appears that the new Lovells hitch arrangement is now even further past the vehicles rear axle which increases rear axle load. At the end of the day it doesn't matter how much money you pay and how much you try to convince yourself, you are trying to make the LC300 do a job that it wasn't designed for and it's dangerous no matter how much you try to explain it. Why would you want to have a setup that is right on the edge of the limits and doesn't provide stress free towing? Your setup is an accident waiting to happen fact.
You have no idea what our rear axle is rated at. We're nowhere near our limits. if you have something constructive to say, then go for it. otherwise insinuating something that's completely untrue is better kept to yourself
@@JourneyUnknown wow you need to read what I said which is correct, put your tow hitch further out the back increases rear axle load, it's called leverage. Also have a think about how you responded to my comment, really badly handled just saying, but then your choice to be easily offended.
Mate, we don't get offended. that was your opinion. We're just stating the truth about our car and how it isn't dangerous. we've gone above and beyond to have a safe towing vehicle and van.