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Author Topic: I got a bit more done today  (Read 3600 times)

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I got a bit more done today
« on: October 21, 2014, 06:57:52 pm »
After failing miserably with my latest plan re. getting the fuel tank plug out, I decided to stay out and do something else to the mog this afternoon. I had a good rummage through my parts pile and found my top link bracket. I gave that a good going over with a wire brush mounted in my drill, then greased it all up and bolted it on. Easy! Then I found the Ringfeder hitch, and the problems started!

The hitch was seized solid. I've been here before having been treated very kindly by a certain UK dealer who sold me the whole back end of a scrap lame spreader mog for a very reasonable price. I should add that he told me the score when I bought it and I accepted the challenge of getting the parts off and cleaned up. It was a challenge I was happy to take on to save what turned out to be quite a lot of money. I've actually had it apart once already but it got put back together without me paying enough attention to it the last time, so it stuck solid again.

I got it in the vice and with a bit (well actually a lot) of swearing and hammering managed to get the old thing apart again. This time though I've been thorough! I've taken it right down to it's component parts, brushed them down and covered them with enough grease to sink a small ship. I then set about fitting it to the mog. After hitting my head god knows how many times and getting covered in s*** I'm glad to say it's on and rotating as it should. But I've now noticed something rather odd...

How does the top link function with the hitch fitted? The top of the hitch is pretty much the same height as the holes in the top link bracket! I rotated the hitch 180 degrees which gives more room for movement, but it still looks tight. I really do hope that the two can work together but I'm not so sure how having looked at it!

My last question is the function of the hitch. When the release bar is pushed it moves the spring loaded pin up into the hitch and the pin stays there. How do you get it to come back down to lock in place? The only way I can do it at the moment is to give it a good tap with a hammer or wooden block in the direction you'd push it to open it. It then springs back down again. I can't however do that by hand. It's not that it seems to be needing a lot of force, rather that the softness of my hand doesn't seem to be able to give it the sharp tap that it needs. Just a gentle flick of a small hammer does it easily, but I'm sure that's not how it should be?!

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Re: I got a bit more done today
« Reply #1 on: October 21, 2014, 08:21:25 pm »
Rotating the hitch is a necessity for top link :) You can then use it for flailing or what not, and they're often fine :) sometimes though you do see the odd bent top link on a mog where they've hit the hitch :P then theres a fancy rare bit of kit that attaches to your top link bracket, moveing the hole up and back ;) very rare and very expensive, however i can take pictures and you can trying making something :)

regarding the pin, how big's your hitch? I normally just pull up using both index fingers, then release slowly :)
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Re: I got a bit more done today
« Reply #2 on: October 21, 2014, 08:38:09 pm »
I'll take a picture of the hitch and post it at some point. It's not a huge one. I'm also not sure if it's a Rockinger or Ringfeder... It's something like that anyway!

Pictures of the top link extension would be very handy. Does that help it clear the rear body when lifted too?

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Re: I got a bit more done today
« Reply #3 on: October 21, 2014, 08:59:04 pm »
I would imagine it rockinger :)

It will help a tiny bit, but not much :)
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Re: I got a bit more done today
« Reply #4 on: October 21, 2014, 09:02:42 pm »
I don't want to bend my back body so need to dream something up!

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Re: I got a bit more done today
« Reply #5 on: October 26, 2014, 06:59:29 pm »
My hitch just requires the pin flicking up from inside the hitch jaws to release it, this is normally done by the trailer draw bar as it enters the hitch or you can flick it up with a large screwdriver or pry bar.

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Re: I got a bit more done today
« Reply #6 on: October 26, 2014, 08:59:46 pm »
Just went out and tried that. It works a treat - what a great design. Thanks.

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Re: I got a bit more done today
« Reply #7 on: October 28, 2014, 08:19:24 pm »
Some rear hitch pictures.

IMG_5249 by ultimate_engineering, on Flickr


IMG_0468 by ultimate_engineering, on Flickr


IMG_0467 by ultimate_engineering, on Flickr


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Re: I got a bit more done today
« Reply #8 on: October 28, 2014, 08:47:15 pm »
That's a smart looking top link bracket. But I'm not sure I'd want to pull too hard on the hitch with it mounted below the chassis line like that?

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Re: I got a bit more done today
« Reply #9 on: October 29, 2014, 06:41:34 am »
I would say that pin looks worn out also! (you can get replacements)

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Re: I got a bit more done today
« Reply #10 on: October 29, 2014, 06:33:12 pm »
Is the lower high a genuine item? I'm Intreagued :P
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