How do you fit a NATO tow hitch to TD5 cross member?

I have the standard tow to bar at present



I know that I will need to notch out the top of this to expose the bolt holes which is not a problem. I also know the holes are no longer all the way through the crossmember but are instead threaded on the front face.
On a different forum (link) I have come across this where they have just used a spreader plate and bolted to the front face of the cross member.



Is this the correct way of doing it to still allow the fitment of the original tow bar? if not what is the correct way of fitting a NATO tow hitch?
I am trying to avoid the fitting of an adjustable drop hitch with separate sliders because I do not have any of that, but I do have everything needed for the above. I will be sued for towing a Sankey rather than recovery and I am trying to replicate what I had on my 110 on the td5 90 I currently have as a replacement.

I’ve got a pre-Td5 Landy so don’t have the issue with the threaded holes. However, I do have a Dixon Bate drop,slider with two different sliders, one with a 50mm towball and one with a NATO hitch so that the two are interchangeable. Would this work or could you fit the drop slider instead?

Knappster said:

I’ve got a pre-Td5 Landy so don’t have the issue with the threaded holes. However, I do have a Dixon Bate drop,slider with two different sliders, one with a 50mm towball and one with a NATO hitch so that the two are interchangeable. Would this work or could you fit the drop slider instead?

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My 110 pictured is pre td5 and makes everything much easier, spreader plates and bolts all the way through. The slider would work but I don’t have a slider or adjustable tow bar so it makes it a more expensive task. I am hoping to do it as simply and cheaply as possible while Still being safe and secure.

dag019 said:

My 110 pictured is pre td5 and makes everything much easier, spreader plates and bolts all the way through. The slider would work but I don’t have a slider or adjustable tow bar so it makes it a more expensive task. I am hoping to do it as simply and cheaply as possible while Still being safe and secure.

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you can pick up defender Dixon bare adjustable a secondhand for about £50, I got one in good order with 2 sliders. 1 slider is worn so will just have a vice mounted on it but the other one is unused. Got a nice combo towball and pin by Dixon bate aswell which was nice

I thought you weren't allowed to fit NATO hitches to cars after a certain date?

kermit_rr said:

I thought you weren't allowed to fit NATO hitches to cars after a certain date?

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yeah it’s to do with type approval. I *rhink* they don’t have type approval for post 1998 cars. You see lots of people fitting them to brand new land cruisers etc in the Sankey Facebook group though so I don’t know

I picked up a Dixon Bate slider with decent NATO hitch at the Newbury Sale a few years back for £30 There are quite a few D2’s with them on the D2BC forum too, all post 1998.

A new complete slider kit isn’t cheap but used ones are on eBay for about £50, as mentioned.