Sankey Trailer and NATO Hitch

[ScottishPinz]

I am toying with the idea of getting an ex-army sankey trailer, they are cheap just now (£250) and there's plenty about.

1. Does anyone know if the track of the sankey widetrack trailer is the same as a petrol Pinz (or near as)

2. Has anyone towed this trailer with its NATO eye on a Pinz hitch or should I be looking to change to a NATO hitch?

3. If I am right Pinz has civvy style tow electrics so although getting a 24v trailer I'll need to change the plug (correct me if I'm wrong)

Come on who has one of these trailers... how are they?

[pinzmeister-uk]

I used to tow a wide track sankey as a camping trailer, it's the same width as the pinz and just visible through both mirrors. It tows ok on the swiss army hitch and you will need to rewire it using a civilian trailer plug.

[David Dunn]

I tow a Mk3 Wide Track Sankey with my Supacat, Pinz and almost everything else I own. Love the trailer.
I use the NATO plug for some of my vehicles, and wired in a second set of wires that can be pluged into a pigtail for any other type of connector.
I use 24v bulbs for all applications ( they're just a little dimmer plugged into 12v).

My question to you is; Didn't you have to replace your rear tail lamps to "uncombine" the brake/turn indicator lamps for MoT ? You may have to do some wire moving at the junction box by the trailer plug. This is guessing you have a Swiss Pinz, an Austrian model would be set for the UK MoT law already.

Besides the NATO plug, the other plug I use is what is refered to as a "flat 5" connector for independent rear lamps, and will plug into the more typical "flat 4" used in the US for combined turn/brake lamps.

It may sound a bit confusing, but it will plug directly into almost any trailer plug found on this side of the pond.

Dave

[pinzmeister-uk]

The swiss rear lamp setup is illegal in the UK, so our first job with any swiss pinz is to replace them with 'cheeseburger' lamps and rewire the brake lights, the wiring is allready in the loom.

[ScottishPinz]

Thanks for the replies, I guess its just the plug and wiring that will need sorted.

If I plug a trailer board in the original socket will the correct lights be wired or will it do funny things?

Dale at Haflinger Technik sorted the rear lights for its first MOT so I haven't had to do that!

Thanks again!

[David Dunn]

From memory, I believe you need to acivate one pin in the trailer socket for the brake lamp... simple jumper wire from the upgraded taillamp brake circuit.... that is if Dale didn't just do the whole thing at the time he changed the lamps. Simple job though.

You'll really enjoy the Sankey. Even with almost 2000lbs of water in a tank on mine (see pics in Supacat thread), I can easily disconnect and roll the trailer around on hard ground. I dread moving my M-762 ( the flatbed version of a M416 ), too tongue heavy ( even empty), no jockey wheel ( drop leg only) and no service brakes (only parking). The list is even longer....

Lastly, from what I see with my Sankey, I'd recommend the Mk3, it has disc service brakes ( and I believe the rear stabilizing legs are standard).


Cheers
Dave
5500 miles away, and still in tune with MoT laws
You guys have it so easy there
They won't even let us road register a Spartan (FV103) here

[pinzmeister-uk]

But at least you get plenty of sunshine

[David Dunn]

But at least you get plenty of sunshine

AND you can have it, .... and the 42 C,.... and the brushfires !