Factory installed Oris hitch

[MB_Mike]

Just wanted to document a factory trailer hitch here before it finds its way to a new home. MB really did a nice job with this. Interesting to see how the wiring simply plugs into the rear tail lights and uses a 4-pin relay (as opposed to the normal 3-pin) and shifter console light to communicate that the trailer lights are working.

[Big_Richard]

Its a bit light duty, but i'd love one of those simply because its what MB provided. I'm happy with my aftermarket job tho.

that thing deserves a good sand blasting and powder coating before re-installation.

I hope its going to a good home 

[s class]

I have that same unit on my 6.9.  I believe it was factory installed (its on the data card I think)

[oscar]

That's really cool, thanks for sharing Mike.  Never knew what they looked like not fitted. 
I can make out 75kg ball/hitch down weight but what's capacity?  There's a 2500kg and 1900kg on the tag.  Would that mean 2500kg for braked trailer, 1900kg unbraked? Or is it to do with tandem v single axles?  I can't quite make it out but if they're towing specs they're very respectable figures.

[MB_Mike]

I did my best to translate the tag but to no avail. Too many of the words are abbreviated.

Anyway, not really the most exciting post, but I thought the documentation might go a long way for someone, sometime.

In the upper left of the photo, the bolts you see atop the reinforcement plate were a real pain to remove. The nuts are under the car while the bolt tops are inside the boot (2 in fact behind the rear wall, partially under the fuel tank!!) I had to get might creative by using a breaker bar with a socket and wedging the bad into areas of the boot to hold the bolt while I undid the nut 

[Mforcer]

Anyway, not really the most exciting post, but I thought the documentation might go a long way for someone, sometime.

As mentioned in another topic recently, being able to learn and discover something new about these cars after 40 years is exciting!

[wbrian63]

The home it's going to is mine. It will be added to #521 as part of the restoration I hope to start in early 2012.

Of course, I'll clean off all the old rust and powder coat it first.

The bigger challenge will be figuring out how to create a proper ball mount, as I expect the existing unit will be incompatible with the US-standard 2" trailer balls found on most trailers.

Don't have much intention of towing - but having a trailer hitch makes it possible should the need arise.

Regards

[Big_Richard]

we use the 2" (50mm) ball mount in australia too i thought it was pretty standardized world wide.

(ball on car side, locking cup on trailer side)

[Casey]

we use the 2" (50mm) ball mount in australia too i thought it was pretty standardized world wide.

I've seen a fair number of useless-looking smaller ball mounts on various vehicles, including some which have receiver hitches with 3 different ball sizes that you can change by rotating the mounting portion.  I have no idea what these smaller sizes are used for, and don't see why it would be any big deal for any trailer to accomodate the larger standard ball size.

Today I saw a trailer for sale which required a pintle hitch (former military).

I'd sure like to figure out where to buy one of those light wiring couplers...