Safari Gard Hippo Hitch

Thank you. That's very helpful.

I had a convo with the guy when he first made the SG hitch. It was an alternative for the Rhino OX hitch when it was off the market for hitch failures. The SG hitch is also a class 4 hitch like the OX hitch.

I love my Rhino OX hitch, and this is a viable option.

If anyone is interested in getting this, Scott just posted that a new batch is done and ready to ship. It's $475 shipped to the lower 48 or $450 to anywhere else.
BTW, I have zero affiliations with the guy.

I have one on those on the way. I'll post up my thoughts once it arrives next week and I get it installed.

So I've towed for a few thousand miles at this point with the hitch and here are my thoughts:

Pros: It's really stout and the welds are quality. I don't worry about this thing bending like the cheap $150 AB hitch.
It's better ground clearance and mounts the tongue further back from the bumper which makes opening the tail gate easier when connected to the trailer.

Cons: I had to beat, bend, and sledgehammer the thing to get it on. Really, it was built in such a way that I should have taken it apart in the vice, taken the angle grinder to it, and reassembled so that it could actually be assembled properly. The steel pieces that connect the hitch to the tow ring were pressed in, would not move, and really need to have some level of play to install properly. If you look at the pictures of their eBay page, you'll see what I mean. This set of pictures is the only "manual" you get.
Also, installing on the LR4 means you have to grind down the aluminum bushing supplied with the kit. Given everything else is machined, it seems like they could have turned it down to the LR4 spec as well. Furthermore said bushing was drilled out such that the bolt would only fit halfway and not completely through it and I had to open it up to use it properly. Finally, the powder coat flaked off in my hands and I'm constantly having to spray sections where it comes off.

So, would I buy it again? Nope. I would be better suited with a factory hitch that I can remove completely as I don't have time to be someone else's QC department, but if you need this style hitch it is a workable option if you're willing to put in some work to actually finish the parts properly.

That's super unfortunate. I didn't have any of those issues with my unit, well except maybe for flaky finishing but that was bound to happen when wrenching on the nuts and bolts. Also, they make it clear and I traded messages with them that the recovery ring, not the bushing, may need to get a touch of the grinder. But mine slid right in no grinding needed.

From their website specifically says to size down the aluminum spacer rather than hit the ring on the LR4. If you were told differently, I believe you, but all I have is what they have in writing: "Photos in the gallery detail the simple installation procedure. The aluminum upper bushing spacer supplied has direct fitment for LR3 and Range Rover Sport models. To fit to the LR4, this aluminum spacer must be sized down 1 millimeter to fit. The factory plastic cover can be modified to fit around hitch assembly."

I'll probably take the thing off and do a good grind and hand fitting if I have an afternoon to dedicate to it before tear drop camper hauling season. It's a shame, because a little QC would go a LONG way on this hitch.