Best overall tow hitch: the Novaquip Towbar with Clevis Tow Hitch. Best for compact tractors up to 100HP: the Novaquip NTT1200 Carry All Transport Tray with Tow Bar. Best for bigger loads: the Novaquip NTT1500 Carry All Transport Tray with Tow Bar. Best for loose gear and stock feed: the 1.5m Galvanised Transport Tray with Cage Sides and Tow Bar.
- Novaquip Towbar with Clevis Tow Hitch is the best tow hitch rating NZ farmers choose for occasional trailer hauling in 2026.
- NTT1200 Carry All Transport Tray suits compact tractors up to 100HP needing a tow point and a 1200mm cargo tray.
- NTT1500 tray adds 300mm more tray length for bigger loads behind the same clevis-style tow bar mount.
- Cage-sided 1.5m tray keeps loose stock feed and tools in place while still towing a second trailer.
- Match the hitch to your tractor's drawbar rating and pin size first, tray size second.
Why this matters
Hauling a trailer behind a tractor is routine work on most NZ lifestyle blocks and farms, but the hitch doing that job rarely gets picked with much thought. Implements Direct sees the same mistake often: a hitch chosen on price alone, mounted to a tractor it was never rated for.
A mismatched pin or an undersized clevis under load is how drawbars bend and trailers come loose mid-tow. Getting the tow hitch rating right in 2026 means matching pin size, hitch style and tractor horsepower before tray size or price even come into it.
What makes the best tow hitch in NZ
- Pin or ball size matched to your trailer coupling — a mismatched pin is the most common cause of hitch failure
- Hitch style: clevis pin, tow ball, or pintle hook, picked for how fast you need to hook and unhook
- Tractor horsepower and drawbar capacity lined up with the hitch's rated build weight
- Galvanised or powder-coated finish that survives NZ rain and paddock mud without rusting through
- Standalone hitch versus tray-mounted tow bar, depending on whether you also need to carry gear
- 3-point linkage category matching your tractor's lower link pins — Category 1 pins run around 22mm, Category 2 around 28mm
Tow hitches at a glance
| Tow hitch | Best for | Standout feature | Key limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Novaquip Towbar with Clevis Tow Hitch | Occasional trailer hauling | Standalone clevis mount, nothing else to carry | No load tray of its own |
| NTT1200 Carry All Transport Tray with Tow Bar | Compact tractors up to 100HP | 1200mm tray plus built-in tow point | Shorter tray limits bulky loads |
| NTT1500 Carry All Transport Tray with Tow Bar | Bigger loads behind the tractor | 1.5m tray on the same tow bar mount | Longer overhang needs more turning room |
| 1.5m Galvanised Transport Tray with Cage Sides and Tow Bar | Loose gear and stock feed | Cage sides stop gear sliding off in transit | Cage adds width through narrow gateways |
1. Novaquip Towbar with Clevis Tow Hitch: best tow hitch for occasional trailer hauling
The Novaquip Towbar with Clevis Tow Hitch mounts to the 3-point linkage and does one job: give you a clevis pin tow point behind the tractor. There's no tray, no cage, nothing to load — just a hitch.
Novaquip Towbar with Clevis Tow Hitch pros:
- Mounts directly to the 3-point linkage with no tray to load or unload
- Clevis pin hookup swaps trailers between paddocks fast
- Lighter than a tray-mounted tow bar, easier on smaller tractors and loaders
Novaquip Towbar with Clevis Tow Hitch cons:
- Carries nothing on its own — you need a separate tray or bucket for loose gear
- The clevis pin wears with daily hitching and needs periodic replacement
Novaquip Towbar with Clevis Tow Hitch best for: farmers who tow a trailer occasionally and already have another way to carry gear. Verdict: Buy.
2. Novaquip NTT1200 Carry All Transport Tray with Tow Bar: best tow hitch for compact tractors up to 100HP
The NTT1200 pairs a 1200mm galvanised tray with a built-in tow bar, rated for tractors up to 100HP. One attachment does tow duty and light cargo runs at the same time.
NTT1200 pros:
- Built-in tow bar plus a 1200mm tray in one linkage-mounted unit
- Rated for tractors up to 100HP, matching most compact and mid-size machines
- Galvanised finish holds up through NZ rain without repainting
NTT1200 cons:
- 1200mm tray runs out of room fast with fencing gear or firewood
- Heavier than a standalone hitch, so lift capacity on smaller loaders matters
NTT1200 best for: compact tractor owners who want tow duty and light cargo hauling from one attachment. Verdict: Buy.
3. Novaquip NTT1500 Carry All Transport Tray with Tow Bar: best tow hitch for bigger loads
The NTT1500 is the 1.5m version of the same idea — 300mm more tray length than the NTT1200, same clevis-style tow bar mount for hauling a trailer behind it.
NTT1500 pros:
- 1.5m tray carries pallets, drums or fence posts that don't fit the 1200mm version
- Same clevis-style tow bar mount as the smaller tray, so hookup is familiar
- Galvanised build matches the rest of the Novaquip transport tray range
NTT1500 cons:
- Longer tray needs more clearance turning into gateways and sheds
- Loaded weight climbs quickly with a full 1.5m tray plus a towed trailer
NTT1500 best for: farms hauling bulkier loads that outgrow a 1200mm tray. Verdict: Buy.
4. 1.5m Galvanised Transport Tray with Cage Sides and Tow Bar: best tow hitch for loose gear and stock feed
The 1.5m Galvanised Transport Tray with Cage Sides and Tow Bar takes the 1.5m tray and adds cage sides, aimed at loose loads that would otherwise slide or bounce off in transit.
Cage tray pros:
- Cage sides stop stock nuts, tools and firewood rolling off in transit
- Tow bar still hitches a second trailer while the tray carries the first load
- Galvanised finish suited to daily paddock use
Cage tray cons:
- Cage adds width, so it's tighter through narrow gateways
- Overkill if you only ever haul palletised loads that don't shift
Cage tray best for: lifestyle block owners moving loose stock feed, tools or firewood while towing. Verdict: Buy.
How we ranked
Each tow hitch is ranked on the criteria above: pin and hitch style, tractor HP match, tray size where a tray is involved, and finish for NZ weather. The Novaquip Towbar with Clevis Tow Hitch tops the list because it does one job cleanly at the lowest weight; the tray-mounted options move up the list as tray size and cargo needs grow.
Which tow hitch should you choose in 2026?
If you tow a trailer now and then and already carry gear another way, the Novaquip Towbar with Clevis Tow Hitch is the default buy. Need to haul cargo and tow at the same time, pick the NTT1200 for tractors up to 100HP or step up to the NTT1500 for bigger loads. Moving loose stock feed or tools while towing, the cage-sided 1.5m tray is the one that keeps everything in place.
FAQ
What is the best tow hitch rating for a NZ farm trailer?
The right rating depends on your tractor's drawbar capacity and the trailer's coupling, not a single fixed number. Match the hitch's pin size to your tractor's linkage category and confirm the trailer coupling suits a clevis pin before buying.
Is a clevis hitch better than a tow ball for farm trailers?
A clevis hitch is generally faster to hook and unhook behind a tractor and is the standard fitment on tractor-mounted tow bars. A tow ball suits trailers built with a ball coupling, so the choice comes down to what your trailer already has fitted.
What size linkage pin does my tractor use?
Category 1 linkage pins measure around 22mm and Category 2 around 28mm, covering most compact to mid-size tractors sold in NZ. Check your tractor's lower link pins against these sizes before ordering a hitch or tray.
Can I tow a trailer without a tray attachment?
Yes — a standalone clevis hitch like the Novaquip Towbar with Clevis Tow Hitch gives you a tow point with no tray attached. It's the lighter option if you already carry gear another way.
How much can a compact tractor tow?
Towing capacity comes down to the tractor's drawbar rating and the hitch fitted to it, which is why the NTT1200 is built and rated specifically for tractors up to 100HP. Always match the hitch rating to your own tractor's specification rather than the trailer's weight alone.
What's the difference between the NTT1200 and NTT1500 transport trays?
The NTT1200 carries a 1200mm tray rated for tractors up to 100HP, while the NTT1500 extends that to a 1.5m tray on the same tow bar mount. Pick the NTT1500 when loads regularly outgrow the shorter tray.
Do I need cage sides on a transport tray?
Cage sides matter when you're hauling loose items like stock feed, tools or firewood that can slide or bounce off an open tray. Palletised or strapped loads generally don't need them.
One last thing
The pin is the part that fails, not the hitch body. Match the clevis pin diameter to the trailer coupling's eye exactly, not just to what fits the tractor's drawbar — a pin that's a few millimetres loose is the most common point of failure on farm trailer setups across 2026 fleets, and it's the cheapest thing on the whole hitch to get right.