Towbars

[HOWROYD]

My 1996 XMv624v lives with me in Tasmania, where I need to mount a towbar, not availazble from CITCO Aus. Does anyone have drawings, detail or photograph to assist my local steel shop?

[UFO]

Another Aussie on here - woohoo!

But some sad news I believe. As far as I know it is not possible to fit a tow bar to a S2 24V V6 as the exhaust system seems to want to use most of the back end of the car.

I have a not yet fitted bar for my 96 12v and could take some pics I suppose.

Perhaps some of our Brit mates on here could provide more advice.

[techmanagain]

You may have some luck if you can contact Keth on theokk70@yahoo.com.au as he has a towbar fitted on his XM 2.5TD and could possibly photograph it for you. He has a digital camera, I believe. IIRC he has an estate.

[Peter.N.]

I have a towbar that I bought to fit to my estate but never got round to it, as I now have another estate which has a tow bar I am even less likely to get round to it, but I can take a photo of it if it would be of any help.

Peter.N.

[DerekW]

I had a Witter towbar fitted to my S2 V6 24V. The only problem was that the twin chrome exhaust outlets from the back box wanted to occupy the same space as the towbar crosstube. The fitter solved the problem by hacksawing a vee section out of the bottom of each pipe and then levering them down to clear the towbar, last year I had to replace the rear exhaust section (£218!) and repeated the process.

I will be pleased to post some pickies if someone will remind me how to do it.

The V6 makes a splendid towcar, it does have a tendency to hang onto 3rd gear but I can force it into top by pressing the "snow" button - you have to remember to cancel before you stop for traffic lights or pull away from a roundabout as otherwise it labours in 2nd.

Derek

[Assich]

I attached a towbar to my V6 24V last month and had no problems with the exhaust. Brand new off e-bay for £25. Don't have makers name available to me at work. The cross bar sits above the exhaust up behind the bumper with a vertical drop plate in the middle that a rearward spacer attaches to then the tow ball. The only problem with it was that the spare wheel carrier fouled the bolts holding the spacer on but could be bent out the way. I didn't need to do this as I have taken the spare wheel and carrier off to fit an underslung lpg tank in its place.

[DerekW]

Well that's all right then! Perhaps you'd now like to supply the drawings/photo's of your non fouling towbar that HOWROYD asked for, so that he can get one manufactured?

[Assich]

I will scan the diagram of the towbar at work tomorrow and post but it doesn't come with dimensions nor show the sloping plate that connects to the rear subframe and there is no way I am taking that sodden rear bumper off again. Sorry. The bar (part number 01-76) was provided by RDF Eurobars Ltd, Cambridge 01733 555263 for anyone interested.

[Assich]

Photos for now - pdf and dimensions tomorrow.

[DerekW]

Interesting that yours is fitted inside the rear bumper and valance. Mine is behind, outside the bumper; which explains why there's interference with the exhaust outlets. The cross member is a substantial square steel tube with a shaped plate welded at each end which curves around the valance and up in front of the bumper,bolted to chassis members. There are two longitudinal members similar to yours going forward.

I still don't know how to post pictures!

[Assich]

Posting pictures - you need to join something like photobucket.com and upload your photots there. Once you have uploaded them the album will show each as a thumbnail will URL etc below. All you need to do is copy the URL and paste in the box that comes up when you hit the "IMG" button available when writing a post. Make sure your album or subfolder is visible to the public in photobucket.

[Assich]

Sketch of towbar and fitting instructions. Dimensions are approx. Remember you need to change the file name in the save as dialogue box to Towbar.pdf.

This post has been edited by Assich on April 23, 2007 07:50 am

[DerekW]

Thanks for the info re pictures

[Assich]

DerekW just realised our Xm's were four days apart on the production line.

[DerekW]

It's over a year late, but here goes for the Witter bumper that fouls the V6 exhaust:










As you can see, unlike Assich's towbar, the crosstube on this one sits behind the rear bumper where it gets in the way. The second picture shows how the exhaust outlets were cut , bent and then sealed with gungum.

Sorry the pictures are a bit large.

Derek

This post has been edited by DerekW on August 25, 2008 05:20 pm