Member Since: 25 Jan 2012
Location: Staffordshire
Posts: 129
D4 Tow Ball Storage... my brain hurts
OK, may be a stupid question, but having spent 2 hours laying in the back of the car yesterday, I came up with a question.....
How the hell do you get the detachable tow hook back in to the D4 foam storage thing?
The moulding looks like it will take the hook standing up (kind of in a similar position to how it mounts for towing duties), but it isn't stable in that position in the holder and the retaining strap passes behind it. The top of the tow bar also fouls the wiring loom if left in this position.
Am pretty sure it was laying down originally (should have taken a photo ). The strap seems to fit into a position that makes sense and the tow bar can't fall anywhere. BUT, it is a very very tight fit to get into the holder, doesn't line up with any of the foam mouldings and is perilously close to fouling the earthing connections to the body shell.
I must be missing something.... surely? Anyone got any pictures of the correctly stowed tow bar in the D4 kit?
2nd Apr 2012 7:22 pm
stick
Member Since: 13 Jan 2010
Location: hants
Posts: 604
all i do is lay it in the slot, ball to the front, long strap without buckle over top, short strap with buckle underneath, and do up. Can't see a problem....d4 HSE
2nd Apr 2012 7:32 pm
Zapp79
Member Since: 25 Jan 2012
Location: Staffordshire
Posts: 129
That's the way I have put it back in (and is the way I recall it sitting there before I took it out).
Doesn't seem to be a very good fit against the earthing connections and doesn't seem to correspond with the mouldings (or depth of the foam insert) though.
Dunno - may be just me going crackers. I am used to my old D3 technique of slinging it in a bit of tarpaulin and storing in the 3rd row footwell.
2nd Apr 2012 7:44 pm
bambi
Member Since: 10 Apr 2009
Location: south yorkshire
Posts: 2059
I'm with stick, but yes it does seem close to the wires, I just dog the strap up tight.
4th Apr 2012 8:39 pm
Zapp79
Member Since: 25 Jan 2012
Location: Staffordshire
Posts: 129
yeah, I got it back in there and pulled the strap tight. obviously not something meant to be taken in and out too often (waaay to close to the wiring!)
The bit that threw me was the mouldings in the foam holder that suggest the hook sits upright. They are a bit pointless from what I can tell.
Guess I would never get a job at the box factory
4th Apr 2012 8:44 pm
Ted Newman
Member Since: 09 Oct 2010
Location: SE London
Posts: 840
As we only tow our caravan I leave the tow ball wrapped up in an old towel in a side locker on the caravan.
Yes I agree the official stowage point s a pain in the back side.LR Discovery 4 XS pulling an Airstream 532 Caravan also own (since new) a 1996 MGF
5th Apr 2012 9:20 am
crwoody
Member Since: 09 Mar 2009
Location: Littleborough
Posts: 2109
This is where mine sits -
Click image to enlarge
Clive
5th Apr 2012 9:52 am
Zapp79
Member Since: 25 Jan 2012
Location: Staffordshire
Posts: 129
looks like the mouldings may be for the D3 then.
Definitely not going to fit like that in the D4. The hook has to lay flat otherwise the spade shaped end crushes the wiring loom. (And there is no fuse set in the D4 kit either).
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). The strap seems to fit into a position that makes sense and the tow bar can't fall anywhere. BUT, it is a very very tight fit to get into the holder, doesn't line up with any of the foam mouldings and is perilously close to fouling the earthing connections to the body shell. 
