Member Since: 12 Feb 2009
Location: Matlock, Derbyshire
Posts: 106
Fitting a Multi Height Towbar
Has anyone fitted a multi height towbar?
Having a problem removing the bolts that go through the rear chassis rails. The nut comes off ok but the bolt will not come out. The bolt appears to be sleeved through the chassis rail and when I turn the bolt head with a socket you can just see the sleeve (through a hole in the bottom of the chassis rail) turning.
The other end of the bolt (nut end) has an extended section about 15mm and this has an 10mm hex section. The bolts on both sides are stuck fast. I have tried working them back and forward with a socket, heating them with a blowtorch and finally trying to drift them out with a hammer. The towbar fitting instructions just show them as standard bolts.
Any ideas?
Thanks Jack
12th Feb 2009 8:13 pm
DiscoStu
Member Since: 09 Apr 2006
Location: London
Posts: 11412
Member Since: 27 Feb 2009
Location: Leeds
Posts: 66
Where are my Chassis Rail Bolts?
Just picked up my Disco last weekend - what a car!!
I'm wanting to fit the Witter multi-height towbar and had a look at the back end after reading this thread and a couple of other, with a view to pre-soaking the bolts with WD-40.. I can't see any bolts in the rear chassis rails, only a hole and on the outer part of the rail, a hole with a cut out, making it look more like a keyhole? Is this normal? Mine's a 2008.5 model... DO I need to purchase the bolts from LR and if so does anyone know the part no?
Thanks..
27th Feb 2009 3:44 pm
zebadee
Member Since: 15 Feb 2006
Location: The Magic Roundabout
Posts: 1392
Here’s a post I made in an Old Thread, about this very issue………
Quote:
There is a threaded insert in the chassis rail, although it’s a slightly unusual, if not quirky set-up ! The insert actually passes through the chassis rail & is secured on the other side by a nut.
The LR instructions show that you take out the 18mm bolts, offer up the tie rods of the drawbar & thread back in the bolts to secure. However in my experience when you take out the bolts, the threaded insert, which is in tension in the rail, will spring off centre with the hole in the chassis rail, thereby making it virtually impossible, actually no, totally impossible to line up & rethread the bolts you took out !!
So what to do is…… slacken off the nut securing the insert a little, which will allow the insert to jiggle around in the chassis rail making it very easy to line up the bolt securing the tie rod. When you try to slacken off this nut, you may find that the insert is spinning in the chassis rail, but you’ll see that there is shaft protruding though the nut, which will fit either a 10 or 13mm spanner, can’t quite remember. So just hold the shaft as you slacken off the nut & hey presto !!
What I’d recommend is that you leave all the various nuts & bolts loose, until you have everything lined up & threaded in. Then snug up everything hand tight, check that you’re happy with the alignment & that you have the nuts & bolts where they should be. Then come along with the various sockets & spanners & “bury†everything !!
I hope this is of help & that I haven’t only succeeded in bamboozling you further ! Unfortunately I’m not always the best at putting into words a procedure that I can visualize in my head. Guess I’ll never make a teacher then……
Hope that helps
27th Feb 2009 5:05 pm
Spikey
Member Since: 27 Feb 2009
Location: Leeds
Posts: 66
Thanks Zebedee, it was reading that older thread that made me want to have a look at the set up. The point is, there don't seem to be any bolts there, just holes in the chassis rails, a little in front of the weights, where the bolts and threaded sleeves would go... Did LR just forget to fit them?
27th Feb 2009 5:12 pm
zebadee
Member Since: 15 Feb 2006
Location: The Magic Roundabout
Posts: 1392
I guess it is possible that they are not there. Although on any D3 or RRS I've been under they have been.
That said, they seem to serve no purpose whatsoever, until an Adj height tow bar is fitted. So the vehicel certainly can do without them.
But then you'd think that if the bolts are put in during the build, that they would now need to be supplied with the hitch kit.
27th Feb 2009 5:16 pm
Spikey
Member Since: 27 Feb 2009
Location: Leeds
Posts: 66
I must admit to being a bit surprised to find a hole there having looked at various threads and fitting instruction web clips etc.. I guess it's off to the dealers to find out if they can source them....
27th Feb 2009 5:20 pm
zebadee
Member Since: 15 Feb 2006
Location: The Magic Roundabout
Posts: 1392
Just went out & popped under my Sport, which has the same set up as a D3 & this what I have……
Chassis rail / Drivers Side (inside)
Chassis rail / Drivers Side (outside)
Hope that helps
27th Feb 2009 5:29 pm
Spikey
Member Since: 27 Feb 2009
Location: Leeds
Posts: 66
Thanks for that. Had a quick go with the camera too, but it is pretty dark out there now...
Drivers side, inside rail
Drivers side outside rail
As you can see (I hope) where you have bolts, which I was hoping to find, I would seem to have nowt!
I think the weights look to be a slightly different design, there does not seem to be that curved metal plate coming out from the bolt and up towards the weight on the inner rail on my car.
27th Feb 2009 9:54 pm
zebadee
Member Since: 15 Feb 2006
Location: The Magic Roundabout
Posts: 1392
MMmmm & that keyhole slotted hole
Now of course i can't say for sure if I have a keyhole like that, as it could be covered by the plate.
There's certainly a difference in the setups alright.
There's a chance I'll be passing near my LR dealer tomorrow, so if I am, I'll pop in & take a look under one of their new D3's to see what's under there.
BTW what model year is your D3 ?
28th Feb 2009 12:44 am
Spikey
Member Since: 27 Feb 2009
Location: Leeds
Posts: 66
It's a 2008.5 model year, registered Dec 2007...
Thanks
28th Feb 2009 12:54 am
zebadee
Member Since: 15 Feb 2006
Location: The Magic Roundabout
Posts: 1392
Right so, leave it with me
28th Feb 2009 1:06 am
zebadee
Member Since: 15 Feb 2006
Location: The Magic Roundabout
Posts: 1392
Update !
Okay so…….
I’ve just called into my LR Dealer & had a look under a couple of Disco 3’s.
MY07.5 & MY08 Disco’s have the bolts as per my picture, but theMY08.5 Disco’s don’t have them, instead having the same keyhole slot setup as you show in your pictures.
I also popped in under a MY08.5 RRS & it too has the different set up of the keyhole slot & no bolts !!!
The parts dept / workshop isn’t open on a Saturday, so I wasn’t able to check if there is an addtional fitting kit available for the MY08.5’s to allow fitment of the Adj Hitch Kit.
But I would imagine there has to be, or if not, then there might well be a new Adj Hitch kit specifically for MY08.5 vehicles.
I’ll try to find out more during the week & will post an update
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Is this normal? Mine's a 2008.5 model... DO I need to purchase the bolts from LR and if so does anyone know the part no?
