Hmmm. Not happy that my NAS fitment may not be included in this as that is what supports the NATO hitch, the rear winch, the bike rack, and the pin hitch attachment. Towing on a 50mm ball - can't remember when last I did that!A vaccine does not stop you catching a virus, or passing it on, or getting ill from it, really ill. It does reduce the likelyhood of you dying when really, really ill. Stay Alive - KEEP AWAY FROM PEOPLE.
19th Dec 2014 2:00 pm
L319
Member Since: 14 Dec 2013
Location: Herefordshire
Posts: 2083
I suspect NAS Receiver fitment not supported in UK as I don't believe it is type approved for EU.
19th Dec 2014 3:15 pm
drout
Member Since: 10 Dec 2014
Location: hexham
Posts: 87
think I'll go for the fixed version then as it's going to be doing some serious towing
Inspect the condition of the tow equipment using a gauge special tool. Where the gauge indicates excessive wear, install heavy duty multi-height towbar equipment. A handbook supplement should be placed in the vehicle literature pack. The rework action will be undertaken on your vehicle at no charge to you, under the terms of this programme."
My removeable tow bar was loose - LR Customer Services arranged dealer to check it (full marks to dealer for speed & service) there was excessive wear & they had to drill out part of the bar, but they just fitted a replacement removeable tow bar!! This was before the official recall, which I see instructs a multi height towbar. At time of purchase of car it was not described as being for occassional use & no choice given by dealer - used for towing heavy horse trailer weekly, sometimes for round trips of 300+ miles so wouldn't describe it as occasional but it's exactly what a Disco should be capable of:-).
Any views? - I'm inclined to contact LR CS again as they've obviously updated their action on this issue...
21st Dec 2014 8:14 pm
galwaygreen
Member Since: 30 Oct 2011
Location: plymouth
Posts: 6525
will you be allowed to keep the old one or will they want to keep it
21st Dec 2014 8:46 pm
Robbie
Member Since: 05 Feb 2006
Location: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Posts: 17932
So what would happen in my case - removable tow ball from my original D3 mounted to my MY13 D4?
What does the special gauge measure - the bar, the receiver or both?
Land Rover - Turning Drivers into Mechanics Since 1948
I have just bought a disco 3 to tow the large caravan that I have just bought to stay with relatives over Christmas and now I find that the removable tow ball I have bought MAY be suspect....
There is no up and down play but a little side to side movement.
Whatever I do, I have to be able to tow reliably on the 24th!
Welcome to disco ownership I guess
21st Dec 2014 9:04 pm
DG Site Moderator
Member Since: 12 Dec 2005
Location: The Gaff
Posts: 50981
robbie wrote:
so what would happen in my case - removable tow ball from my original d3 mounted to my my13 d4?
what does the special gauge measure - the bar, the receiver or both?
Here and pdf below Rob
Quote:
workshop procedure
1. check to see if towing electrics and/or towbar are installed. if not, place handbook supplement in vehicle, no further action required.
2. inspect the towbar.
if the vehicle has a multi-height towbar installed, place handbook supplement in the vehicle and release the vehicle.
if the vehicle does not have a multi-height towbar installed, carry on from step 3.
3. carry out a towbar mounting check (see topix workshop manual – body and paint – 502-02).
if the original detachable tow ball release handle does not point to the red area of the special service tool (sst) jlr-501-201, release the vehicle as no further action is required.
if the original detachable tow ball release handle points to the red area of the special service tool (sst) jlr-501-201, install a new detachable tow ball and carry out the towbar mounting check again. if the new tow ball release handle still points to the red area of the sst, carry on to step 4 (please be certain that the sst is clearly in the red area as the crossmember replacement is an invasive procedure)..
if the tow ball release handle now points away from the red area of the sst, carry on from step 6 and install a new multi-height towbar (lr007484) (do not replace the crossmember).
4. install a new rear crossmember (see topix workshop manual – body and paint – 502-02).
to carry out the painting of the rear crossmember refer to the policy and procedure manual.
Member Since: 01 Feb 2009
Location: Heysham Lancs
Posts: 285
Ok I'm lost here with the comment that the removable Towbar should be removed and stored when not in use....has anybody noted that the fixed one uses the exactly same connection point? Yet this is ok to leave in place?... See I'm one of the owners who had the problem detachable towbar and had to listen to both the dealers excuses and the sarcastic comments on this site from members and moderators that I had been irresponsible in leaving my detachable bar attached yet it's ok to have a fixed one In the same connection point...pfft!..To be honest the comment occasional use is a joke and must be leaving a lot of owners feeling very uncomfortable...
21st Dec 2014 11:55 pm
Martin Site Admin and Owner
Member Since: 06 Nov 2004
Location: Hook Norton
Posts: 18573
A fair point, but I would argue that although the fixed one locates at the top it is fitted with bolted arms back to the chassis from pretty close to the tow ball itself.
So the loading of the crossmember socket is going to be different in the fixed and detachable cases.
Having said that, I have seen "fixed" type bars fitted to D3s without the arms
Please note I did raise my response here as a question, not as a direct statement of what "detachable" means. I also think that there is every possibility that LR have got this wrong or marketed the bars incorrectly at the time, not making it clear that the detachable bar was supposed to be removed after each use (as you might with a 5 series BMW). Maybe the market research for the D3 led them in the wrong direction and people tow with D3/4s a lot more than they thought they would? I don't know.
To pick up on a detail in what you said: moderators are still site members and/or people [delete as appropriate] and have opinions as such. They are flogged flagged as moderators because they help out, not because they hold any higher status due to their knowledge or anything else. Because I run the site should I not take part on it, for fear of being of offending or annoying with my input or opinions? I don't think I should hold back on commenting?
Anyway, not your main point or the point of this thread 06 D3 SE / 15 LR D90 XS SW / 88 LR 90 Td5 / 68 BMW 2000 ti
Any issues with the site let me know!
22nd Dec 2014 12:07 am
galwaygreen
Member Since: 30 Oct 2011
Location: plymouth
Posts: 6525
just wonder what our insurance companies make of this..
22nd Dec 2014 1:13 am
fisherman
Member Since: 16 Jan 2007
Location: Hornchurch Essex
Posts: 1789
I am a Disco 3 owner of 8 years and a detachable tow bar stayed in it's receiver for all of those 8 years (albeit 3 + 5). I wasn't aware it was for occasional use and thought it was a tow bar for towing with. It has towed 2 tonnes of caravan all over Western Europe with a 100kg noseweight and I assumed that I was safe in doing so. No one has gone out of their way to tell me I'm doing wrong in any way, shape or form. The original detachable tow bar was replaced after being rear ended some 5 years ago. It has now been fitted to my D4 and was removed by the Indy who supplied the D4 because I couldn't shift it after it's continuous 5 year fitting to the D3.
It was only seeing this thread that I was informed the tow bar was for occasional use. I assume this means I have to remove the tow bar in between use. As my caravan is used every weekend and for about 12 weeks holidays for 9 months a year, I would expect to remove it during Nov-Jan. And not every time I unhitch. I bought the tow bar on the Bay but LR described it as detachable and not occasional. If I had understood occasional I would have bought the heavy duty multi height tow bar in the first place.
I have called Stratstone LR at Woodford who have booked me in for 15/1/2014 to check the tow bar wear and see if the heavy duty kit needs to be fitted.
Now who knows how to wear it out by January? FFRR 2017 4.4SDV8 Autobiography. Cost so much I must be mad!
D4 HSE 2012 Like a second wife, more expensive but goes better! I almost cried this time!
D3 HSE 2006 (Almost 8 years together, true love)
Land Cruiser VX 1994 11 years together, wife cried when I p/ex'd for my D3
22nd Dec 2014 11:20 am
Sion
Member Since: 08 Apr 2014
Location: North Wales
Posts: 367
I've not been able to get my detachable tow bar off since I've owned the car. The lock must of seized. I also can't get if off using the 'other' method. There seems to be quite a lot of play side to side and up and down on mine. I occasionally tow a horse box and almost every weekend I have 4 bikes on the bike carrier. I think it might be worth ringing Hunters LR in Chester
29th Dec 2014 9:40 am
doz
Member Since: 15 Jun 2014
Location: Southampton
Posts: 436
I just called my local dealer. Am awaiting a call back. They dont seem to know anything about it
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