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rnlisg
Member Since: 07 Aug 2010
Location: kent
Posts: 209
  
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alex,never had any probs towing heavy twin axles etc,it is ok up to 3500kg according to the blurb,it seems as if a couple of people have had an issue out of the thousands who have not,was there a fault in the way they hitched up, or did not have the towbar correctly in its locater.
dangerous is the little suzuki jeep thing i saw near rye this week pulling a double horsebox(only one horse but way over the top)must have been half a tonne heavier than the car  s/steel side tubes,door trims with bright inlay,front and rear light guards,half chrome mirror caps,mud flaps,chrome finishers on boot and rear bumper step,chrome finishers round gear shift and cup holders,chrome door handle covers.d/4 grille conversion,chrome foglamp bezzells,parrot bluetooth.***sadly missed**********
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 10th May 2011 10:29 am |
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hughes_jh
Member Since: 09 Jan 2011
Location: Warwickshire
Posts: 294
 
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Just in case you were wondering why would LR bother with a fixed one if the detachable is fully spec'ced for 3500kg....
The fixed one allows for height adjustment whereas the detachable one has no method of adjustment.
I'm not entirely convinced there would any issue with the detachable one as I think I'm right in saying that the fixed one mounts in exactly the same way with the addition of a couple of stabiliser bars. Someone may verify this?
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| 10th May 2011 10:38 am |
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J@mes
Member Since: 10 Nov 2008
Location: Bomber County
Posts: 4547
 
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yes that is right but the stabilizer bars are pretty heavy duty, and fitted to the chassis with something like M16 bolts. It stops any visible movement in the towbar compared to the detachable one, but whether the same can be said while towing is a different matter. 2014 D4 XS
2005 D3 SE - Gone
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| 10th May 2011 12:13 pm |
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zebadee
Member Since: 15 Feb 2006
Location: The Magic Roundabout
Posts: 1392
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Yep you’re correct the fixed tow bar plugs in the same way as the detachable tow bar, with the addition of two stabiliser bars back to the chassis. However, I feel these bars are key to the increased strength of the set up, as the pull on the ball is transmitted both to the socket the tow bar is mounted in & also back to the chassis.
Whereas with the detachable tow bar, all the pull is transmitted up to the socket, with quite a levering action at play.
As far as reporting the issues with the detachable tow bar, I know that in the case I wrote about above, he went to the dealer about the issue & got no hop whatsoever, other than to be told that the tow bar is certified as per the rating, blah, blah, blah. I must find out if he took it any further.
Personally I'm not at all happy or comfortable with the detachable tow bar set up, for anything other than a bike carrier or some light occasional towing. For towing a boat or larger trailer, I have the fixed tow bar on the D3, I’m certainly not going to rely solely on the upper mounting socket.
The experience of the guy with the RRS only served to copperfasten my opinion.
Better safe than sorry 
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| 10th May 2011 12:14 pm |
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Alex08
Member Since: 09 Nov 2006
Location: Glasgow
Posts: 1600
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Group buy, fixed towbar.........? 
The worm can is now fully open. Sorry 
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| 10th May 2011 12:18 pm |
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BBDisco3
Member Since: 23 Nov 2008
Location: Cheshire
Posts: 3643
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Perhaps these "faulty" tow balls were actually unlocked with keys still in or snapped off, but still held in position with rust.
I know i have had to give the top of mine a blow with the hammer to remove it once unlocked and after it has been fitted for a length of time.
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| 10th May 2011 12:28 pm |
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Russell
Member Since: 24 Aug 2007
Location: Kent
Posts: 10564
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The fixed tow bar is multihieght and as such can have a lot more load applied lower down, hence the stabiliser bars to stop the load/levarage effect. The removable one is designed to take the 3500kg as previouly mentioned. MY17 D5 1st Edition Namib Orange
MY15 D4 HSE Kaikoura Stone
MY12 D4 HSE Nara Bronze Sold and gone
MY11 D4 HSE Stornaway Grey Sold and gone
D3 S spec Silver Sold and gone
Tow bar, full length roof bars, side steps, tow bar storage unit, surround camers.
D4 camera club
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| 10th May 2011 12:34 pm |
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hughes_jh
Member Since: 09 Jan 2011
Location: Warwickshire
Posts: 294
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BBDisco3 wrote:Perhaps these "faulty" tow balls were actually unlocked with keys still in or snapped off, but still held in position with rust.
+1 on this thought
I'm just thinking that the detatchable tow bar looks every bit as meaty as the sort of think you would find on a pick up hitch on a tractor which happily lugs around more than 10 tons without any concern. I know the concern here isn't about the inherent strength of the tow bar as much as how its held in place, but 3500kg isn't a huge concern in my opinion
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| 10th May 2011 12:47 pm |
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zebadee
Member Since: 15 Feb 2006
Location: The Magic Roundabout
Posts: 1392
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While the tow hook is undoubtedly a meaty piece of iron, I just always felt that you’re putting an awful lot of faith in the little locking pin. A bit like a solid oak door is only as good as the frame it’s hung on.
That said, there are absolutly loads of people towing quite successfully with the removable tow bar. It’s just that I never liked the idea of it.
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| 10th May 2011 12:51 pm |
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hughes_jh
Member Since: 09 Jan 2011
Location: Warwickshire
Posts: 294
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I understand your concern zebadee. I look at it a little differently.... the locking pin is holding the tow hook in place but as long as it does its job, the tow hook directly transfers all the load into the subframe on the car.
Lots of other good examples around where seemingly weedy components are used to great effect. Just look at the trailer you're coupling to the car. Whilst the main body of the hitch is faily chunky, the handle/locking mechanism doesn't look too beefy. But its job is to keep everything connected so the sturdy bits carry the load
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| 10th May 2011 2:07 pm |
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Navigator
Member Since: 17 Mar 2010
Location: Stay at Home. One of the lives you save could be your own.
Posts: 5111
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I am keen to see photographs of any removable tow hitch that has failed in action. 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.
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| 10th May 2011 2:18 pm |
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megla
Member Since: 22 Mar 2011
Location: essex
Posts: 31
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yesterday i went to fit a THULE detachable tow ball to my disco 3. upon closer inspection it would not fit snugly.
the locking bolt only shot out half way into the lock area. dodgy to say the least and the little lock key would not
come out. To overcome this i power filed some high spots off the top of the ball casting. Now fits snug and the
latch shoots fully out. This sort of situation may have contributed to some members detatchments.
and the moral of the storey make sure you get the full length in.  
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| 11th May 2011 10:00 am |
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rnlisg
Member Since: 07 Aug 2010
Location: kent
Posts: 209
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| getting the full length in !!! |
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amazing how the most innocent of conversations can get "smutty"
s/steel side tubes,door trims with bright inlay,front and rear light guards,half chrome mirror caps,mud flaps,chrome finishers on boot and rear bumper step,chrome finishers round gear shift and cup holders,chrome door handle covers.d/4 grille conversion,chrome foglamp bezzells,parrot bluetooth.***sadly missed**********
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| 11th May 2011 10:16 am |
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Mark B
Member Since: 06 Jan 2009
Location: Hampshire
Posts: 24
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We had no problems towing our horse trailer with the detachable bar.
However, we did find that it didn't sit at quite the right height and it did affect stability slightly. Have now changed to a fixed bar and it feels very stable now.
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| 11th May 2011 3:45 pm |
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Splitpin
Member Since: 30 Dec 2010
Location: At the toolbox
Posts: 535
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I read of some folks have had slight movement in the removable bar.
I needed a hitch pin and ball fitting so had to go with the fixed type.
this video shows a few shots of the fitting socket, but its not the LR item.
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| 11th May 2011 4:52 pm |
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