[GuyMark]

Although I would rather not, I need to have a towbar fitted - and I see that extending to the rear bumper on both side are what look like EXTREMELY substantial steel sections which hold the rear bumper in place.

I am also assuming that this is where the towing eye if fitted is plonked?

What I was wondering, is, can a towbar be safely placed on a thick bit of H or box section steel, welded to these two steel lumps? I just cannot bring myself to pay about £500 for a small bit of metal to fix a towbar in place so I can tow a 200Kg trailer if a sensible option is just to have a welder plonk a hefty bit of box section at the back - and have a detachable ball on it.


Are these metal supports strong enough to bung a towbar on - or must I weld / bolt to a different "bit of car" ? The wiring for the lights etc, I am more than happy to do myself.

Any thoughts welcome, helpful ones even more so

Kind Regards

Mark

 

[mattjdduncan]

I have never tried to fit one but I can supply a tow bar for the shadow for about £330. if interested.

Matt

 

[koenig]

Never used or installed, but recently rebuilt my boat trailer. The marine parts store had an excellent selection of accesories. Including universal tow kits for light towing kits for all vehicles. Reese who also OEM to Ford trucks. A carriage bolts and blocks onto the frame makes a clamp, no welding or drilling. Fast search gives this example with no picture:

http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/4/Auto/TowingTrailers/HitchesTrailerAccessories/PRDOVR~0405076P/Reese+Towpower+Class+II+Multi-Fit+Hitch.jsp

 

[GuyMark]

I have never tried to fit one but I can supply a tow bar for the shadow for about £330. if interested.

Matt

Thanks Matt - though I think the Turbo R is the same frame as the spirit and possibly the spur (assuming same backend but a bit further away). Not sure if the same is true for the shadows though.

As the car is old enough not to need to comply with the specific euro tow-bar law, I might just get something strong and simple welded to those "side arm things" at the back. If one towing eye is supposed to be able to tow another RR/B then I am guessing that if a pair of mounts are used to tow a dinky little trailer, I doubt anything is going to come apart.


Mark

 

[GuyMark]

Never used or installed, but recently rebuilt my boat trailer. The marine parts store had an excellent selection of accesories. Including universal tow kits for light towing kits for all vehicles. Reese who also OEM to Ford trucks. A carriage bolts and blocks onto the frame makes a clamp, no welding or drilling. Fast search gives this example with no picture:

http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/4/Auto/TowingTrailers/HitchesTrailerAccessories/PRDOVR~0405076P/Reese+Towpower+Class+II+Multi-Fit+Hitch.jsp

Thanks for that, I will see if I can find a UK stockist or a UK version of it. I know I found universal systems in the US before but seem not to find them in the UK. I guess because with cars built after 1990something, they all have to be made to fit a specific vehicle - so it is only the older cars that can use universals.

I keep looking for a towbar fitted to an Turbo R / silver spirit so I can have a quick peek underneath and see where the official bracket mounting points are. So far not spotted one.

Have fun and thanks again for thoughts

Mark

 

[bentleyman22]

Hi Mark
Not advisable to Weld it But Bolting it in place is ok just put a big plate on the out side
And then it will be ok for EU
I Love to see a Bentley used
8)

 

[GuyMark]

Hi Mark
Not advisable to Weld it But Bolting it in place is ok just put a big plate on the out side
And then it will be ok for EU
I Love to see a Bentley used
8)

Excellent, thank you very much for that, I shall see what I can get sorted with some nice bits of heavy duty box section and some hefty plates and M12 bolts.

Kind Regards

Mark

 

[koenig]

Should be able to find them. Reese is also in Australia.

http://www.haymanreese.com.au/consumer/catalogue/ProductSearch.aspx

 

[GuyMark]

Should be able to find them. Reese is also in Australia.

http://www.haymanreese.com.au/consumer/catalogue/ProductSearch.aspx

Thanks I had a go on that link - but they seemed not to have anything for RR/B nor a "generic option" to select on the website. I think I will end up bolting some 50mm x 50mm x 6mm box section between the two back bits holding the bumper on and then bolt a towbar to the box section.

If I get it right, when the ball is removed, it ought to be quite tidy, and just a couple of M12 bolts and it's back on again.

Was thinking of putting the lighting socket UNDER the car so a tiny bit more fiddly to plug in / unplug but also totally out of sight.

All this to tow a trailer with a maximum weight of 300Kg.

Mark

 

[bentleyman22]

Good morning Mark
Why don’t you look around your local scrap yard and see if you can find a ready made one and then modify it
You must have a BRAKE point that is why there bolted to the car
Yes it will be good to put the electrics out of the way put some Greece in it so it doesn’t get water in

 

[GuyMark]

Good morning Mark
Why don’t you look around your local scrap yard and see if you can find a ready made one and then modify it
You must have a BRAKE point that is why there bolted to the car
Yes it will be good to put the electrics out of the way put some Greece in it so it doesn’t get water in

Thanks for that, but I am not quite sure what you mean by a brake point - and why that is the difference between welded and bolted. Is this the bit where you attach a loop of wire to pull the brakes on of a trailer if the main system fails and breaks?

The only reason I was not wanting to modify an old one was that it would mean more joins / welds / bolts than a single bit cut to size and a tow ball bolted on. I was just trying to keep it simple. Also, if it is from a scrap yard, I am not going to be too sure if "that bit of surface rust near the weld" is ok or a sign of a badly weakened unit.

I would love to know what the proper bar for these cars actually looks like - or where the normal points of attachment are - but neither the pdf manual seems to show it, nor does the handbook.

Thanks for thoughts - but I am a tiny bit puzzled about the brake point.

Kind Regards

Mark

 

[bentleyman22]

It is easer for you to contact these people they will explain all you need to know
And they do a deducible one for £300
Michael
Watling Engineers Ltd
01727873661
Or look them up on the web

 

[bentleyman22]

It is easer for you to contact these people they will explain all you need to know
And they do a detachable one for £300
Michael
Watling Engineers Ltd
01727873661
Or look them up on the web
Sorry spelt it wrong sorry