Hi all,

Can anyone confirm if it is still OK to drive my 2004 RR with the tow bar bracket removed?

I have dropped it off for repainting as it was getting ugly. It is a hideous cheap bracket anyway - not the proper one but some aftermarket stuff.

I recall that some part of a standard RR had to be removed to fit a tow bar. I have not got anything to put back in it's place and the car is on wedding duty for a friend tomorrow!

Thanks in advance

David

Click image to enlarge

If you have just removed the centre bar shown in your photo and left the side supports, then these are very are very similar to the non towbar armature bits - but you will be missing a rear recovery point. I'm sure that one of the towbar fitting places might have original armatures which they would probably scrap if you want to lose the towbar completely.

Thanks for that but, forgive me as I am still slightly confused.

As well as the long cross piece that you see on the ground, there is a barcket fitted to each side. These brackets bolt to the car, and the crosspiece bolts to them.

I assume that the two side brackets fitted to the car are original as they also carry the mounts for the rear exhaust hanger - hence I cannot easily remove the brackets without losing a means to support the exhaust.

So did LR supply a sort of dummy crosspiece (an armature?? - I thought that was a rotating part of a motor) that gets removed and binned by tow bar fitters.

David 2004 4.4 V8 Vogue

Indeed there are slightly different shaped metal pieces (one with a towing ring welded to the rear) which were originally there, but have been replaced by your two towing side pieces.

From memory - the armature is merely the bit which supports the fixed or detachable tow bar (see here http://www.pfjones.co.uk/range-rover-2002-...r-1.html). The search function towards the top of the page usually gives loads of information back.

Thanks VV

That all seems OK. I have sent the RR off to the wedding without the centre piece while the fresh paint dries on it. The car is back Sunday so will fit it back on then,

From what I have learned separately from your comments, the Witter tow bar kit (which I think this is) comes with new side peices, the old having to be removed as they were, as you say, just for a lash down point and to carry the exhaust brackets. I think there would not have been a centre piece originally, and one is only fitted when a tow bar is fitted.

Out of curiosity, I will make a mental note to crawl under any RR's I see in the supermarket carparks just to confirm my theory. If you catch me under yours you'll know why!

Thanks again for quick responses

Zeus 2004 4.4 V8 Vogue

That's correct - at some point I will find the original two side bits (no centre piece) and add a photo!

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No wnmed VV I have it all clear in my mind now. Thanks for your help

David 2004 4.4 V8 Vogue