Evening all

I need to carry up to 4 bikes and Reggie (that's the cars name) doesn't have a tow bar fitted.

So, my question is two-fold: -

1. Given its only ever going to be used to transport bicycles, what type of tow bar do I need/can i get by with;
2. Can I get a rear mount cycle carrier for FFRR?

On the roof isn't really an option given the height/expense of roof bars.

Wife is talking about selling him if he can't carry cycles - so she might have to go first!

Thank you in anticipation.

I have the typical factory fitted Westfalia towbar . It's an under car bolt on armature, with a wired in plug... And you then choose your tow bar removable hook system. Most go for the drop out hook, it's a two piece system. but others choose the three position chunky looking farmers hitch, with a bolt on traditional tow hook. Both types are removable, for looks and theft deterrent. The armature stays . They changed design around the facelift, in 2006.
Without the tow hook fitted to the armature. you have an option, you have a 50mm square hole, to fabricate your own or buy some sort of aftermarket plug in cycle carrier. Some can carry 4 bikes. Without the wiring, you have another issue, you need to hang a trailer board on your bikes as the lights and number plate is obscured. So you need the wiring,
I would search eBay and try and buy a secondhand armature, with wiring, I believe it simply plugs into vehicles wiring. If you get the tow hook with it, it does make your car a bit more sellable in future.
I carry 4 bikes, with my factory fitted armature, and a modified folding 4 bike carrier, made by an American firm called yakima. Not that easy to buy in UK. But I do have a spare one! But you will need to first get you armature all fitted up. I would think you will be looking at about £200 to buy one, a bit more for an aftermarket one, as would be new, but might not have the removable hook.
When you have added all the parts up, it's an expensive modification to your Rangie.
There are some other posts about retrofitting tow bars to these cars. Some members have made a tray type rack, and others like me used the hanging method, but the hanging method means some suspension mud bikes won't be able to be hung.

The LR accessory bicycle carrier for the 322, which I have (LR accessory no VTG00020) only takes two cycles. It bolts into the towbar armature in place of the towbar. You'd need the armature plus electrics for your light board.

I don't know about 4-bicycle carriers I'm afraid. LR do a 3-bicycle carrier for the 405, but I'm not sure how that would attach. Only Range Rovers since 1988

cheaper buying 4 x folding bikes

Roof mounted might work out cheaper for 4 bikes - I've done every combination over the years.....

There's probably not a lot in it & more re-sale value from the roof setup.

You'd need a pair of Thule bars & FFRR feet & 4 cycle carriers - the carriers are often on eBay.

Pro's & cons to each approach - rear mounted are easier to load, but obstruct the boot opening. I also had one of the official RR ones that went into the armature - that was good, but only rated for 2 bikes & hangs quite way back from the car - and still needed the electrics for a trailer board.

Or it's the full tow bar setup.

I use a towbar mounted MaxxRaxx with the cranked upright for cars with a rear mounted spare. That allows the boot to be opened. Getting them up on the roof is a monstrous task unless you're 7 foot tall and paintwork damage is only a matter of time. Contrast the cost of paint repair with the price of a Westfalia towbar and suddenly the towbar option looks more attractive.

Altera Strada 4 bike carrier available

I have a 2 bike carrier as seen below, it swings down to allow access to the boot

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Admin note: this post has had its images recovered from a money grabbing photo hosting site and reinstated

Pendle do 4 bike racks that hang off a standard tow bar bracket - we used one a lot when the kids were younger fixed to my wife's BMW 318 estate or to my Defender. With the Defender the spare wheel had to be taken off the back door though. Perfectly safe and never had any issues with it although I used to tie the wheels together to stop them spinning. Very disconcerting when looking in the rear view mirror!

I used one of these folding steps when using a roof mounted setup

Roof mounted means the you also have a set of roofers should you ever need to cary anything else on the roof The Thule ones also lock to the car & the cycle carriers lock the bikes on & also lock to the bars.

I tried a MaxxRaxx but did't really get on with it - the bikes need cross bars or end up at odd angles. It did work well as a vertical ski & snowboard carrier though and does have the advantage that you can tow at the same time.

I had a Thule towball mounted one like the Altera one pictured above - and whilst a good theory - was seriously heavy with 4 bikes on and a 2 person job to lift it back up if you needed boot access.

The official RR one was good - it fitted straight into the armature - was only rated for 2 bikes, but would comfortably carry 3.

There's compromises with any setup.

Thanks for the info chaps, it's looking like a tow bar, a tow bar, or on of those tow bars things.

Any thoughts on where's best? Can you install yourself? I live within kicking distance of European finest, Huddersfield Town.

It is doable yourself, but it's a heavy piece of kit, so may be best to get it done for you.

For occasional use I used to use a Halfords cycle carrier, fitted ok on the boot

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If your going down the towbar route then you'll need a Westfalia towbar , as these are the manufactures for Land Rover but at half the price, in fact in all honesty it's more like a quarter of the L/R price

If your going New then I would recommend PF Jones, a lot of us have used them and the service is excellent a long with the price I've actually seen S/h towbars on fleabay for more than their new price

http://www.pfjones.co.uk/range-rover-2002-...w-bar.html

http://www.pfjones.co.uk/range-rover-2005-flange-tow-bar-1.html

And I would recommend this tow electrics kit, easy to install and no coding required (OEM as well !)

http://www.pfjones.co.uk/range-rover-13-pi...13-en.html

As far as fitting goes it's easy as long as you can follow a few pictures, would recommend having a helper, as the bumper is a bit of a hand full on your own, and a trolley jack to act as a sky hook to hold the towbar in place while you put the bolts in, is a help too

There are videos on you tube and the like, on how to remove the bumper  Yesterday I couldn't spell Engineer... Today I are one!
Inventor of the 'Guide-o-Matic automatic wheel alignment tool'
Former long term L322 owner, Up/Down graded to a Classic Tractor!

Bumper removal  Yesterday I couldn't spell Engineer... Today I are one!
Inventor of the 'Guide-o-Matic automatic wheel alignment tool'
Former long term L322 owner, Up/Down graded to a Classic Tractor!

I have one of these for four bikes and am very happy with it:

http://www.bicyclerack-mottez.com/article....amp;rid=12 MY 2007 3.6 TDV8 Vogue SE