tow bar, front, bull bar, GQ

Since I am removing the factory alloy bull bar from my Mav to fit recovery points, I have decided to 'move forward' as our red headed PM says, on a front mounted tow bar to assist in parking the tinnny in the garage.

Anyone done this already, or got some ideas?

I am thinking about getting one of those flat tongue removable Magna type towbars and just bolting the receiver under the alloy bar, as the tinny isn't that heavy. I used to be able to push it up the drive myself until I upgraded the trailer :-)

Retired boilermaker over the road wants to run some square hollow section between the dumb irons (pointy end of chassis) with plates bolting up under the new recovery plates.

All ideas very welcome

Most of the ones I have seen people either...

Lazy option - drilled and bolted a tow ball onto the Bullbar

Sexy option - cut and weld a Reciever in there (like your Boiler mate suggests)

Certainly makes reversing up tricky driveways easier

Yeah I agree with boiler maker, if he does it right, you would be able to use it as a recovery point as well.

Tim

I found some RHS of more or less the right dimensions for the receiver for my flat towbar tongue at Bits of Steel in Geebung.

The obliging bloke there literally shed blood to help out. He cut a slice of each side of my towbar tongue so it would fit neatly in the RHS with a tiny bit of slack. Lovely job on a big bandsaw (looked like they had an even bigger one there). A bit of a rough edge sliced through his glove and thumb. Not too much claret but I could see it smarted a bit. I've never been there before - have been to Eagle and Globe (probably now Bluescope I guess) in the past, but this one is closer.

As I'm only moving my little 4.3 tinny, I'll be welding a plate across the RHS with provision to bolt it to the bottom of my alloy bullbar, with some bracing going up the back of the bullbar to be bolted onto the front face with nice smooth cup head gal bolts. well, that's the plan at this stage - adequate for the task and nothing protruding forward of the bar when not in use.

I have installed my shiny new recovery points - my much loved factory hook is gone, replaced with a shiny red plate for each chassis rail, and since I saw some with a WLL rating, I have fitted a 4.5 tonne hook to each plate. I had to get longer bolts for the driver's side as the factory ones were just level with the top of the captive nut, and apparently best practice is at least one thread clear. They are 14 mm fine thread metric 8.8 grade. The left hand side has 16mm grade 8.8 metric, as they fit in the holes in the plate and chassis, with nuts to suit on a backing plate made from the old factory hook.

Speaking of bolts, the factory mav alloy bar is mounted on two T shaped steel brackets. Each bracket is drilled and tapped for three bolts where they mount inside the chassis, but it looks like for a very long time, there have only been two bolts on each. So I now have a couple more bolts to suit :-)

sounds good show us some pics ?

normally getting pics onto the computer raises my blood pressure, esp via blue tooth, but I have learned how to do it :-) I have yet to learn how to shrink same.

Almost as bad as dealing with Itunes.

Need our kid to be a bit older so she can do it for me :-)

I have a front mounted tow bar with the tounge that came with Bluey and bolts into the chassis when I bought the car.

The guy used it to park his boat in a tight spot next to his house.

I had to take it off for the RWC and I will never use it so if your down in Melbourne It's all yours for a slab of the finest ale...lol

Quote:

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Originally Posted by AB

I have a front mounted tow bar with the tounge that came with Bluey and bolts into the chassis when I bought the car.

The guy used it to park his boat in a tight spot next to his house.

I had to take it off for the RWC and I will never use it so if your down in Melbourne It's all yours for a slab of the finest ale...lol

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Could be!! I have a mate who lives somewhere in those self same Christmas Hills. The problem of course would be getting it here :-)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Silver

Since I am removing the factory alloy bull bar from my Mav to fit recovery points, I have decided to 'move forward' as our red headed PM says, on a front mounted tow bars to assist in parking the tinnny in the garage.

Anyone done this already, or got some ideas?

I am thinking about getting one of those flat tongue removable Magna type towbars and just bolting the receiver under the alloy bar, as the tinny isn't that heavy. I used to be able to push it up the drive myself until I upgraded the trailer :-)

Retired boilermaker over the road wants to run some square hollow section between the dumb irons (pointy end of chassis) with plates bolting up under the new recovery plates.

All ideas very welcome

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im here to ask for your help. i am thinking to buy a new tow bars and bull bars and install it. but i have no idea on how to do that. can you help me on this? thanks a lot.
_____________________
Current Inventory
-2010 2LT/RS Delivered 10/10/09
-2009 Malibu 2LT
-2008 Nissan Patrol - tow bars
-2007 Suburban 3LT
-2007 Haulmark Enclosed Car hauler
-2001 Pewter Z/28
-2000 NBM Camaro

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ishie

im here to ask for your help. i am thinking to buy a new tow bars and bull bars and install it. but i have no idea on how to do that. can you help me on this? thanks a lot.
_____________________
Current Inventory
-2010 2LT/RS Delivered 10/10/09
-2009 Malibu 2LT
-2008 Nissan Patrol - tow bars
-2007 Suburban 3LT
-2007 Haulmark Enclosed Car hauler
-2001 Pewter Z/28
-2000 NBM Camaro

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what model Patrol, ishie?

If it has airbags then I think you need to get an airbag compliant bullbar. You may need to check the law where you are and see if it also has to be fitted by a licensed fitter?

Are you looking to fit a winch? If so, talk to the bull bar manufacturer as to which of their models fits your prefered winch.

As to rear tow bars, I guess these days we are restricted to new or second hand to stay legal - haven't checked this as I don't have the skills to make one anyway. If you are going to use the tow bar as a recovery point I'd go for the one that has a square female pipe that takes a tow hitch retained by a big cross pin - generically known by one manufacturer's name as Hayman Reece type or Receiver Hitches.

Found this GU at the local super market, not sure if this is the thread ?
easy enough to do, but looks like it'd get caught up. the class 2 receiver hitch
is further under. Theres another GU kicking around with twin scoops with a similar hitch.

Thanks threedogs.

It does look a little low - but who knows how much of an issue that would be in practice.

A little perhaps, since I am considering removing the round cowcatcher part of the bull bar.


hanks again,

Rick