Stolen Land Rover Tow Bar

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Comments

  • Kennine
    Kennine Forum Participant Posts: 3,472
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    edited February 2016 #32

    If detachable towballs are so easy to remove. Why leave them attached when you are not actually towing ??. 

    I much prefer the flange type of towball -- fit and forget -- Also handy protection when women drivers park immediately behind or not as sometimes is the case. 

    Wink

  • Metheven
    Metheven Club Member Posts: 3,987 ✭✭✭
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    edited February 2016 #33

    If detachable towballs are so easy to remove. Why leave them attached when you are not actually towing ??. 

    I much prefer the flange type of towball -- fit and forget -- Also handy protection when women drivers park immediately behind or not as sometimes is the case. 

    Wink

    Have you got a 'beef' with women drivers 'K' ?

  • JillwithaJay
    JillwithaJay Club Member Posts: 2,485 ✭✭
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    edited February 2016 #34

    Twice I've had a stupid male perkin run into the back of me; once in my SAAB 900 and once in my Land Rover Discovery. I can promise that the male driver came off worse on both occasions with damage to their vehicles whilst my vehicles had little damage.
     Kiss Tongue Out

    300 siggy photo 6b161378-22ab-47bd-97dd-22af5e8f67ba_zpsbtkpqljt.jpg

  • Takethedogalong
    Takethedogalong Forum Participant Posts: 17,056 ✭✭✭
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    edited February 2016 #35

    OP, sorry to hear of your loss. Could have been worse though, round here it would have been your LR that had gone, tow ball and all! We can't get insurance for LRs! Lowlife pimp my ride vehicle of choice round here, good for ram raiding you see!Undecided

  • Kennine
    Kennine Forum Participant Posts: 3,472
    1000 Comments
    edited February 2016 #36

    If detachable towballs are so easy to remove. Why leave them attached when you are not actually towing ??. 

    I much prefer the flange type of towball -- fit and forget -- Also handy protection when women drivers park immediately behind or not as sometimes is the case. 

    Wink

    Have you got a 'beef' with women drivers 'K' ?

    Write your comments here...None whatsoever Dave.   My wife and daughters are excellent drivers !!!!.

     

    K Smile 

  • Metheven
    Metheven Club Member Posts: 3,987 ✭✭✭
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    edited February 2016 #37

    If detachable towballs are so easy to remove. Why leave them attached when you are not actually towing ??. 

    I much prefer the flange type of towball -- fit and forget -- Also handy protection when women drivers park immediately behind or not as sometimes is the case. 

    Wink

    Have you got a 'beef' with women drivers 'K' ?

    Write your comments here...None whatsoever Dave.   My wife and daughters are excellent drivers !!!!.

     

    K Smile 

    Laughing

  • smiffy12
    smiffy12 Forum Participant Posts: 7
    edited February 2016 #38

    MollysMummy if you read the original post you will see we not only replaced the ball and had everything checked but we upgraded all our electrics as our van is fairly new and has 13 pin socket ! It was also a very reputable tow bar dealer, members of the NTTA who fitted and not Mickey Mouse !! 

  • hostahousey
    hostahousey Forum Participant Posts: 7,242 ✭✭✭
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    edited February 2016 #39

     

        The key part on a Witter is on the part fitted to the vehicle the removable part is entered into the key section.

    Not on my Witter it isn't. The key fits into a lock on the removable ball. So I assume if it was pinched in a locked condition using molegrips, it would be impossible to fit to another vehicle. So not a good buy.

       Sorry Steve , your correct mine is on the removable piece .

  • JCB4X4
    JCB4X4 Forum Participant Posts: 466
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    edited February 2016 #40

    As it has already been revealed that a Modern LR Detachable Tow Ball can be removed using Mole –grips.  I can confirm that I know how it is done and that it can be refitted to another similar LR.

    I also know how you could do this if the Tow Ball is of the Fixed Type.

    Some other Vehicle Manufacturers and Specialist Tow Bar Makers products are just as vulnerable.

    I am aware the if I were to divulge any further information with regard to this matter it would only be of assistance to the Lowlife elements who steal such items and to those that are prepared to opt for a 'Bargain Buy, No Questions Asked'.

  • smiffy12
    smiffy12 Forum Participant Posts: 7
    edited February 2016 #41

    Wow JCB4X4 agree about the "lowlife elements " with that nugget I'm glad I opted for a new detachable that WILL be removed ! Did consider a fixed - 

  • davetommo
    davetommo Forum Participant Posts: 1,430
    edited February 2016 #42

    Wish i had known about the mole grip thing when i had my last freelander 2 fitted with a detachable tow bar. After 3 years not taking it off i tried to get it off with the key and it would not move even after keep trying wd 40

  • JCB4X4
    JCB4X4 Forum Participant Posts: 466
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    edited February 2016 #43

    Be Very Aware!!!

    Leaving a Detachable Tow Ball on for any length of time is likely to lead to one of the two following problems

    One:-  due to the ingress of water, salt, dirt, etc it will rust itself to the receiver and become irremovable, without  it being damaged in the process.

    A costly affair to remedy.Embarassed

    Two:- again due to the ingress of water, salt dirt etc the spring loaded latches will eventually rust through completely, resulting  in it detaching itself under load or even falling off due to vibration.

    A potentially ‘Very Dangerous’ and costly affair which you may not be able to remedy. SurprisedSurprisedSurprised

    I have witnessed both of these problems on other people’s vehicles.  

     

  • davetommo
    davetommo Forum Participant Posts: 1,430
    edited February 2016 #44

    i honestly do not see the point of detachable tow bars, if you get all these problems. Does it matter if the towbar shows

  • JCB4X4
    JCB4X4 Forum Participant Posts: 466
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    edited February 2016 #45

    i honestly do not see the point of detachable tow bars, if you get all these problems. Does it matter if the towbar shows

    You are very unlikely to encounter any of these problems if you take it off and stow it as intended.

    The real benefit as I see it, is that you do not take a layer of bark from your shins every time you attend to something at the rear of your vehicle.  

     

  • davetommo
    davetommo Forum Participant Posts: 1,430
    edited February 2016 #46

    I have never ever ever removed a tow bar yet and dont bang my shins on the tow bar.

  • JCB4X4
    JCB4X4 Forum Participant Posts: 466
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    edited February 2016 #47

    I have never ever ever removed a tow bar yet and dont bang my shins on the tow bar.

    I am  genuinely pleased to hear that, as I have vehicles with Detachable and vehicles with Fixed Tow Balls. Unfortunately I seem to always knock mine on both types, if they are there. OH cliams I am just careless and she is always right. Ouch !!! 

     

  • davetommo
    davetommo Forum Participant Posts: 1,430
    edited February 2016 #48

    there is the answer dont be so clumsy

  • JCB4X4
    JCB4X4 Forum Participant Posts: 466
    100 Comments
    edited February 2016 #49

    Now where have I heard that before ! Undecided

  • Dave
    Dave Forum Participant Posts: 141
    First Comment
    edited February 2016 #50

    I solved the removable towball problem on my Discovery, Land Rover replaced it with a fixed towbar following a safety recall. The dealer had great difficulty getting the ball out of the socket because somebody had tried to nick it and caused damage. They
    ended up causing damage to the socket and had to replace the cross member.

    Dave

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
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    edited February 2016 #51

     .... It was also a very reputable tow bar dealer, members of the NTTA who fitted and not Mickey Mouse !! 

    It was a NTTA member that drilled my car to earth the additional wiring when they replaced my 12N with a 13 pin .... there was a proper earth stud 18" away but they wanted to keep their wiring seperate from the car's. I told him what I thought of them .......
    they're not far from Burrs if you want your car needlessly drilled.

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
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    edited February 2016 #52

    .... Some other Vehicle Manufacturers  .. are just as vulnerable ...

    Even when they're in the boot? ..... Cool

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
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    edited February 2016 #53

    .... After 3 years not taking it off i tried to get it off with the key and it would not move ...

    There's a surprise Innocent

  • davetommo
    davetommo Forum Participant Posts: 1,430
    edited February 2016 #54

    .... After 3 years not taking it off i tried to get it off with the key and it would not move ...

    There's a surprise Innocent

    i wonder if the mole grip guy would be able to take it off

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
    1000 Comments
    edited February 2016 #55

    .... After 3 years not taking it off i tried to get it off with the key and it would not move ...

    There's a surprise Innocent

    i wonder if the mole grip guy would be able to take it off

    Possibly ...... very little is theft proof from the determined thief. I've had all my lock barrel out  on my Bosal detachable but can't remember exactly how it works  ... not sure that Molegrips would work without buggering it for a potential new owner Undecided

  • hostahousey
    hostahousey Forum Participant Posts: 7,242 ✭✭✭
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    edited February 2016 #56

    .... After 3 years not taking it off i tried to get it off with the key and it would not move ...

    There's a surprise Innocent

    i wonder if the mole grip guy would be able to take it off

    Possibly ...... very little is theft proof from the determined thief. I've had all my lock barrel out  on my Bosal detachable but can't remember exactly how it works  ... not sure that Molegrips would work without buggering it for a potential new owner Undecided

          That's exactly what I thought MM, surely some damage must be evident so how can they be resold? Still don't know what make the OP ers was?