Detachable tow hitch
Hi guys, just a word of warning if your vehicle has a detachable tow hitch. Despite ours being on our LR Disco 4 for the past five years, it was stolen from off the vehicle whilst parked on our drive just before Christmas. Genuine replacement cost of £521, ouch expensive lesson. We always felt is was a faff taking it on and off all the time so left it on but lesson learned. (The thieves nicked three in our village over the same period)
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The key on mine (Bosal & the previous car's Westfalia) can only be removed from the detachable bit when attached to the car. Sorry you're out of pocket but I see little point in having the benefit of a detachable bar if you'r going to leave it on your car. I hate the look of towbars so mine is removed within minutes of pitching on site.
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Yep an expensive lesson. When we had a detachable swan neck I always removed it as the rear of the car looked quite ugly with it attached, now I have replaced it with an ugly fixed flanged type so I can look at its ugliness every day, but it does its job.
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sorry to hear that happened to you, just out of interest did your have a lock with key? or did they get around that.
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My removable tow ball doesn't lock so, having heard of these type of thefts, I always remove it when parked at home. I don't normally remove it when on site, should I?
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The "lock" on the Discovery/RR towball is not a security device. It is to ensure that the green handle has returned to the correct spot after fitting as proof the locking pin has engaged fully. There are only a few differs in the key sets, but it is easy to remove without the key using a method that I will not describe on a forum.
Replacement locks and two keys are available from Land Rover for about £12. Amazing how many removable towballs are offered for sale on the online sales sites as "complete with two new keys".
Taking it off also lessens the rusting.
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Ok thanks
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so do you go off site with it on?
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Also leaving a Disco 4 or 3's detachable in place when not in use is against more recent handbook instructions. This is because it is accredited to accelerating the wear and its associated "rattling" and onto receiver failure. Been there, so with my latest Disco I invest the 15 seconds in taking it out and again putting it back.
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and to avoid catching our chins on it.
What! Are you meercat size caravanners, Cariadon?
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If I go off site in the van then that would usually mean that I haven't got the toad with me and in that case the tow ball would still be in the garage at home. I do sometimes remove it when on less secure sites,ie rallies, events and THSs, but not usually on C&MC sites.
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We bought a Disco 3 some years ago with a "detachable" towbar but the previous owner had left the towbar on and had lost the key.
A bit of research via the internet soon revealed how to remove it, and as Nav says, bought a new lock for about £12.
A colleague at work has just had the bar stolen off her Disco 3.
Don't regard the "lock" as a lock.....!
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Forget about the rattly insecure Land Rover detachable and take a look at Tow Trust.
My disco 4 bar passed the recall test so they wouldn’t replace it but still rattled and knocked and I lost confidence in it.
Having fitted the Tow Trust removable bar I’m much happier. No noise, looks neat and above all it’s much more secure having a better fitting method (its bolted to the chassis rails).
one tip don’t rely on the price on their website, give them a call or email. Good to deal with as well.
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I never wanted a removable tow bar because at my age I don't need the faff and the uncertainty that I have put it back correctly. Mine is in situ all the time - and I hope no one will steal it - it is locked - but it's a risk I shall continue to take. Although it is good to know from the OP that theft can occur I shall continue to ask for a permanent one!
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'Premium' towbar manufactures' detachable towbars attach to the car such that the key will NOT remove from the lock unless the towbar is correctly engaged. So if the key comes out of the lock, then you've fitted the detachable bit correctly, if it doesn't, then you've not. Towbars are a neccessary evil if you own a caravan, but a detachable bar gives you the option of not having a load of steel work on the back of your car. 😊
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If someone runs into the back of your car with a fixed towbar it could do just as much damage to yours as to his because the bumper wouldn't absorb any energy. The full force of the impact will go straight into the car's underbody structure, resulting a buckled floorpan, which is much more expensive to repair than to replace the bumper.
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you end up buying a sleek looking and perhaps expensive towcar and in my view spoil the look at the back by a horrible looking towbar. My car looks much better at the back without it.
Just my personal view of course and if the look at the back it doesn't bother you then don't get one.
I agree it does take a little bit of effort to attach with pulling the knob out and turning it towards you quite a way while holding the heavy thing with your left hand while of course kneeling down but for me anyway it's worth the effort.
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