Hi Everyone,

Before winter I had a right old fight getting my (not so) detachable tow bar off my RRS. To cut a long story short I managed to get the tow bar off by taking it to bits. I cleaned it all up with WD 40 and left it in a drawer in bits ready to put it back together in spring this year.

The tow bar is currently in bits still with the bigger "locking" pin retracted in the tow bar. Out of boredom today I thought I'd try and fit it to the car. Without assembling the lock, green/red handle etc again I went to fit the tow bar part into the receiver expecting it to "latch" into place but the locking pin didn't shoot into the receiver. Correct me if I'm wrong but shouldn't the tow bar fix into place with or without the green and red handle parts on? I assumed the tiny pin at the top of the tow bar would in turn trigger the locking pin to shoot out into the receiver?

Does the above make any sense?!?

Should I expect the tow bar to click into place if I haven't yet assembled the internal crank, spring, red/green handle and lock barrel?

I don't know the answer to all of your post, but the little pin you talk about, IIRC, is the thingy that releases the locking pin once you tow bar is pushed fully home.
If the tow bar is out of the car you can tap the pin with a hammer and a piece of wood, and the locking pin will pop out. BUT quite how you retract it again without the green/red handle installed, I do not know. Robin
2008 Range Rover Sport TDV8
Gone:
Jaguar S-Type V8 4.2 Sport
MGZTT 190 2.5

Thanks Eaters,

I think I may have a problem somewhere then as when I hit that little top pin with a hammer it does absolutely nothing. I can actually move that little pin freely up and down in my fingers so it makes me think there is a problem internally somewhere....

Hmm. Does sound crock! However I'm only talking from memory, and may have got it wrong. I think the little pin sticks up about a quarter to three eighths of an inch before you hit it. Only needs a gentle tap.

However, if I'm right, your tow bar may be u/s  Robin
2008 Range Rover Sport TDV8
Gone:
Jaguar S-Type V8 4.2 Sport
MGZTT 190 2.5

Here's mine ( if it helps). The silver bit - centre, is the pin in its out position Robin
2008 Range Rover Sport TDV8
Gone:
Jaguar S-Type V8 4.2 Sport
MGZTT 190 2.5

Last edited by Eaters on Sun Feb 12 2017 6:57pm. Edited 1 time in total

Thanks for that. Do you know if you can manually move that little pin up and down with your fingers? I can move mine up and down a good 5mm, I don't think I should be able to.....

No, cant move it at all with my fingers. I think yours is b  Robin
2008 Range Rover Sport TDV8
Gone:
Jaguar S-Type V8 4.2 Sport
MGZTT 190 2.5

Oh great!!! 👎🏻👎🏻👎🏻👎🏻 Thanks for the help. I guess I'll be buying another then!

Not sure if it covers your car, but there was a recall for these tow bars.

Land Rover covered the cost of basically turning it into a fixed towbar. You should check with a dealer.

Robert

On further thought I think I could possibly access the tow bar internally to see if the little pin could be fixed by removing the "blanking plate" on the opposite side to the lock. A long shot though

If your only other option is a replacement, it might be worth seeing how much further you can dismantle it. What have you got to loose  Robin
2008 Range Rover Sport TDV8
Gone:
Jaguar S-Type V8 4.2 Sport
MGZTT 190 2.5

How much do you want for it I have a half broken one I would like to fix 61 AB 5.0 supercharged rocket
07 HSE TDV8 with lots of toys EGR removed BAS remap
56 HSE WAS FULL OF PROBLEMS