Custom 2" receiver Tow Bar

Hi All,

After your thoughts/ advice on some work I've carried out to my Defender.

I recently installed a new cross member and while strengthening it I decided to add a 2" receiver built in to the cross member, so I can use the various attachments that are available. I'm conscious that once my defender has been raised a bit I'm not going to get a tow bar at a decent height for towing, even with the drop plate so I came up with the idea of reusing my Dixon bate slide on the drop plate, which should give me just enough drop for towing.



This then lead me to think about the twisting moments that going to be applied to my cross member.....



So my question is do I need to add some bracing bars at the bottom of the Dixon bate slider to the chassis, or will it be OK without?



Chances are it will end up towing car trailers and all sorts so will need to have good capacity. Anybody done similar?



I've included a photo, but there is more on my blog...

Thanks for your help.

https://picasaweb.google.com/103678...hkey=Gv1sRgCMeJkbWjq_KeSQ#5722822190150133250

can't get insert picture thing to work, help on that would also be good!

who supplied the x member, if its a paddock type pattern thing it will tear like paper

It's a horrid ****part replacement, however i have welded two sections of 8mm plate front and back in the centre of the cross member with the 2" receiver running through the centre of these. Its' also capped off with 3mm sheet all the way round.

All welded joints have been ground off and rewelded also.

without the braces it'll be no god for towing any weight.

You need the angled braces from the bottom of the drop plate to the chassis

Thanks guys, this is my thinking also, only thing that made me question it is there are 2" receiver kits that bolt on to the rear cross member that don't have bracing at the bottom of the drop plate.

they all have the tie bars ,you should get one of my hd xmembers that can take the turning moments

pressbrake said:

they all have the tie bars ,you should get one of my hd xmembers that can take the turning moments

Click to expand...

It's no good saying that and then not posting any pics FFS.

Go back and do it again.

pressbrake said:

they all have the tie bars ,you should get one of my hd xmembers that can take the turning moments

Click to expand...

Annoyingly I found your cross members just after I hacked apart my ****part one, otherwise I would have done!

If the current one falls apart, you'll be getting an order from me shorlt after!

I have a detachable towbar that looks similar to yours but bolts in. There are braces from the anti-rollbar mounts back to the xmember which are welded to 2 inch box running along under the crossmember. Whilst this doesn't appear to be very strong, it is all made from 10mm plate and my crossmember is 3mm steel.

I am considering adding a drop plate onto mine like you are, but would still add extra bracing going further down. They would only take 30 seconds with a ratchet to remove and I would sooner have the hassle of that than lose a 3 ton load and bugger the chassis.

Harry