Defender Tow bar comparability

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Benji55

Member
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47
Location
Berkshire
Hi. Could anyone advise on comparability of tow bars. My problem is that I have an early 1986 Land Rover 90 that had a 300tdi engine and box fitted before I bought the car. I fitted a new richards chassis last year and had to buy the 300tdi to suit the mounting points. When I try to order a tow bar suppliers insist on my vin and reg number to confirm part compatibility. Is there any difference between the early chassis and later 300tdi with regard to mounting points of tow bars? I’m considering both standard and NAS style tow bars.
Thanks
 
Hi. Could anyone advise on comparability of tow bars. My problem is that I have an early 1986 Land Rover 90 that had a 300tdi engine and box fitted before I bought the car. I fitted a new richards chassis last year and had to buy the 300tdi to suit the mounting points. When I try to order a tow bar suppliers insist on my vin and reg number to confirm part compatibility. Is there any difference between the early chassis and later 300tdi with regard to mounting points of tow bars? I’m considering both standard and NAS style tow bars.
Thanks
Can you give us a picture of the rear crossmember
 

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The issue has nothing to do with the type of engine fitted, you just happen to have a replacement chassis for an 86 truck that happens to be slightly modified for fitment of a 300tdi. VIN for your truck identifies it.
Rear member is just like my 1990 truck.
 
The early crossmembers had tow bar which bolt through with nuts on the back. The later crossmember has threaded holes and the tow bar bolts into the crossmember.
 
The issue has nothing to do with the type of engine fitted, you just happen to have a replacement chassis for an 86 truck that happens to be slightly modified for fitment of a 300tdi. VIN for your truck identifies it.
Rear member is just like my 1990 truck.
Thanks but my question was whether the mounting points for tow bars on the early 86 year chassis is the same as the later 300tdi chassis. Not if the actual engine affects tow bar
 
Thanks but my question was whether the mounting points for tow bars on the early 86 year chassis is the same as the later 300tdi chassis. Not if the actual engine affects tow bar
That rear crossmember looks the same as mine which is '89 and is clearly the same as @tottot 's '90 so I would say there is a very safe bet that it is the same as the original '86 your vin gives you. As @Anaconda says the later style crossmember has captive nuts which like to break off when you tighten or loosen the bolts into it but I think these came in with the td5 and have the recessed rust trap hole next to them like the below, but it should be very easy to determine weather your holes are all the way through or if they are threaded.

1706539774588.png


I would also be carful of companies demanding a vin and then trying to give you the "correct" part with a vehicle that is not original. My '89 110 has a discovery 200tdi, and 300tdi wirirng looms throughout. I recently ordered an uprated hella alternator and the company cancelled my order because the reg I had put in on checkout was not suitable for that alternator. I had a very angry exchange detailing the modifications, quoting hella serial number rather than land rover part numbers, and stating it was the same alternator I had fitted prior to the fire and just wanted the same again. They reluctantly agreed to sell it to me on the provision I took full responsibility if it was the wrong part and did not fit. Unsurprisingly it fit first time with no mods as it was the same time I had fitted to my old engine.
 
That rear crossmember looks the same as mine which is '89 and is clearly the same as @tottot 's '90 so I would say there is a very safe bet that it is the same as the original '86 your vin gives you. As @Anaconda says the later style crossmember has captive nuts which like to break off when you tighten or loosen the bolts into it but I think these came in with the td5 and have the recessed rust trap hole next to them like the below, but it should be very easy to determine weather your holes are all the way through or if they are threaded.

View attachment 309224

I would also be carful of companies demanding a vin and then trying to give you the "correct" part with a vehicle that is not original. My '89 110 has a discovery 200tdi, and 300tdi wirirng looms throughout. I recently ordered an uprated hella alternator and the company cancelled my order because the reg I had put in on checkout was not suitable for that alternator. I had a very angry exchange detailing the modifications, quoting hella serial number rather than land rover part numbers, and stating it was the same alternator I had fitted prior to the fire and just wanted the same again. They reluctantly agreed to sell it to me on the provision I took full responsibility if it was the wrong part and did not fit. Unsurprisingly it fit first time with no mods as it was the same time I had fitted to my old engine.
Thank you. Your experience is exactly my concern. Despite me explaining the replacement chassis suppliers insist I provide my reg and vin number. If there’s a difference between early 1986 chassis and later 300tdi they will blame me.
Appreciated your reply, thank you.
 
Your experience is exactly my concern.
the issue now is the proper old fashioned machinic that knows what they are talking about has gone. "mechanics" these days are just fitters, ordering and swapping the parts the computer tells them to. And the person on the parts desk is has even less knowledge and is more of a computer says no spreadsheet ticker.

By no means a gospel but craddock seem to sell their replacements as pre or post td5 which would suggest you 300tdi is the same as the original: LINK
 
Thank you. Your experience is exactly my concern. Despite me explaining the replacement chassis suppliers insist I provide my reg and vin number. If there’s a difference between early 1986 chassis and later 300tdi they will blame me.
Appreciated your reply, thank you.
You haven't got an 86 though, it's not relevant. You need to buy one to match a 300tdi chassis.
Have a look at your rear crossmember and see if the holes go all the way through and you can get to the back of them.
 
again though that is pre '99 suggesting that all models up until the td5 had the same rear crossmember configuration.
It seems to suggest that, who would have thought it would need to be so difficult.
The way I read it is it would be atleast suitable for a 300tdi and that is what the OP has.
 
After rebuilding much of the rear chassis legs, for MOT. I'm now sorting the complete towing assembly and remaking the bottom angle iron supports, since they have got too thin.
 
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I just so happen to have removed the Original tow assembly from my 1997 300TDI Pick-Up truck Peggy.
I have the adjustable drop plate from a series to fit instead of the original tow ball which doesn't stick out far enough for my anti-sway coupling on the caravan. It's also too high for my needs.
I removed the entire assembly because I wanted to check the integrity of the angle iron leg bottom supports, since they're 27 years old. Glad I did because like the chassis they need some fresh metal, which I can replicate as the original.
so here's some pictures of the whole assembly which was connected by 5 17mm nuts and bolts. the top middle one screwed into a tapped hole in the bottom og the rear crossmember.
PXL_20240130_214013748[1].jpg
PXL_20240130_214115895.MP[1].jpg
PXL_20240130_214102068.MP[1].jpg
PXL_20240130_214050587[1].jpg
PXL_20240130_214037768[1].jpg
PXL_20240130_214032467[1].jpg
PXL_20240130_214017212[1].jpg
PXL_20240130_214008643[2].jpg

Hope this helps.
 
If your chassis is a 300TDi made by Richards then any 90 pre-TD5 bracket will fit.

This is my DB adjustable height bracket which is in the For Sale section.

DB ADJUSTABLE HEIGHT HITCH.JPG
DSCF0034 (2).JPG
 
Thanks everyone, as always advice is much appreciated.

I never thought to check the for sale section on this forum. I will take a look now.
 
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