Freelander Towbar components

Have bought an L/R towbar from a breaker, and found that the two metal plates shown on page 4 (section 6) of the fitting instructions have not been included. Can't get much sense out of the breaker, so I thought I'd ask the experts. Are the metal plates a vital component, or can they be left off. I tried ringing my local L/R dealer and got very short shrift from them, being told that I can only buy the whole towbar unit or nothing - very helpful! Advice on this would be very helpful as I need to hook up my new (but old) horesebox trailer, and collect my alpacas from their summer shearing. Ta!

Metal plates are just spacers as far as I know. You could probably just fabricate some from some sheet steel or alloy. Did you get all the correct sizes of bolts with it? What about the electrics? I just fitted a tow-bar recently to my own FL and should still have the instructions about somewhere if you want them?

Thanks for the reply. Got all of the original bolts, and electrics - so good from that point of view. Would appreciate a look at your fitting instructions to help confirm I'm doing everything properly. Thanks ... Paul

PM sent!

Not all LR towbar kits had the spacers. My facelift detachable version didn't have any. Best to pull those bolts up carefully and you should be able to tell if they are not clamping up the bar soon enough. As said just make some up if needed.

Recon ya got to be a ****ing cheap skate to buy a second hand tow bar.:alien:

Chaser said:

Not all LR towbar kits had the spacers. My facelift detachable version didn't have any. Best to pull those bolts up carefully and you should be able to tell if they are not clamping up the bar soon enough. As said just make some up if needed.

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My facelift detachable one did come with the spacers! What make did you buy? Mine's a Towsure kit.

Soloby Rob said:

Recon ya got to be a ****ing cheap skate to buy a second hand tow bar.:alien:

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You bought a 2nd hand Landy? Didn't you?

mudcrawler said:

You bought a 2nd hand Landy? Didn't you?

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True, true. But I did fit a brand new tow bar.

Soloby Rob said:

True, true. But I did fit a brand new tow bar.

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So at least the tow bar won't rust as quick as the rest of the landy then?

Some plates are included to spread the load over a larger area to reduce bending stresses. I am not familiar with the F.lander's mounting reinforcement but be sure that they can be omitted, especially towing a heavy horse box or you might find the anchorages breaking.
(Its dark now and I am too old to go out and crawl under to look)

mudcrawler said:

My facelift detachable one did come with the spacers! What make did you buy? Mine's a Towsure kit.

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I'm talking about genuine LR towbars as that's what I thought the OP had bought.

Chaser said:

I'm talking about genuine LR towbars as that's what I thought the OP had bought.

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I presume he did too but I know they didn't all come with spacers. So maybe they're not that important!

Check this thread
www.landyzone.co.uk/lz/f9/towbar-fitting-instructions-51094.html

Here's the info on the Towsure detachable kit!

See attachments below!