New Crossmember, Tow bar issue.

I just welded a new crossmember onto my defender. Looks exactly like this one. DEFENDER REAR CROSSMEMBER XMEMBER + EXTENSIONS 90 110 130 HEAVY DUTY LAND ROVER | eBay

I put my tow bar on but thought it was a bit rubbish that the tow bar bolts go through two layers of plate in the crossmember with nothing much to strengthen them. I would have expected to see tubes welded in to sleeve the bolts ?

My Tow bar is a TD5 style one like this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Land-Rove...arts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item4d0030eceb
I have not yet fitted the L shaped stiffner underneath as it does not allign with the new holes in the crossmember. To tell the truth, I am a bit confused as to whether this tow bar is what I need.

My Dixon Bates which i fitted on my 1994 Defender 90 had 2 bolts go through the bottom hole of the cross member

Yes the bolts went through the double skin, but the kit had a thicj plate with welded captive nuts for the bolts to thread into and spread the load

This is the one I ordered - genuine and very solid!

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Hard to tell, but the bars on yours look slightly different

isn't there a really thick plate inside with the same size holes?

I don't know which Defender you have but when I recently had my rear cross member fitted the guy pointed out that I had a Series type tow bar which did not have the bars from the tow bar to the chassis. He changed it for one that does have the bars. He pointed out that if I had towed something heavy it could have warped the rear cross member.

tombardier said:

isn't there a really thick plate inside with the same size holes?

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What do you mean by "inside" ?

I dont think the wall of the crossmember is strengthened at all as far as I can see. What I am most worried about is the face plate flexing the wall of the crossmember and deforming it.

he means a spreader plate

Located where though ?

in between the two faces that you bolt the towbar drop plate to..

oos_ya_daddy said:

Located where though ?

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:doh:

Dr_evil said:

:doh:

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Chill Out !

:5bbeatdeadhorse5:


You mean inside the bumper then ?

tombardier said:

in between the two faces that you bolt the towbar drop plate to..

Click to expand...

oos_ya_daddy said:

Chill Out !

:5bbeatdeadhorse5:


You mean inside the bumper then ?

Click to expand...

are you blind ? or just being stupid

Yes or No answer required please.

just get your torch, shine it in the holes, and have a look!!!

There is definately no thicker plate in there. Think I may have a duff one ? It has two bits of strengthening that could be described as a W and an M that go round the holes. I bought the crossmember off a friend who got it from Richards Chassis. So I may give them a call.

Cheers for the help.

I was not sure where the "really thick plate" you were refering to was.