Tow bar/jate ring fittings

To remove my towbar I've just had to cut through the two fixings underneath (bolts through metal tubes on underside of chasis rails) as they appeared to be completely seized into the tube they sit inside. My issue now is that a) I can't refit and use my towbar should I need to, and b) I've got nowhere to fit jate rings at the rear of the vehicle...basically...I have no rear recovery point now.

Tempted to get the tubes ground off and new ones welded on, does anyone know somewhere in Norfolk/Suffolk/Cambridgeshire/Essex who would do a good job of this?

Anyone?

can you not just drive em out?Either with new bolts or a hammer, some drift and some colurful language?Or drill em maybe?

Get a tank guard with a removeable towhitch! I use the pins which mount the towing assembley as a recovery point.

goonarmy said:

can you not just drive em out?Either with new bolts or a hammer, some drift and some colurful language?Or drill em maybe?

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Believe me I've tried that, those things are well and truly in seized in there and don't want to come out. Access is a bit tricky so I couldn't use a sledge, but I did use a heavyweight club hammer with a large punch and they didn't budge.

Ben

'91 Defender said:

Get a tank guard with a removeable towhitch! I use the pins which mount the towing assembley as a recovery point.

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Thought about this, but the tank guards I've seen (one particularly heavy duty looking one on ebay caught my eye) use these metal tubes as part of their mounting points.

I gave up on mine in the end and got the local garage to heat them up, they then used an air hammer? to punch them thro a bit at a time, and then ground these off before they got to the tank.

Discodad said:

I gave up on mine in the end and got the local garage to heat them up, they then used an air hammer? to punch them thro a bit at a time, and then ground these off before they got to the tank.

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This pretty accurately describes the nightmare I've been having for the past week...

Will have another crack at removal this weekend (maybe try and get the sledgehammer and some heat in there) failing that I will have to call some local welders/engineers/fabricators etc.

Ben