I have just bought a Range Rover Sport 2013 plate HSE with a view to towing a 6 berth twin axle caravan (Crusader Superstorm Previously towed on an X5 using a detachable tow bar) The car did not come with the tow bar which has led me into looking at getting one sorted out this week only to come across numerous tales of woe regarding a fault on the Land Rover detachable tow bar on Range Rover Sports's leading to Land Rover recalling cars between 2005 and 2015. The car has an autobiography kit on and any kind of permanent fixture is going to look hideous but with safety paramount is there no other option? Thank You
Range Rover Sport Towing Issue
- Thread starter ezzycozzy
- Start date
Our Disco 3 had developed the "clonk" with the detachable and had to be refitted with the fixed towbar, but the vehicle's receiver did not need replacing. It had towed 1750 and 1900 kgs vans about 27,000 miles, of its 50,000 overall miles and against current advice had spent its life mounted, not removed when not in use.
If your towing use is a good bit more modest and you remove it when not needed then IMO it should be fine. If not then it can simply be changed to a fixed unit at any time.
All towbar offerings use the welded in receiver so IMO there are no radically different options.
So, I believe the issue depends on your expected towing miles, if like me it is over 50% of the vehicle's usage then you might need to come to terms with a fixed job in the vehicle's later life.
If your towing use is a good bit more modest and you remove it when not needed then IMO it should be fine. If not then it can simply be changed to a fixed unit at any time.
All towbar offerings use the welded in receiver so IMO there are no radically different options.
So, I believe the issue depends on your expected towing miles, if like me it is over 50% of the vehicle's usage then you might need to come to terms with a fixed job in the vehicle's later life.
My Discovery 4 was checked at 30000 miles without an issue. .I towed 3000 miles during that time, but always removed the tow bar immediately after towing as advised in the handbook. .
There are plenty of other tow bar firms out there like Witter, Brink, Westfalia etc. Probably a lot cheaper and there should be something to suit you in that lot.
Raywood said:
In this case it is already a Brink towbar, now owned by and trading as Thule.
I am not aware of any alternative that does not use the unique receiver welded into the chassis cross member, though several that do.
Over the course of the Discovery 3/4 and first generation Range Rover Sport's life, there were four variations on the Land Rover detachable tow bar. They all looked the same, but there were subtle developments. I had a tow bar dating from 2008, which on occasions would "rattle" a bit. It would be tight in the receiver when first inserted, but for some reason worked itself loose over the course of a journey. It was never in danger of dropping out as there's a huge pin that holds it in place, but I had the whole lot inspected by LR. It seems that there were no splines on the inside of the green locking handle on that model, which allowed it to turn just enough to allow it to drop by a gnats and "rattle". I bought a later model (and still have that) which remains nice and tight.
There were a few instances of detachable tow bars dropping out which gained publicity. Having seen the state of some of these though, it was clear that they'd been left in the receiver, and had never been removed. The locking mechanisms were corroded and obviously had never seen any lubrication or maintenance. They are meant to be removed and not left in permanently. LR define their use as "occasional" whatever that means? In my case, LR said that the detachable one suited my use (towing the caravan) perfectly. They're not really intended for 24/7 towing (their words, not mine).
If you do go for the detachable model (and there's no reason why you shouldn't), ensure that it is removed when you aren't towing, not only for the sake of maintenance, but they're also very easy to steal! Make sure that both the receiver and the bar itself is kept nice and clean and it has a bit of lubrication from time to time.
Finally, check that your car has been inspected. If so, it should have additional information in the handbook.
There were a few instances of detachable tow bars dropping out which gained publicity. Having seen the state of some of these though, it was clear that they'd been left in the receiver, and had never been removed. The locking mechanisms were corroded and obviously had never seen any lubrication or maintenance. They are meant to be removed and not left in permanently. LR define their use as "occasional" whatever that means? In my case, LR said that the detachable one suited my use (towing the caravan) perfectly. They're not really intended for 24/7 towing (their words, not mine).
If you do go for the detachable model (and there's no reason why you shouldn't), ensure that it is removed when you aren't towing, not only for the sake of maintenance, but they're also very easy to steal! Make sure that both the receiver and the bar itself is kept nice and clean and it has a bit of lubrication from time to time.
Finally, check that your car has been inspected. If so, it should have additional information in the handbook.
Facebook
Twitter