XC70: General - Tow bars - Page 2

apersson850 · Jan 17th, 2024, 14:06

No, it's not crash protection. Quite the opposite, actually.
Cars today (modern cars, not Land Rovers) have a carefully designed crumple zone at the end (and front). The tow bar, due to the load on it, must be attached inside the crumple zone, or it will, well, crumple the zone due to the load of the trailer.

This means that an impact on the towing hitch will be sent straight into the frame of the car, which will either distribute the force of the impact directly into the interior of the car, where you are, or damage the frame inside, so your car isn't straight any longer, or both, depending on how powerful the impact is.

FreshAir · Jan 17th, 2024, 17:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by green van man

My towbar is a genuine volvo removable ball one fitted by a Volvo dealer. That bar was wized and I never got it when I picked up the car. Suspect it was long ago weighed in for scrap.

I always believed that tow bars were defecto rear crash protection, the land rover one certainly is. The thinnest piece of metal on it are the 2 forward facing bracing bars and they are 40x8mm

Regards Paul.

https://accessories.volvocars.com/en...20(08-)%202012

https://accessories.volvocars.com/no...-313787-1/2008

The instructions from Volvo say to re-install the crash part as we already knew. Your Volvo dealer has not done the correct thing by throwing it away if they followed these instructions.

apersson850 · Jan 18th, 2024, 18:39

Do they sell that version of removeable hitch tow bar (first link) in the UK? I thought only Americans used that stupid design.

This is the version I have.

Tow bar

FreshAir · Jan 19th, 2024, 11:14

Likely I picked up the American instructions, the one you shared is clearer.

green van man · Jan 20th, 2024, 07:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by FreshAir

https://accessories.volvocars.com/en...20(08-)%202012

https://accessories.volvocars.com/no...-313787-1/2008

The instructions from Volvo say to re-install the crash part as we already knew. Your Volvo dealer has not done the correct thing by throwing it away if they followed these instructions.

And the moral of the story is. TRUST NO ONE, not even main dealers.

Regards Paul.

Jan 18th, 2024, 18:39	#13
apersson850 Premier Member Last Online: Yesterday 10:16 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Traryd View Photos By: apersson850	Do they sell that version of removeable hitch tow bar (first link) in the UK? I thought only Americans used that stupid design. This is the version I have. Tow bar Last edited by apersson850; Jan 18th, 2024 at 18:41.

Jan 17th, 2024, 14:06	#11
apersson850 Premier Member Last Online: Yesterday 10:16 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Traryd View Photos By: apersson850	No, it's not crash protection. Quite the opposite, actually. Cars today (modern cars, not Land Rovers) have a carefully designed crumple zone at the end (and front). The tow bar, due to the load on it, must be attached inside the crumple zone, or it will, well, crumple the zone due to the load of the trailer. This means that an impact on the towing hitch will be sent straight into the frame of the car, which will either distribute the force of the impact directly into the interior of the car, where you are, or damage the frame inside, so your car isn't straight any longer, or both, depending on how powerful the impact is.

Jan 19th, 2024, 11:14	#14
FreshAir Senior Member Last Online: Yesterday 16:49 Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Lichfield	Likely I picked up the American instructions, the one you shared is clearer.

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