Volvo 240 towbar identification

[Othen]

Phil, Stephen and Clifford,
I don’t know much about towing hitches for 240s, but the information you three have provided to the forum will, I am sure, be invaluable to folk in the future.
Well done, this is appreciated.
Alan

[Stephen Edwin]

Originally Posted by philroche

@stephen see https://tinyviking.ie/galleries/gall...0/DSC_0885.JPG for dimensions of sleeve

25mm length
Inner diameter 15mm
Outer diameter 19mm

Thank you.

What sort of metal is it please? Sort of ferrous that can be held by a magnet or sort of aluminium?

I have thoughts about the sleeves. I'm not sure where anyone has found the concept of its purpose.

I just wonder. A sleeve, fairly thin walled tube. Not for a mechanical gripping or similar purpose? Simply protection for the threaded portion of each bolt above the towbar? Best to smear with grease inside the sleeve? Copper based grease?

Stephen

.

[Stephen Edwin]

Originally Posted by philroche

@stephen see https://tinyviking.ie/galleries/gall...0/DSC_0885.JPG for dimensions of sleeve

25mm length
Inner diameter 15mm
Outer diameter 19mm

Hello again.

Those dimensions can be found on ebay as tube spacers. I have found aluminum so far. Are your sleeves ferrous or aluminum nature please?

I doubt the sleeves as being very important. Who in the forum is aware of them before now?

But. This thread has clarified a lot about towbar fixings thank you. It would be a shame to leave the "conclusions" incomplete.

Stephen

.

[Glen Morangie]

It looks to me like the spacers are supplied because the required item should in fact be a setscrew, threaded all the way to the head. Locating the correct grade hi-tensile steel in the length required was difficult in the past.

This appears to be a way of using longer hi-tensile standard pattern bolts, with a sleeve to cover the unthreaded section.

Just my take on it of course - may be mistaken!

[Stephen Edwin]

Originally Posted by Glen Morangie

It looks to me like the spacers are supplied because the required item should in fact be a setscrew, threaded all the way to the head. Locating the correct grade hi-tensile steel in the length required was difficult in the past.

This appears to be a way of using longer hi-tensile standard pattern bolts, with a sleeve to cover the unthreaded section.

Just my take on it of course - may be mistaken!

Thank you Glen.

And of course I might certainly be mistaken....

Stephen

.

[Glen Morangie]

In fact since posting that it looks like we may both be mistaken.......

I found online an offer of a NOS Volvo towbar suitable for 240's 81 - 93, which included a bag of fittings very similar to those in the pic here - but the brackets on the towbar did not look like the ones I have seen for 86 - 93 240's.

So I am now thinking it may be that either there is a towbar which fitted both pre and post '86 240's (with which I am not familiar), or that the fittings in this thread are for an earlier type bar.

https://volvo-parts.org.uk/volvo-240...523-accessory/

Fitting the bar as pictured at the start of this thread is as described by Clifford Pope in post #3, but the two 'large bolts' need to be threaded up to the head (ie setscrews in UK) and these replace the existing slightly shorter ones holding the bumper mount.

You may find what you need here - there are available in hi-tensile steel, but are fine pitch?

https://www.accu.co.uk/en/1019-fine-...g&orderway=asc

[Stephen Edwin]

Hello Glen

It is my experience yes that the two large bolts replace slightly shorter bolts. I experienced that fitting a third party towbar to a 244 in the 1980s.

Looking at that link you posted, I'm sure, surely?, I can see two large bolts not setscrews in the bag of fixings? And smaller, some setscrews? The setscrews for that towbar would serve two different purposes.

We are all of us collectively getting there I think.

Fundamentally, it is in real life the easiest towbar I have ever fitted or changed. This issue has become dotting i and crossing t. It's good to tidy the matter up I think.

P.S. Currently M14 x 150 8.8 setscrews are available from a motoring shop around the corner from me. For now, I think bolts are "correct". I might be wrong ....

Stephen

.

[140]

I have fitted probably 100's or these towbars to 200 series in my lifetime. the genuine Volvo bars changed for the 81 model year as the aluminium bumpers were changed to the plastic covered ones.
The fitting process was to remove the 2 22mm head bolts inside the boot floor and replace with the 2 longer bolts. Under the car the 2 sleeve spacers were inserted into the hole where the now 2 longer bolts protrude this prevents the chassis collapsing when tightening the nuts later. The lower plastic spoiler is then removed if fitted and the towbar put in place and held loosely with the 22mm head nuts and washers. The remaining 10mm (could be 14 or 17mm heads) bolts are then fitted using the 2 hole tabs or washers as required. Everything is then tightened up to the correct tightness. I the workshop we were allowed 15mins to fit the bar plus wiring

[Stephen Edwin]

Originally Posted by 140

I have fitted probably 100's or these towbars to 200 series in my lifetime. the genuine Volvo bars changed for the 81 model year as the aluminium bumpers were changed to the plastic covered ones.
The fitting process was to remove the 2 22mm head bolts inside the boot floor and replace with the 2 longer bolts. Under the car the 2 sleeve spacers were inserted into the hole where the now 2 longer bolts protrude this prevents the chassis collapsing when tightening the nuts later. The lower plastic spoiler is then removed if fitted and the towbar put in place and held loosely with the 22mm head nuts and washers. The remaining 10mm (could be 14 or 17mm heads) bolts are then fitted using the 2 hole tabs or washers as required. Everything is then tightened up to the correct tightness. I the workshop we were allowed 15mins to fit the bar plus wiring

Interesting.

Stephen

.

[Clifford Pope]

Originally Posted by 140

The fitting process was to remove the 2 22mm head bolts inside the boot floor and replace with the 2 longer bolts. Under the car the 2 sleeve spacers were inserted into the hole where the now 2 longer bolts protrude this prevents the chassis collapsing when tightening the nuts later.

That's absolutely correct - it's what I've been trying to say from the start.

The original shorter bolts stop INSIDE the chassis, and the nuts are recessed.
The tow bar fitting clamps on the OUTSIDE of the chassis, so the bolts have to be longer.
The tow bar will work if you don't put in spacers to fill the gap, but the bumper shock absorbers will not be clamped firmly. Also as 140 says, the chassis won't be braced inside so risks getting squashed as you tighten you nuts.

They are not "sleeves" in the strict sense, simply spacers to fill the gap.