Ryan Posted February 10, 2008 Share Posted February 10, 2008 Has anyone got a Discoparts HD rear bumper fitted to a Discovery 1? If so, can you remember if the mounting bracket was held onto rear cross-member with captive nuts or nylocs? I'm going to be fitting a Southdown tank guard and don't want to take the bumper off if I don't have to. I only fitted it within the last couple of months, and for the life of me I cannot remember. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discojmz Posted February 10, 2008 Share Posted February 10, 2008 i would also like pictures of the above if anyone has any. I'm having a piece of steel bent up for a HD rear bumper/crossmember that i can tow my sankey from Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
signia Posted February 10, 2008 Share Posted February 10, 2008 This might help http://homepage.ntlworld.com/stage1v8/Tech...lRearBumper.htm He also fitted a Southdown tank guard. He mentions captive nuts. "The large bracket gets bolted to the tow bar mounting in the centre of the rear cross member with the long bolts and captive nut plate." I have that bumper too, the faceplate is the same but I can't remember the thin strip bracket and the bolts looking like they do in the photo - sorry - my memory is awful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan Posted February 11, 2008 Author Share Posted February 11, 2008 Ahh, the bells are now ringing, thanks Signia. You're right about that plate, I would remember that. I think they must have decided to integrate it into the bracket, so hopefull I have captive nuts nicely welded to the top of the bracket. I'll soon find out when I try to undo the two bolts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
signia Posted February 12, 2008 Share Posted February 12, 2008 Let us know how you get on with it. I've not got a tank guard yet, but is on the long list of things to get. Looking at that guy's website, he already had the guard on before the rear bumper and he says he used the bolts which came with the guard, but I'd be interested to know how you do yours. Cheers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted February 12, 2008 Share Posted February 12, 2008 Just had mine off - both the guard and the bumper, and I think you really need to have the bumper off too. sorry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan Posted February 12, 2008 Author Share Posted February 12, 2008 Just had mine off - both the guard and the bumper, and I think you really need to have the bumper off too. sorry. Mark, you're a spoilsport, you know that don't you? Signia - the bolts holding the tank guard will be the same ones holding the bumper bracket on as they use the same holes through the chassis. If it was s standard bumper, they would be the holes a standard LR tow bar would attach to. On the HD bumper they've designed it be...well...heavy duty it has lifting tubes and has the potential to have some kind of recovery attachment attached so needs a bit more oomf in the keeping-it-attached-to-the-Discovery stakes so they use the cross-member mountings as well has the original bumper mounts. Hope that makes sense, I've re-read what I've just typed and now I'm confused Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
signia Posted February 12, 2008 Share Posted February 12, 2008 Ah, I was hoping it would be an easy job I know what you mean - just wasn't sure whether you would use the bolts with the tank guard or the ones with the bumper. I assume fitting the tank guard means there's more to hold - so would you need longer bolts or are the ones with the bumper long enough? As you say, the ones with the bumper are meaty, so you wouldn't want to go "down" a size, and if they are different sizes with captive nuts on the bracket, then you're stuck with the bumper bolts anyway. What was putting me off was that the centre bracket on the rear cross member was ever so slightly out when the bumper was offered up to it so it was a *really* tight fit for the last bolt. Having said that, I've literally just ordered a Dixon Bate towing jaw which will fit nicely on the bumper, using the mounting plate as a backplate. So unless I can remember which was the last bolt and fit it by doing one first, then the other three, I'll be back to sqaure one anyway, and probably should have got the tank guard at the same time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan Posted February 12, 2008 Author Share Posted February 12, 2008 The bolts that have come with the bumper should be plenty long enough for the tank guard, as they are already also holding another towbar in place. From what I can see, the thickness of the mounting of the towbar and the thickness of the tank guard is about the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 I think I am using the bolts that came with the bumper for the tank guard as well. You need to remove the bumper, as getting the bolts into the bracket involves some wiggleing of the bracket which wouldn't be possible with the bumper in place. here's a picture - not sure if ot helps at all though... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
signia Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 Now that's a tough looking piece of kit. I don't need to tow at the moment, but as I have a Disco it would be a nice option to have, but I've seen an accessory for the Southdown guard which is a big tow loop - you can never have enough recovery points It's quite expensive though but you get what you pay for I guess. Cheers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 I have the recovery point that fits on the southdown guard, but the nator hitch is better IMHO. Only disadvantage ot the NATO is the reduced departure angle, but it seems to stand up to plenty of abuse! The Dixon Bate adjustable hitch is not standard - I had to weld a new cross piece in to get it to line up with the holes in the southdown tow plate. I do tow, on a number of different trailers, and an number of different types of hitch. Also as my truck has quite a lot of lift, the extra drop the adjustable hitch gives is essential. If you don't tow, then the southdown guard is well worth the money anyway. Cheers Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan Posted February 13, 2008 Author Share Posted February 13, 2008 Just to say, I didn't need to take the bumper off - nearly had to - but didn't. The nuts on the bracket were capitve. There was a point where I thought the bracket had shifted after I had been banging things about, but it was ok. And I've used the cap bolts that came with the bumper to attach the tank guard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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