Rear crossmember reinforcement for tow hitch

[nickwilliams]

I have a new 300tdi chassis which has nutserts for mounting the tow pack already inside the rear crossmember. I also have a Dixon Bate adjustable height tow hitch which I will be fitting. I don't intend to do much snatch recovery but towing 2.5 - 3 tons on a trailer will be a fairly regular occurrence. Do I need a reinforcing kit for the back crossmember or can the DB back plate be bolted straight on?

I will be making and fitting the piece of angle which runs along the bottom of the crossmember and to which the hitch is also bolted, as well as the cross brace struts to the anti-roll bar mounts. The question is whether I need the additional plate which goes between the chassis and the hitch.

Thanks!

Nick

[BogMonster]

The proper LR towing drop plate kit bolts straight to the crossmember with just the angle underneath, see here:

http://www.a2stainless.co.uk/Land-Rover-Defender-Dixon-Bate-Towbar-Bolt-Kit_AKKN7.aspx

http://www.duckworthparts.co.uk/acatalog/accessoried_def1_Towing___Carrying.html

There is no reinforcing kit to go behind the crossmember on newer chassis as the plastic fuel tank sits right close to the chassis so you can't get at it without taking the crossmember out and the holes are not tubed to the inside either so you would have to do a proper job on it and make up a proper backing plate for the front side of the crossmember to spread the load, and tube the holes through the chassis, even then it will still be tinfoil.

The plate just between the chassis and hitch won't add a huge amount but would not be a bad idea - but use bolts in all six holes not just the bottom two.

By trial and error over several years I find that a relatively gentle snatch is OK on the new style tow points (say 3000rpm 1st low on a 10 metre nylon rope) but would not use any more or you will rearrange the crossmember quite quickly. On the old style chassis with a proper towing point you could take off flat out in 3rd low so there is a big difference in strength.

[pete300tdi90]

I would have thought it would be fine as LR will have tested it for its legal towing capacity.

However, dont put a centre winch around something above the car (like a tree) and back down to the hitch and lift the entre car off the ground (mine bent soooo badly, although is a Td5 chassis so made of cheese anyway)

Pete

[nickwilliams]

Thanks for the comments.

I found this picture on Landrover's own web site earlier which appears to provide the definitive answer - i.e. no re-inforcement required for a properly fitted DB drop plate so long as the bracket under the cross member and the stays back to the anti-roll bar points are fitted.

Nick.