Hi John - there was a glimpse of it in the last VLOG - but i now need to swap the motors for the ones on ebay and then fit the towbar to the car to see how much clearance is have between the motor "tube" and the rear bumper skin.
Wow - £2.5k bill really just because LR / Brink got cheap with the design - that’s pretty shoddy given the tow bar itself is a monster! ! Great video to illustrate this guys!
Good point - the US tow hitch system is sooooo much better than the UK system - I had one of these on my Toyota Hilux when i lived in Thailand and it was really versatile and so quick and simple to remove the hitch if not needed.
I have a Brink (now part of the THULE group) detachable towbar on my Pajero. Brink have a policy of not supplying parts for their towbars. So if you back against a wall and damage only the detachable part, you will need to buy the full set all over again. So, I suspect that this has more to do with Brink than it does with Land Rover. Not supplying parts to fix something like this safely is the kind of stupid policy that is an actual example of creating waste unnecessarily.
It is indeed interesting and for someone like myself who loves fixing things it good to see that the world is recognising that making items so they can be fixed is a MUST. The fact that even the rubber gaiter is not available is a concern. We are already well underway to getting this fixed !
Maybe the parts are available from another vehicle manufacturer or Brink. Surely they're not unique to LR. Bet you come up with a nice motor guard and brace though Si. 😎 Just remembered the fiesta tailgate actuator. 👍
I'm a bit late to the party here but what an interesting piece of design. The tooling to make the ball section and the toothed track on the side of the ball assembly is a work of art. Unfortunately it is far too complex to fit on a supposed "off roader". Although I don't suppose your going to damage it parked on the Kings Road outside Waitrose.
Hi Tony - you are correct it is an excellent piece of the design - the ball with toothed track in a strong and clever design - you can get the hook to move in any arc you desire. Land Rover do offer more basic solutions for the people using their vehicles in more hostile environments. We only shop at Waitrose when we have guests over ( so we look posh ! )
Great video. I really enjoy watching the deep dive into understanding how the tow bar mechanism works. It is certainly an example of creative engineering BUT it is NOT good engineering. Good engineering design must pay attention to robustness and ability to repair. Frankly, on a vehicle which is heralded by LR as the best off roader - how can the team at LR responsible for approving this design feel anything but embarrassment. It is totally obvious that this motor assembly is extremely vulnerable to damage off road. It would not have been difficult to have added some type of steel guard but clearly LR engineers simply didn't see any need to consider "what if" type analysis !!
Hi David - thanks for adding your comments which have some interesting and valid points. In their defence Land Rover do offer other tow bar solutions - fixed and detachable - that may be more suited to challenging environments.
Very interesting, Landrover seem to have made a balls of the towbar. That housing should have been made of aluminium. We know you shouldn't put plastic and metal cogs together as the weak point will be the plastic ones. We know they use plastic to save a penny but £2500 and you get plastic is ridiculous.
Plastic has many advantages with weight and resistant to corrosion. It may be aluminium housing may have also failed in an impact. I now need to see if i can fix it with some motors I have found on ebay.
@@L663 you're right about the housing, it could fail with aluminium but one 1/16 aluminium is better than 1/16 plastic was the point . You can put a guard around it to stop some damage but surely making it properly from the beginning would fix the problem or put a warning on it that its not to be driven off road as it could be damaged and will void the warranty.
@@L663 I agree a cast aluminium housing would not offer significantly more protection off road BUT how can LR sell this tow bar for a heavy duty off roader which is, let's be honest, totally unfit for purpose ! A steel guard plate would have been so easy to add at the design stage. I'm really looking forward to seeing your design.
Super interesting. It looks like the housing just needs to be braced better (or additional mount, guard) against the towbar to prevent it flexing where the motors join. The secondary issue is replacement parts not being available to buy, a bit naughty from Landrover, but not uncommon these days.
Hi David - I did have a couple of discussions with some people in the know - they were claiming there was some sort of calibration needed but i am not sure that stacks up with the gear ratios etc. Anyway i have sound some identical motors on ebay and will try and fix it.
Great tear down! Thus.. this is the second time I see Brink deliver susceptible solutions.. Why on earth do LR approve this on a Defender?? It’s a tow bar, does it have to move? Well, hope you guys get it up and running again - and fit a roll cage for that tow bar 😅
Another very interesting video guys. Obviously JLR are offering these as an ‘easy’ option to the well heeled first owners. It’s obvious this will fail over time. What’s likely in a few years is a kit will emerge to convert the tow bar to either a fixed or manually removable swan neck. Either way, this is just another silly idea that damages Land Rover’s brand.
Like you i did consider a conversion to manual - its a shame that Brink did not make a common tow bar subframe with different options that are interchangeable - so the "gearbox" could be replaced with a manual or detachable unit. The problem is that any conversion needs to be approved and tested so this will put it out the reach of many aftermarket companies.
Thanks for the tear down - so informative. I don't know how this compares to others (e.g BMW) but there appears to be a number of places for it to fail - regardless as to whether it gets a direct hit when off-roading. I ordered a Defender with this tow-bar and now thinking that I should have plumbed for the detachable. Ironically, LR informed me that one of the options that could delay delivery was the deployable tow-bar. 🙄 You're so correct about the wastefulness on failure - everything nowadays should have a 'right to repair' . If the £2.5K part does become scrap then is it possible to retrofit the detachable version by removing just the tow hook and electrics??
Hi - i think the detachable is going to be more robust longer term but way less cool ! Also this item did have an impact so its not a normal failure. Alas there is no way to retro fit a solid or detachable hook to the subframe - each version of tow bar has a different design - I was headding down the same route but hit a dead end ! The new tow bar is actually a little less around £1400 without labour - I overestimated the cost
@@L663 The ark welder is your friend if this over complex yet designed to fail hitch fails. Beware that welding precautions should be taken, including to protect the vehicle's electronics and alternator.
Hi great vid as usual. Do you know if landrover upgraded the motors? There seems to be a superseeded part number. Also the MY24 units have a newer part number from vplet0330 to Vplet0336.
not sure on the land rover accessories website they list the 336 PN as commercial ( see towing section in below link ) accessories-instructions.landrover.com/enUSA/new-defender
They are made by ORIS as OE and will not have been designed/touched by LR other than specifying the load requirements. You can't buy them direct from ORIS - although they are mentioned as an OE supplier but you can buy them from LR/Merc/VW etc. . I have one on my Mercedes E Class. Sadly it broke (stuck out) so we towed home. Luckily it was under warranty (month 35 of 36 months!) otherwise it was €1500 for a new one. Be aware no spare parts are sold and if you contract ORIS then they can't give you any info about how things work as they are contractually not allowed to tell you. I have the old towbar and took it apart, turned out (i think) that the turning ratchet mechanism broke but i could extract this part or anymore. That said the new one runs and sounds a lot smoother than the original factory one so fingers crossed that i was just unlucky as in don't want another €1500 in 2024.
Thank you for this Simon! I am just about to install one on my L663 myself. The motor attachment looks pretty solid on my unit, but I can imagine with brutal force it can break (if that happens your bumper is also smashed pretty badly I guess). The "Brink" brand has a pretty good reputation overhere in the Netherlands. Are you planning to install it on the Stig? would be a great follow up on this video :)
Hi JJ - the odd thing about this failure is there is no impact damage visible to the motor casing and also no damage visible to motors - sure they have damage visible but no signs of impact ( crushing denting etc ) which makes me think the force was not that great. I think the motor casing sits very close to the bumper skin making it more vulnerable. Yes we are now in the process of fixing the towbar with some motors purchased from ebay and then we will do the install and test our protection plate. The tricky bit may be the programming of the car.... may need to go to the dark side for this !
@@L663 that's odd indeed, fingers crossed it will not happen soon! Hopefully you get the timing right with the new motors. I'm looking forward to part 2 and the protection plate ofcourse. I did need to order the control box (VPLET0278) with the car's VIN number, so maybe something comes pre-installed (this might be wishfull thinking). Otherwise it will be to the dark side for me too!
Also did you ever fit the tow bar? There seems to be different numbers for cars with air suspension and cars with springs. I'm trying to find out what the differences are. I have a MY24 defender enroute with air but can get my hands on a towbar meant for a car with springs.
@@aglheatingandplumbingengin7850 Yes I did, not sure what the technical difference would be.. maybe the wiring on the inside is different, the compressor sits next to the towbar box, a wiring harnas is included with the towbar
Hmmm…I always fancied an electric tow bar but I think I have changed my mind! The electrical/stowing parts look just too marginal and made to a level just enough to work. As for paying £2500 for the complete assembly…that sounds rather expensive..no I think stay with the manual, permanent job if you actually use a tow bar for work or regularly. You must be the only one brave enough to take it apart…and probably to make big improvements! Good work men!! 😨😨😳😃😃😃😃Richard.
@@L663 Not by much though Simon! I did ask about a standard fixed hitch and they quoted “about £1000” but they are much cheaper from other sources….just the electrics might be a challenge to be fitted properly. The bar on my Company 1993 Ford Escort was £25 and I fitted it myself!!😬😃😃😃
If Defender owners are having problems with their tow bars after the motors pack in and unable to get new ones . By going by your video of taking it to bits after you have taken the top cover off and then put the towbar in the drop position and then locking it using the drill you then weld it solid and refit the bar the only issue then is it is always down ready to be used. 2 grand for a towbar is shocking.
The towbar is really interesting - i had thought like you of making the towbar a hybrid where i can operate with an electric drill when needed - one issue here is that the gearing on the motor makes it impossible for the "clamp" to vibrate loose - an issue that has to be considered if the motor is removed - you have addressed this with the welding option. I can see the reason for the cost there is a lot of metal / welding in the towbar as well as testing etc. I like the idea of the deployable towbar on the Defender as it would really get in the way in where it is next to the rear door.
Yes we need to be building cars to last and be fixable - Land Rover have a head start in this area and its an area that could be developed. Europe is leading the way with "right to repair" legislation
Interesting that these have a lower 3,000kg rating when compared to the fixed 3,500kg rating. These would be nice to have, but is it worth the lower rating? EDIT: As noted below, the correct max tow mass is 3,500kg, except for the 2.0L petrol (3,000) and PHEV (2,500kg). Not defined by electric two hitch.
Hi David - where did you see the 3000Kg rating - I thought it was 3500Kg This seems to say it is 3500Kg www.ownerinfo.landrover.com/document/3E/2020/T22693/38261_en_GBR/proc/G2389436
@@L663 Ops, my error and you are correct. I mixed up the 'Max nose weight' for the electrically deployable tow ball being 200kg, as opposed to the fixed at 350kg. I did double check the Australian specs, which directs us back to the UK site - just in case :) Thanks for the correction.
What an interesting and horrible idea. This has so many failure points built into it. One option for guys is you could get a company that makes towbars to build a "dumb" version that bolt on in place of the casting that holds the movable hitch?
Yes this is a reoccurring theme in the comments below - I am not sure what testing and approval would be needed for such an adaptor. In many ways the mechanism is simple enough and could be repaired if spares were available. Even the rubber gaiter is not available.
Few winters worth of salt and that whole thing will be seized solid and fooked. Those plastic gearboxes barely have the strength to support themselves - embarrassingly cheap construction.
I think in many ways it is better than the previous designs ( westfalia type on the L405 ) as the moving parts are much more contained and not exposed. It would be good if Land Rover could supply spares - even down to the rubber gaitor which is going to wear at some point. Hopefully someone from LR will watch and read the comments.
What a shambolic design. Totally designed to fail and they don't even supply parts for it. Absolute rubbish on such a vehicle, never mind what the heap cost to buy in the first place. Best buy the fixed towbar because the only sensible repair for this type is to weld it up solid anyway, so why waste money on the deployable nonsense in the first place. Especially as the main utility of it is to increase the departure angle, not to keep precious chinos clean of grease. A plastic tow ball cover could do that and cost about £3.
@@L663 I doubt it. Doesn't the camera normally show the tow ball to facilitate easy hitching up? They usually do. Nobody used to complain about the fixed hitch on Discovery original or 2, or Shoguns, Troopers, Fourtrax or any car with a fixed tow ball. This is very much a 'first world' imagined problem. This hitch would be fine if they gave a ten year unlimited mileage warranty on it, but this is LR and you have about as much hope of walking on planet Mars as of that. Why does it cost £2000 to replace anyhow? It only costs about £1200 new, fully fitted and including VAT on any Defender.
I loved this deep dive into the tow bar deployment system. Very interesting.
Glad you enjoyed it - its not what everyone ( most people ) would consider entertainment !
Excellent video - I am looking forward to seeing your solution to a strong protective plate to prevent off-road damage to the motors. Excellent. 👍
Hi John - there was a glimpse of it in the last VLOG - but i now need to swap the motors for the ones on ebay and then fit the towbar to the car to see how much clearance is have between the motor "tube" and the rear bumper skin.
Wow - £2.5k bill really just because LR / Brink got cheap with the design - that’s pretty shoddy given the tow bar itself is a monster! ! Great video to illustrate this guys!
The main tow bar is a really nice construction and bomb proof !
I am glad the NAS defender comes with a regular 2” tow bar
Good point - the US tow hitch system is sooooo much better than the UK system - I had one of these on my Toyota Hilux when i lived in Thailand and it was really versatile and so quick and simple to remove the hitch if not needed.
I have a Brink (now part of the THULE group) detachable towbar on my Pajero. Brink have a policy of not supplying parts for their towbars. So if you back against a wall and damage only the detachable part, you will need to buy the full set all over again. So, I suspect that this has more to do with Brink than it does with Land Rover. Not supplying parts to fix something like this safely is the kind of stupid policy that is an actual example of creating waste unnecessarily.
It is indeed interesting and for someone like myself who loves fixing things it good to see that the world is recognising that making items so they can be fixed is a MUST. The fact that even the rubber gaiter is not available is a concern. We are already well underway to getting this fixed !
Maybe the parts are available from another vehicle manufacturer or Brink. Surely they're not unique to LR. Bet you come up with a nice motor guard and brace though Si. 😎 Just remembered the fiesta tailgate actuator. 👍
👍 another well explained informative video guys, thanks.
Hi 👋 very nice 👌 well deigned especially when not in use and it hides behind the bumper.
Thanks 🙏
Hi Mr Virdi - this is more important for the Defender as you stand with your legs next to the bumper
I'm a bit late to the party here but what an interesting piece of design. The tooling to make the ball section and the toothed track on the side of the ball assembly is a work of art. Unfortunately it is far too complex to fit on a supposed "off roader". Although I don't suppose your going to damage it parked on the Kings Road outside Waitrose.
Hi Tony - you are correct it is an excellent piece of the design - the ball with toothed track in a strong and clever design - you can get the hook to move in any arc you desire. Land Rover do offer more basic solutions for the people using their vehicles in more hostile environments. We only shop at Waitrose when we have guests over ( so we look posh ! )
The usual high interest and entertainment. Thanks. NSN
Thanks for this video. Did you ever develop any protection for the motor housing?
Not yet - need to look at this again
Thanks a lot. I just subscribed to your channel. It's informative AND entertaining, love it.@@L663
Great video. I really enjoy watching the deep dive into understanding how the tow bar mechanism works. It is certainly an example of creative engineering BUT it is NOT good engineering. Good engineering design must pay attention to robustness and ability to repair. Frankly, on a vehicle which is heralded by LR as the best off roader - how can the team at LR responsible for approving this design feel anything but embarrassment. It is totally obvious that this motor assembly is extremely vulnerable to damage off road. It would not have been difficult to have added some type of steel guard but clearly LR engineers simply didn't see any need to consider "what if" type analysis !!
Hi David - thanks for adding your comments which have some interesting and valid points. In their defence Land Rover do offer other tow bar solutions - fixed and detachable - that may be more suited to challenging environments.
Please don’t forget to post a video for the Evoque rear light bar.
Very interesting, Landrover seem to have made a balls of the towbar. That housing should have been made of aluminium. We know you shouldn't put plastic and metal cogs together as the weak point will be the plastic ones. We know they use plastic to save a penny but £2500 and you get plastic is ridiculous.
Plastic has many advantages with weight and resistant to corrosion. It may be aluminium housing may have also failed in an impact.
I now need to see if i can fix it with some motors I have found on ebay.
@@L663 you're right about the housing, it could fail with aluminium but one 1/16 aluminium is better than 1/16 plastic was the point . You can put a guard around it to stop some damage but surely making it properly from the beginning would fix the problem or put a warning on it that its not to be driven off road as it could be damaged and will void the warranty.
@@L663 I agree a cast aluminium housing would not offer significantly more protection off road BUT how can LR sell this tow bar for a heavy duty off roader which is, let's be honest, totally unfit for purpose ! A steel guard plate would have been so easy to add at the design stage.
I'm really looking forward to seeing your design.
@@L663 could you not get better plastic (stronger compound) 3D printed?
So where abouts on the tow bar assembly is the load sensor, that measures trailer nose weight. Brilliant for loading trailer.
Super interesting. It looks like the housing just needs to be braced better (or additional mount, guard) against the towbar to prevent it flexing where the motors join. The secondary issue is replacement parts not being available to buy, a bit naughty from Landrover, but not uncommon these days.
Hi David - I did have a couple of discussions with some people in the know - they were claiming there was some sort of calibration needed but i am not sure that stacks up with the gear ratios etc. Anyway i have sound some identical motors on ebay and will try and fix it.
Great tear down! Thus.. this is the second time I see Brink deliver susceptible solutions..
Why on earth do LR approve this on a Defender?? It’s a tow bar, does it have to move?
Well, hope you guys get it up and running again - and fit a roll cage for that tow bar 😅
I can see the advantage of moving but maybe removable may be a better plan for the Defender if used off road.
Another very interesting video guys. Obviously JLR are offering these as an ‘easy’ option to the well heeled first owners. It’s obvious this will fail over time. What’s likely in a few years is a kit will emerge to convert the tow bar to either a fixed or manually removable swan neck. Either way, this is just another silly idea that damages Land Rover’s brand.
Like you i did consider a conversion to manual - its a shame that Brink did not make a common tow bar subframe with different options that are interchangeable - so the "gearbox" could be replaced with a manual or detachable unit. The problem is that any conversion needs to be approved and tested so this will put it out the reach of many aftermarket companies.
Thanks for the tear down - so informative. I don't know how this compares to others (e.g BMW) but there appears to be a number of places for it to fail - regardless as to whether it gets a direct hit when off-roading. I ordered a Defender with this tow-bar and now thinking that I should have plumbed for the detachable. Ironically, LR informed me that one of the options that could delay delivery was the deployable tow-bar. 🙄
You're so correct about the wastefulness on failure - everything nowadays should have a 'right to repair' .
If the £2.5K part does become scrap then is it possible to retrofit the detachable version by removing just the tow hook and electrics??
Hi - i think the detachable is going to be more robust longer term but way less cool ! Also this item did have an impact so its not a normal failure. Alas there is no way to retro fit a solid or detachable hook to the subframe - each version of tow bar has a different design - I was headding down the same route but hit a dead end !
The new tow bar is actually a little less around £1400 without labour - I overestimated the cost
@@L663
The ark welder is your friend if this over complex yet designed to fail hitch fails.
Beware that welding precautions should be taken, including to protect the vehicle's electronics and alternator.
Interesting video lads well done 👍👍🚘
Thanks again👍
CompetEnt, Simon! 😉
Ooops..spelling was never my strong point !
Hi great vid as usual. Do you know if landrover upgraded the motors? There seems to be a superseeded part number. Also the MY24 units have a newer part number from vplet0330 to Vplet0336.
not sure
on the land rover accessories website they list the 336 PN as commercial ( see towing section in below link )
accessories-instructions.landrover.com/enUSA/new-defender
When you have time you mentioned that the Defender has external "spotlights". Can you please show us how it looks?
So glad I ordered the detachable one 🤣
Hi Chris - for many people this will be a good compromise between practicality and convenience.
They are made by ORIS as OE and will not have been designed/touched by LR other than specifying the load requirements. You can't buy them direct from ORIS - although they are mentioned as an OE supplier but you can buy them from LR/Merc/VW etc.
. I have one on my Mercedes E Class. Sadly it broke (stuck out) so we towed home. Luckily it was under warranty (month 35 of 36 months!) otherwise it was €1500 for a new one. Be aware no spare parts are sold and if you contract ORIS then they can't give you any info about how things work as they are contractually not allowed to tell you. I have the old towbar and took it apart, turned out (i think) that the turning ratchet mechanism broke but i could extract this part or anymore. That said the new one runs and sounds a lot smoother than the original factory one so fingers crossed that i was just unlucky as in don't want another €1500 in 2024.
Hi - I am pretty sure these are made by Brink on the Land Rover ( its on the label )
Lucky for you the car was in warranty.
I need to see somethigs of evoque
Thank you for this Simon! I am just about to install one on my L663 myself. The motor attachment looks pretty solid on my unit, but I can imagine with brutal force it can break (if that happens your bumper is also smashed pretty badly I guess). The "Brink" brand has a pretty good reputation overhere in the Netherlands. Are you planning to install it on the Stig? would be a great follow up on this video :)
Hi JJ - the odd thing about this failure is there is no impact damage visible to the motor casing and also no damage visible to motors - sure they have damage visible but no signs of impact ( crushing denting etc ) which makes me think the force was not that great. I think the motor casing sits very close to the bumper skin making it more vulnerable. Yes we are now in the process of fixing the towbar with some motors purchased from ebay and then we will do the install and test our protection plate. The tricky bit may be the programming of the car.... may need to go to the dark side for this !
@@L663 that's odd indeed, fingers crossed it will not happen soon! Hopefully you get the timing right with the new motors. I'm looking forward to part 2 and the protection plate ofcourse. I did need to order the control box (VPLET0278) with the car's VIN number, so maybe something comes pre-installed (this might be wishfull thinking). Otherwise it will be to the dark side for me too!
Also did you ever fit the tow bar? There seems to be different numbers for cars with air suspension and cars with springs. I'm trying to find out what the differences are. I have a MY24 defender enroute with air but can get my hands on a towbar meant for a car with springs.
@@aglheatingandplumbingengin7850 Yes I did, not sure what the technical difference would be.. maybe the wiring on the inside is different, the compressor sits next to the towbar box, a wiring harnas is included with the towbar
@@joworx OK thanks. Did you order a specific tow bar or did you fit any? I'm just not sure if they re-designed the bar to suit air. Seems odd to me
Hmmm…I always fancied an electric tow bar but I think I have changed my mind! The electrical/stowing parts look just too marginal and made to a level just enough to work. As for paying £2500 for the complete assembly…that sounds rather expensive..no I think stay with the manual, permanent job if you actually use a tow bar for work or regularly. You must be the only one brave enough to take it apart…and probably to make big improvements! Good work men!! 😨😨😳😃😃😃😃Richard.
The tow bar is around £1200 + VAT then i guess there is labour ontop. The £2500 may be a little high.
@@L663 Not by much though Simon! I did ask about a standard fixed hitch and they quoted “about £1000” but they are much cheaper from other sources….just the electrics might be a challenge to be fitted properly. The bar on my Company 1993 Ford Escort was £25 and I fitted it myself!!😬😃😃😃
Top work boys:-)
Thanks 👍
If Defender owners are having problems with their tow bars after the motors pack in and unable to get new ones
. By going by your video of taking it to bits after you have taken the top cover off and then put the towbar in the drop position and then locking it using the drill you then weld it solid and refit the bar the only issue then is it is always down ready to be used. 2 grand for a towbar is shocking.
The towbar is really interesting - i had thought like you of making the towbar a hybrid where i can operate with an electric drill when needed - one issue here is that the gearing on the motor makes it impossible for the "clamp" to vibrate loose - an issue that has to be considered if the motor is removed - you have addressed this with the welding option. I can see the reason for the cost there is a lot of metal / welding in the towbar as well as testing etc. I like the idea of the deployable towbar on the Defender as it would really get in the way in where it is next to the rear door.
@@L663 There is many like it out there Landrover just need to beef it up a bit, make it more robust.
@@gordonbarclay6106 Agreed - and make spare available and design it so i can be repaired - we really need to look at making things sustainable.
Hopefully the motor industry will be forced into the forthcoming household appliance style "repair not replace" system?
Yes we need to be building cars to last and be fixable - Land Rover have a head start in this area and its an area that could be developed. Europe is leading the way with "right to repair" legislation
Interesting that these have a lower 3,000kg rating when compared to the fixed 3,500kg rating. These would be nice to have, but is it worth the lower rating? EDIT: As noted below, the correct max tow mass is 3,500kg, except for the 2.0L petrol (3,000) and PHEV (2,500kg). Not defined by electric two hitch.
Hi David - where did you see the 3000Kg rating - I thought it was 3500Kg
This seems to say it is 3500Kg
www.ownerinfo.landrover.com/document/3E/2020/T22693/38261_en_GBR/proc/G2389436
@@L663 Ops, my error and you are correct. I mixed up the 'Max nose weight' for the electrically deployable tow ball being 200kg, as opposed to the fixed at 350kg. I did double check the Australian specs, which directs us back to the UK site - just in case :) Thanks for the correction.
What an interesting and horrible idea. This has so many failure points built into it. One option for guys is you could get a company that makes towbars to build a "dumb" version that bolt on in place of the casting that holds the movable hitch?
Yes this is a reoccurring theme in the comments below - I am not sure what testing and approval would be needed for such an adaptor. In many ways the mechanism is simple enough and could be repaired if spares were available. Even the rubber gaiter is not available.
Few winters worth of salt and that whole thing will be seized solid and fooked.
Those plastic gearboxes barely have the strength to support themselves - embarrassingly cheap construction.
I think in many ways it is better than the previous designs ( westfalia type on the L405 ) as the moving parts are much more contained and not exposed.
It would be good if Land Rover could supply spares - even down to the rubber gaitor which is going to wear at some point. Hopefully someone from LR will watch and read the comments.
Really don't need this hassle on a 4x4 if you don't want to see a tow bar at the back then don't buy a 4x4
You make a good point - i am starting to think a removable tow bar would be simple and not get in the way for the 330 days a year i dont need it !
No wonder this tow hook is not on the Australian or USA range. So complex, fragile, overkill ! Manual tow gear is best.
For many heavy users i think you are correct
What a shambolic design. Totally designed to fail and they don't even supply parts for it. Absolute rubbish on such a vehicle, never mind what the heap cost to buy in the first place. Best buy the fixed towbar because the only sensible repair for this type is to weld it up solid anyway, so why waste money on the deployable nonsense in the first place. Especially as the main utility of it is to increase the departure angle, not to keep precious chinos clean of grease. A plastic tow ball cover could do that and cost about £3.
But I love my Chinos !
One thing also to consider - does the fixed towbar get in the way of the rear camera ?
@@L663
I doubt it. Doesn't the camera normally show the tow ball to facilitate easy hitching up? They usually do. Nobody used to complain about the fixed hitch on Discovery original or 2, or Shoguns, Troopers, Fourtrax or any car with a fixed tow ball. This is very much a 'first world' imagined problem. This hitch would be fine if they gave a ten year unlimited mileage warranty on it, but this is LR and you have about as much hope of walking on planet Mars as of that.
Why does it cost £2000 to replace anyhow? It only costs about £1200 new, fully fitted and including VAT on any Defender.