Monaro VXR Towing Eye fitted

Monaro VXR Towing Eye fitted

Author
Discussion

IanLWarrington

Original Poster:

385 posts

166 months

Sunday 23rd March 2014
quotequote all
Hi all,

Thought I'd post this to help anyone who's wanting to consider getting a tow point fitted (the post I currently have running doesn't include the tow hook in the subject line).

In a nutshell, had a tow eye fitted last week and I'm very pleased at how discrete it is. I had it done professionally and there was quite a bit of fabrication and welding required to ensure a reasonable chance of a working solution.

Here's a couple of pics of the finished article and I'll post some of the bracket weld when I find them (the garage took and sent me some - they look a bit 'brutal' but the job cleaned up very nicely).

I should add, this is one modification where I won't be saying "I can't wait to use it".

I was bothered though that if I broke down (or decide to do a track day and need to get towed back to the pits) my bumper would get damaged so I thought I'd remove some of that risk. I'm not fooling myself that it will get me out of a deep ditch - but it has been successfully 'road tested'.!

Regards,

Ian





fastbikes76

2,450 posts

121 months

Sunday 23rd March 2014
quotequote all
What a superb idea mate !thumbup

Quite often this is overlooked until you need it in which case its usually too late !! The Mitsi GTo's have twin towing hooks front and rear, problem is the front ones are UNDER the car poking out of a £3000 front active aero...you can guess what happens the first time someone tries too tow you furious

garyv8tiger

193 posts

191 months

Sunday 23rd March 2014
quotequote all
where is the middle of your bumber?

captainblakk

269 posts

215 months

Sunday 23rd March 2014
quotequote all
Cracking idea, been thinking of rigging up an eye at the front at least on my R8, be interested to see how it's been fabricated, guess the Aussies make such reliable cars they never saw the need to fit them rolleyes

IanLWarrington

Original Poster:

385 posts

166 months

Sunday 23rd March 2014
quotequote all
garyv8tiger said:
where is the middle of your bumber?
Don't start Gary. wink

It's a trick of the light.

Already been though the discussion.

See http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

(Hope you are well)

Ian

ARAF

20,759 posts

222 months

Sunday 23rd March 2014
quotequote all
captainblakk said:
Cracking idea, been thinking of rigging up an eye at the front at least on my R8, be interested to see how it's been fabricated, guess the Aussies make such reliable cars they never saw the need to fit them rolleyes
I was thinking about that on the VXR8, and have again thought about it on the Ute. My thought eas that it would be best to cut the bumper behind the front numberplate, and attach a towing strap to the reinforcing bar behind.

IanLWarrington

Original Poster:

385 posts

166 months

Sunday 23rd March 2014
quotequote all
captainblakk said:
Cracking idea, been thinking of rigging up an eye at the front at least on my R8, be interested to see how it's been fabricated, guess the Aussies make such reliable cars they never saw the need to fit them rolleyes
Here you go ...







You can imagine that I picked it up with a little trepidation after they sent me these in the middle of the job. See them towing it to make sure it doesn't bend anything!

fastbikes76

2,450 posts

121 months

Sunday 23rd March 2014
quotequote all
Whaaaaaat ! So the R8 doesnt have one either ? Thats bonkers that Vx bring a car over specing it to be EU compliant but forget an all important Towing eye confusedconfused

IanLWarrington

Original Poster:

385 posts

166 months

Sunday 23rd March 2014
quotequote all
fastbikes76 said:
Whaaaaaat ! So the R8 doesnt have one either ? Thats bonkers that Vx bring a car over specing it to be EU compliant but forget an all important Towing eye confusedconfused
I didn't know that either - I just assumed it would have been an omission that was resolved.

Shucks.

Ian

ARAF

20,759 posts

222 months

Sunday 23rd March 2014
quotequote all
IanLWarrington said:
fastbikes76 said:
Whaaaaaat ! So the R8 doesnt have one either ? Thats bonkers that Vx bring a car over specing it to be EU compliant but forget an all important Towing eye confusedconfused
I didn't know that either - I just assumed it would have been an omission that was resolved.

Shucks.

Ian
Worse still, both the Monaro VXR and the VXR8 have bumpers that hang lower than anything that can be strapped to underneath. When our VXR8 was recovered, a few of the plastic fittings popped out underneath.

wormus

14,509 posts

202 months

Sunday 23rd March 2014
quotequote all
You would have been better off putting it on the back. You cannot tow them forwards or it buggers the gearbox. Should be towed backwards with the back wheels off the ground. Or you can put it on the back of a lorry.

Edited by wormus on Sunday 23 March 17:50

garyv8tiger

193 posts

191 months

Sunday 23rd March 2014
quotequote all
IanLWarrington said:
Don't start Gary. wink

It's a trick of the light.

Already been though the discussion.

See http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

(Hope you are well)


yes just picked up on it

Ian

IanLWarrington

Original Poster:

385 posts

166 months

Sunday 23rd March 2014
quotequote all
wormus said:
You would have been better off putting it on the back. You cannot tow them forwards or it buggers the gearbox. Should be towed backwards with the back wheels off the ground. Or you can put it on the back of a lorry.

Edited by wormus on Sunday 23 March 17:50
Don't think it was viable without cutting through the rear bumper - and that wasn't an option I would have been happy with. It's only intended for use in an emergency however (to get on a truck or back to pits) - would such a short distance (taken carefully) really damage the diff?

I understand that for anything longer it would be a drive decouple.

(Towing backwards, how would that work with the steering?)

At the end of the day, I'd rather have one and avoid damaging the bumper. I've seen the pain that that can cause recently in postings.


IanLWarrington

Original Poster:

385 posts

166 months

Sunday 23rd March 2014
quotequote all
ARAF said:
Worse still, both the Monaro VXR and the VXR8 have bumpers that hang lower than anything that can be strapped to underneath. When our VXR8 was recovered, a few of the plastic fittings popped out underneath.
Hi Araf - that's what I'm trying to avoid - did they tow your car then - and how did this affect the differential?

Kind regards

Ian

ARAF

20,759 posts

222 months

Sunday 23rd March 2014
quotequote all
IanLWarrington said:
ARAF said:
Worse still, both the Monaro VXR and the VXR8 have bumpers that hang lower than anything that can be strapped to underneath. When our VXR8 was recovered, a few of the plastic fittings popped out underneath.
Hi Araf - that's what I'm trying to avoid - did they tow your car then - and how did this affect the differential?

Kind regards

Ian
No, it was only being loaded onto a flatbed.

THUNDER STORM

1,251 posts

168 months

Thursday 24th July 2014
quotequote all
IanLWarrington said:
captainblakk said:
Cracking idea, been thinking of rigging up an eye at the front at least on my R8, be interested to see how it's been fabricated, guess the Aussies make such reliable cars they never saw the need to fit them rolleyes
Here you go ...









You can imagine that I picked it up with a little trepidation after they sent me these in the middle of the job. See them towing it to make sure it doesn't bend anything!
I think the first time it is towed will be when the Power Steering cooler pipe bursts due to rust, as seen on your photos. Dont like picking faults on mates cars, but it may save you breaking down.
soapboxthumbup

Adebyebye

arh1a

97 posts

126 months

Thursday 24th July 2014
quotequote all
wormus said:
You would have been better off putting it on the back. You cannot tow them forwards or it buggers the gearbox. Should be towed backwards with the back wheels off the ground. Or you can put it on the back of a lorry.

Edited by wormus on Sunday 23 March 17:50
Why does it damage the gearbox or diff? Is it because of the LSD?

MyM8V8

9,456 posts

194 months

Thursday 24th July 2014
quotequote all
wormus said:
You would have been better off putting it on the back. You cannot tow them forwards or it buggers the gearbox. Should be towed backwards with the back wheels off the ground. Or you can put it on the back of a lorry.

Edited by wormus on Sunday 23 March 17:50
So you would bugger your gearbox by knocking out of cog and freewheeling down the road then?
( I think that is to do with auto's)

BTW Nice job Ian thumbup


Edited by MyM8V8 on Thursday 24th July 18:56

raving

1,183 posts

189 months

Thursday 24th July 2014
quotequote all
[quote=MyM8V8]

So you would bugger your gearbox by knocking out of cog and freewheeling down the road then?
( I think that is to do with auto's)

Quite possibly if engine wasnt running & box needed oil pump drive to lube or splash type lube for mainshaft



raving

1,183 posts

189 months

Thursday 24th July 2014
quotequote all
raving]yM8V8 said:
So you would bugger your gearbox by knocking out of cog and freewheeling down the road then?
( I think that is to do with auto's)

Quite possibly if engine wasnt running & box needed oil pump drive to lube or splash type lube for mainshaft
Would take more than few hundred yards though