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Topic: Tow Bar Bolts

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corni

06/9/2013 at 8:42am
Location: Doncaster
Outfit: Peugeot Autocruise Starfire 2 berth

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We have had this tow bar fitted on our present car for just over 3 years.

Would you recommend changing the bolts?

We have extra long bolts on our tow bar because our bike wrack bracket is part of the tow bar..
Cheers
Corni

listerdiesel

06/9/2013 at 9:32am
Location: Rushden Northants
Outfit: Mercedes 614D Conversion

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If they are starting to corrode, then yes, fit new bolts, heavy (thick) washers and nyloc nuts rather than the soppy shakeproof washers that get sold with them. Nylocs are far better in my view and less likely to come loose.

Using heavy washers prevents the bolts coming loose through the washers deforming.

Make sure they are High Tensile bolts to grade 10.9 minimum, don't use ordinary 8.8 grade and get Bright Zinc Plated (BZP in the trade)

You can get all of this stuff at most nut & bolt suppliers, caravan and trailer shops rarely carry anything other than the cheapest they can get from their wholesalers.

We use Emfast in Wellingborough 01933 229110 and Alfast in Luton 01582 418498.

Peter

freeatlast

06/9/2013 at 10:56am
Location: Teesside
Outfit: Mitsubishi ASX4

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Never heard of this one before, and 3 years worth of surface corrosion will make no difference. Complete overkill. Bolts should last many, many years, if not most steel structures would have collapsed years ago.

After all, on a 3 year car service they don't recommend chancing every bolt on the car, or even any bolts on the car.

I can think of plenty more things to worry about instead.

Grampian91

06/9/2013 at 1:26pm
Location: Midlands
Outfit: Mondeo Avondale Gram

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unless attacked by salt water on a regular basis any rust will be neglible.

The important bit is fairly protected on the inside.

If the corrosion gets so bad the threads are eaten away on the rear then maybe change them.

listerdiesel

06/9/2013 at 3:43pm
Location: Rushden Northants
Outfit: Mercedes 614D Conversion

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Sorry to disagree, but perhaps we do more towing than most and in all weathers and at maximum weight.

We have seen significant corrosion where the bolt passes through the towball and where you cannot see it.

I'd not take a chance personally, not with 3.5 tonnes behind me, YMMV.

Peter

Hymer530

06/9/2013 at 5:19pm
Location: None Entered
Outfit: Hymer 530

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It's one of those questions than doesn't really need answering if they are damaged or dangerous change them if not dont.
If you are worried over a bit of surface rust and feel it is dangerous a few quid spent will sort it

-------------
Mike

jayc001

06/9/2013 at 7:17pm
Location: Essex
Outfit: 1996 Bailey Senator 5000

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I wouldn't worry about corrosion of the bolts. The bracket and likely mounts on the car will give up long before the bolts.

millermicm

07/9/2013 at 6:48am
Location: west country
Outfit: None Entered

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Why choose just the bolts to replace? The uncleaned bar underneath the car will be subject to much more corrosion. The bolts holding that to the car will be subject to more stress. The constant rubbing action on the ball will be a further factor.

Personally I wouldn't replace any of it. It is in any case now subject to inspection during the mot isn't it?

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Steve

freeatlast

07/9/2013 at 3:47pm
Location: Teesside
Outfit: Mitsubishi ASX4

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Quote: Originally posted by listerdiesel on 06/9/2013
Sorry to disagree, but perhaps we do more towing than most and in all weathers and at maximum weight.

We have seen significant corrosion where the bolt passes through the towball and where you cannot see it.

I'd not take a chance personally, not with 3.5 tonnes behind me, YMMV.

Peter

You were not raising the question, and yours is hardly a standard caravan.

nickgill

08/9/2013 at 5:51pm
Location: New Forest
Outfit: 2L Grand Vitara and Bailey Pagent

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how can you torque Nylock Nuts ????

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pinkfloyd

08/9/2013 at 6:01pm
Location: The Beautiful Lake District
Outfit: Buccaneer Clipper Autotrail Cheyenne

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Quote: Originally posted by freeatlast on 06/9/2013
Never heard of this one before, and 3 years worth of surface corrosion will make no difference. Complete overkill. Bolts should last many, many years, if not most steel structures would have collapsed years ago.

After all, on a 3 year car service they don't recommend chancing every bolt on the car, or even any bolts on the car.

I can think of plenty more things to worry about instead.

Have to agree with this reply,bolts will last many years, much longer than the towcar itself in my opinion, I have towed for nearly 35 years and never found it necessary to change any tow bracket bolts on any of my towcars, forget about it....

rabb_uk

08/9/2013 at 6:17pm
Location: Derbyshire
Outfit: Adria Forma-Delica 2.8td-Movelite XL

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Quote: Originally posted by nickgill on 08/9/2013
how can you torque Nylock Nuts ????

You cant...

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Doing as little as possible for as much as possible...

Petemate

08/9/2013 at 7:06pm
Location: Kennington OXFORD
Outfit: 2005 Eccles Sterling Topaz 2 berth

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Quote: Originally posted by rabb_uk on 08/9/2013

Quote: Originally posted by nickgill on 08/9/2013
how can you torque Nylock Nuts ????
You cant...

Why not? I would suggest that the torque necessary to overcome the drag of a nylon nut insert is not very much, and one can always allow for this and apply extra. Good way to check is to screw the nut down until the nylon bites, then wind the torque wrench from the lowest setting a little at a time, applying load via the socket, and you can then see what the load is as the wrench 'clicks'. Then add this figure to the recommended figure.
Simples (meerkat)

nickgill

08/9/2013 at 7:06pm
Location: New Forest
Outfit: 2L Grand Vitara and Bailey Pagent

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Quote: Originally posted by rabb_uk on 08/9/2013
Quote: Originally posted by nickgill on 08/9/2013how can you torque Nylock Nuts ????
You cant...

surely as you torque them up (My bolts are torqued up to 75 pounds/feet) the plastic insert would just rip out be fore you get any where near that figure

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Grampian91

08/9/2013 at 8:16pm
Location: Midlands
Outfit: Mondeo Avondale Gram

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The nylon follows the threads It offers nothing to the strength of the nut or parts.

Its only there to offer a bit of grip to the bolt to help prevent it vibrating free.

tango55

08/9/2013 at 10:32pm
Location: Lichfield
Outfit: Coachman Amara 450

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The older type bolt and castellated nut with cotter pin through could not be torqued up merely because the hole through the bolt had to line up with the castle in the nut for the cotter pin to line up and slide through to prevent the fixing coming undone but as the nylock nut replaced this type of fixing there is no lining up required therefore there is no reason as to why a nylock nut cannot be torqued to the specific setting. 'Grampian91' is absolutely right in the fact that the impregnated nylon is only there to grip the bolt thread and prevent the fixing vibrating loose.

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