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Topic: Swapping a towbar

Pigfarmer

28/11/2013 at 9:54am
Location: Farnborough
Outfit: Bailey Ranger 500 5 & X-Trail 2.2DCi

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I have bought a new (to me) car and handily it came with a towbar, however it is not an ALKO one. So I need to take the ALKO one off my Picasso and swap it with the one on my X-Trail.

Easy enough(in the face of it), but obviously I want to get it right, so how do I do it?

Also I might be looking to get a cycle rack thingy that slots in so might kill 2 birds with 1 stone - any recommended ones?

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millermicm

28/11/2013 at 10:04am
Location: west country
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All you need to swap is the ball. Just undo the two retaining bolts fixing the ball to the bracket and off it will come.

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Steve

Pigfarmer

28/11/2013 at 10:06am
Location: Farnborough
Outfit: Bailey Ranger 500 5 & X-Trail 2.2DCi

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Ok, which is easy. How do I know I have done them up tight enough though?

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Jack+Jon

28/11/2013 at 12:34pm
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Torque setting figure is about 200Nm(ie v tight)but if you don't have a torque wrench that size you can use a 2foot long breaker bar, correct sized socket & a ring spanner to hold other end. Do up as tight as you can & it will be ok.

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Pigfarmer

28/11/2013 at 12:36pm
Location: Farnborough
Outfit: Bailey Ranger 500 5 & X-Trail 2.2DCi

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Ok, Thanks Jack+Jon, I havent got a torque wrench, but I know a man who does! will do that!

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beanpark

28/11/2013 at 7:00pm
Location: Surrey
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We have just go our new mobility car so the one for the Alko had to be got off. Bob could not get down there easily so a younger friend WITH the right size spanners replace the Alko dry one for the original. It took a maximum of 10 mins. In damp weather yuk!.

Now we have to change them over again to put the one for the Alko back on. But he will now get the spanner as he saw how easy it was to do with the right tools

Post last edited on 28/11/2013 19:06:41

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Grampian91

28/11/2013 at 7:41pm
Location: Midlands
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Dont forget to replace the locking washers. I usually fit new bolts. If your fitting a bike rack then longer ones maybe required anyway.

DaveS1

30/11/2013 at 2:30pm
Location: Hatfield Peverel Essex
Outfit: Ace Supreme Twinstar Disco 3

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And don't forget that if you are intending to use the bike rack and tow at the same time you will probably exceed the maximum weight for the ball.

DaveS1

neil and lena

30/11/2013 at 4:59pm
Location: Dumfries
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Quote: Originally posted by Pigfarmer on 28/11/2013
I have bought a new (to me) car and handily it came with a towbar, however it is not an ALKO one. So I need to take the ALKO one off my Picasso and swap it with the one on my X-Trail.

Easy enough(in the face of it), but obviously I want to get it right, so how do I do it?

Also I might be looking to get a cycle rack thingy that slots in so might kill 2 birds with 1 stone - any recommended ones?

remember that the weight of the bikes on a tow ball mounted carrier limits your noseweight

Pigfarmer

02/12/2013 at 9:45am
Location: Farnborough
Outfit: Bailey Ranger 500 5 & X-Trail 2.2DCi

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very Good point about the Noseweight hadn't thought of that.

but then, what is nose weight to do with, in that I understand the idea (max weight pushing down on the towbar)

but if I opted for a rear car mounted one does that have the same effect on the noseweight? ie it is still pushing down on the car at the back - or is that ok? (as if I had put the total weight of the bikes in the boot for example)

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Jack+Jon

02/12/2013 at 10:21am
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If you mount bike rack on tailgate then you have to consider rear axle loading. If you have caravan hitched to towbar as well then add weight of bikes & rear axle max weight loading could be exceeded.

So look at it this way, if weight of bikes on towbar rack + caravan would exceed allowable towbar weight by a large margin then probably bikes on a tailgate rack would probably exceed axle loading with caravan hitched up.

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Pigfarmer

02/12/2013 at 10:27am
Location: Farnborough
Outfit: Bailey Ranger 500 5 & X-Trail 2.2DCi

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I had never considered this before (which is a little alarming)

so the best place for the bikes is on top i guess (if the weights are too much)

if the weight is ok, another random thought - does anyone know of a "front of caravan" mounting for bikes?

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Jack+Jon

02/12/2013 at 12:22pm
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You can get Fiamma bike racks to fit on front A frame of caravan but UK built caravans usually have A frames too short to fit them.

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Regards, Jack+Jon.

robert/julie

02/12/2013 at 5:05pm
Location: Ivybridge Devon
Outfit: Bailey Pageant Burgundy series 6

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When I had to change the tow ball on our car I took it up to our local garage 5 minutes job done no charge

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