Hello anyone with a towbar on their i30 (bob and ???)

My new towbar came with a neat plastic cover over the"slot" where you poke the tongue in. They just put the tongue with Towball attached in the boot and a couple of chain clasps in my console.

When I put the tongue in the slot two things happened:-

Firstly, when I pushed the pin up from underneath it came up against the base of the plastic bumper so I had to put real pressure under it so I could do the bright orange nut up tightly before putting the locking pin in place.

The when it was tight I could still wobble it slightly side to side. Noisy and would have been noticeable while driving. (major technical fix here, have pens to the ready... I jambed the clip part of a black pen cap in the gap (worked rather nicely but shouldn't have been required)

Then...later noticed a new sticker in my drivers door jamb with towing weights etc... and it says quote "for towing of trailers only" ...lucky I didn't buy that little caravan to put on my new block for amenities use!!!!

Never had a towbar before (except on my Company vehicles) but assumed all towbars were made equal???

Thats it for now (photos to come)

Rgds,

Dazz

Some photos I prepared earlier (just used my mobile so they aren't that clear)

Can't see the technical adjustment made with pen clip but can hopefully make out bow in plastic bumper caused by pressure of bolt coming up from underneath.

Dazz,

Don't think I have the problem of the pressure up against the bumper, but I will check later in the week (I'm away for 2 days so won't be posting - don't all cheer).

A caravan, by the way, is a trailer. However, there are only a limited number of caravans with a ball weight less than or equal to 75kg. Have come across a range of vans manufactured in Geelong that would be suitable. They are designed to be towed behing front wheel drive cars and the smallest can even be towed by a Getz or a Yaris. http://www.driftaway.com.au/lrmini.htm

Also, I have turned the connector upside down so that it is mounted on top of the metal plate. I thought it was being asked to be ripped off mounted underneath the metal plate.

Bob

Thanks Bob,

As usual worthwhile tips.. No wonder your infamous (i mean famous) in your part of the country... :clap:

Rgds,

Dazz

Dazz,
and others with towbars
plus those interested in towbars
(Everyone I guess),

Had a closer look at the towbar and tongue. I can see what you mean about the tongue being loose in the slot that it fits in. It is no more of an issue than it is with the square tubing type fitted to larger vehicles. In these cases I have always made up a spacer out of thin plastic (an icream lid is ideal material) . I tried it out on the i30 and it works a treat. See the pics below.

Also see what you mean about the tapered pin pressing up against the bumper, although ours doesn't quite touche. See pic below.

Have included a number of pics to give others a good idea of how the bumper and attachments look.

Notice also that I have put the socket on the top of the supplied plate. I have had sockets ripped off on previous vehicles when they are fitted underneath.

Bob





This post has been edited by tjaliwalpa: Apr 25 2008, 12:21 AM

Hi Bob,

Nice clear pix.. did mine with my phone - being lazy. My tongue is loose side to side more than up and down. That's probably why I say offensive things on the forum...well not really (that's why a pen top worked ok for me.)

It appears my towbar may have been installed very slightly inboard than yours hence the fouling of the pin with my plastic bumper (not worth complaining though)

Regards,

Dazz

Is tjaliwalpa an aboriginal word, a combination of your families initials or did you just bump the keyboard once and decided you liked the look of the result :innocent:

This post has been edited by dazzling_darryl: Apr 25 2008, 05:20 AM

Hi Dazz,
my towbar is exactly as you describe yours. ie. when the bolt is put through and tightened up with the big red plastic nut it touches the bottom section of the plastic rear bumper and causes it to flex just a little. And the tounge is relatively loose when fixed into position.

My previous car ( VZ Calais) had a Hayman Reece towbar...the removable square tube type that is also held in place by a pin and clip. It was loose when put into position but to fix it into place a threaded hole had been tapped into the side of the outer tube so that a hexagon bolt could be tightened up against the tongue inside, fixing it tightly and stopping any movement. Now I am thinking of going to an engineering place and getting the same thing done to the i30 bar. I think there would be room on either side of the outer tube to tap a threaded hole through.

I'll let you know how I get on once I get around to doing it.

Russ

P.S. My flat pin connector was already attached to the top of the metal plate by the installer, just as Bob suggested he had done.

Thanks S-M,

Being a cheapskate, I might just put a colorbond Tek Screw (e.g. Self Drilling screw) in either side if my plastic pen clip (aka highly technical fix) doesn't do the job. Your idea is obviously the more professional approach...

Will move the connector to top of the plate as soon as I get a chance as that wont cost me anything.

Cheers,

Dazz

Dazz,

If yours is loose sideways, you could find suitable plastic strips to fit either side of the tongue.

Bob

Hi Bob,

Will give it a try but even though it will swing slightly either way enough to rattle, doubt I would be able to put even the thickness of an ice cream container plastic in the gap..

Rgds,

Dazz

How much weight can you tow with an i30 out of curiosity?

I think I might go with a Hayman Reece kit instead of the Hyundai kit, doesnt look that great.

Hi Turbo,

It's on the Hyundai site (and in the book) but from memory it's 500Kg unbraked and 1200kg braked...Although as Bob has stated can only handle a direct towball weight of up to 75kg.

Cheers,

Dazz

turbo1600,

As far as I can ascertain, Haymen Reece do not yet make a bar for the i30. Found one on a WA site that was made for an i30, but there were no details other than a limit of 1200kg (same as Hyundai bar).

http://www.parksidetowbars.com.au/specials.html

All in all, as I have said before, it is well designed and a neat fit. I believe it is the fitter who has stuffed up in some cases by making the cut out of the bumper a little smaler than it should be. Regarding the loose fitting of the tongue in the slot, you will find that this is the case with most slip in type tongues, even the Hyamen Reece. Not all Hyamen Reece bars have the grub screw.

Bob