C3 2002-2010 towbar mounting points

[charentejohn]

Has anyone done one of these as I was hoping to not remove the bumper but looks like I will have to. If that's the case I will do it all at once so need to set aside the time.
I hoped there were a couple of nuts welded inside the chassis when I saw the towbar but can't find them by touch. All I can feel is a recess just above the chassis which seems about right. Looks like it is solid though so is this where it attaches ?

I looked on Citroen service and saw the bumper mountings, I can see the ones at the bottom and from the drawings there are two bolts covered by the light clusters ? Are these the main attachment points, apart from a few plastic push in plugs or are there more hidden elsewhere.

I just want to know what I am looking at before starting, then I can disconnect the light clusters and bumper in the certain kowledge that I just have to bolt the towbar on, put it all back and away we go. I am sure it is straightforward but not finding the 2 nuts either side for the towbar has thrown me. All recent cars have has these or tubes in the chassis for fitting. Is there a plactic cover or something ?

[RichardW]

Witter instructions (here) suggest bumper removal not required, and threaded holes in the chassis arms.

If you've got 2 hours to spare.....



Which does remove the bumper. Think I'd want more than a couple of wheel changing jacks before venturing under there....

[charentejohn]

I did see that but he didn't say where he got his magic wand from. Car all in one piece, abracadabra bumper gone, towbar on ground, abracadabra and now on car.
I didn't watch it all but did this time and at least it shows how the bumper mounts to the car as he puts it back, well sort of. Nice bouncy music and some pointing to holes in the bodywork but no actual assembly. Maybe he works for Haynes ?

At least I now know how the bumper fits, I will try again to find the missing fitting points. They must be there, my wife's car is the same and can't find them either. Maybe they didn't bother fitting them in 2005 and 2006 ?
I looked at the 4 stubby bolts they gave me to fit it with and thought, easy peasy then. No nuts so nuts must be in the chassis. I am sure they must be in the recessed bits as there is a seam in the chassis that would foul the towbar, just can't feel them to fit this without removing the bumper so I can see.

Edited to add, translated the instructions and says remove the covering tape from the holes. Looking at the video in full screen looks like they will be just below the seam in the chassis, or maybe the seam is the tape, off back to try again.
Yep, the seam is really 1mm(ish) mastic tape. Bad news is that the bumper has to come off as the towbar needs to go over the exhaust anyway. Seems the lying wossnames at the suppliers made a mistake saying bumper does not need removal or modification. When I got the instructions is said remove and modify but I assumed they were general instructions. Oh well, says about a 3 hr job so maybe friday.

[charentejohn]

Just detail on C3 rear bumper removal as I have now done it, as usual simple but a couple of hidden bits. Also as Richard said no need to jack up the car to fit towbar or bumper. I just noticed the car in the video is on two jacks and not one axle stand, not one to do on a windy day in case it blows over.

Anyway, bumper removal.
Along the bottom are two torx screws in the middle and two push in plastic 'mushrooms' at the ends. The plastic bits can be removed by reaching inside the arch and piching the clip part, no need to prise them off.
Along the top, remove the tail lights, one 10mm nut at the top and one behind the light accessed from a hole in the boot.
Top held by one 10mm bolt you can now see which was behind the base of the light. Then the fun one, an excessively (when hard to remove) long bolt securing the end of the bumper to the wheel arch. This is right in the corner where the two join in a small gap in the plastic inner arches. Hard to get at, 1/3 of a turn at a time with a spanner as the inner arches are in the way, painful to screw out by hand as a bit stiff and no room, but a bit of grease in the threads before refitting makes it easier.
Last but not least top middle bit of the bumper is held by 3 moulded plastic 'hooks' that fit into the black plastic strip along the top of the bumper. Ease the black plastic up with a screwdriver and work them free. The bumper is very flexible so can take a bit of flexing.