Xantia Towbar - Help please!!

batbay · Post by **batbay** » 21 Dec 2004, 01:11

Hi everybody! can you help with this;
A while ago I purchased " a towbar" for a Xantia. Now I know the item did come from a Xantia, but I don't know what the make is, or whether I only have part of it.
So to describe - first, ignoring the actual towball and the angled plate that it is mounted to, there is then (going towards the front of the car) a 4cm square section bar 17cm long which terminates in a vertical plate 13cm x 16cm drilled with 10mm or 12mm hole in each corner. Attached to this plate (and protruding towards the offside of the car) at the lower right corner is a 28cm flat bar recessed towards the end, and, at the end drilled for a 10mm or 12mm bolt.
Going back to the 13x16 plate, attached to this and extending towards the front of the car is a 4cm square bar 45cm long, with a fixed horizontal square plate welded to it with a bolt holding a similar sized loose plate.
All advice gratefully received!
Thanks!

Dave Burns · Post by **Dave Burns** » 21 Dec 2004, 01:46

That sounds like an old cheapo Towsure bar to me, depending on the age of your car it could be unlawful to fit it, where required, cars registered after 1st August 1998 must have an EC type approved towbar and ball.
Without knowing what the original components and fitting instructions of that bar were, I would be inclined to scrap it.
Dave

batbay · Post by **batbay** » 21 Dec 2004, 02:28

Thanks Dave. I don't intend to tow anything with it, just mount a motorcycle rack to carry a 100kilo bike. Do you think it is complete then?
Barry

DoubleChevron · Post by **DoubleChevron** » 21 Dec 2004, 03:55

Hi Guys,
100kgs is an awful lot of downweight to have back there. It might pay to strengthen the area the towbar bolts to, I think the factory Xantia bars are rated just under 100kgs ( I'll have to check ). I know the Xantia can't tow my fathers 16' caravan as it's nose weight is to heavy for the Xantias towbar.
seeya,
Shane L.

pwatson · Post by **pwatson** » 21 Dec 2004, 04:50

Be careful - max towball weight for a Xantia is 85kg
http://www.clicreports.co.uk/

batbay · Post by **batbay** » 21 Dec 2004, 05:13

Thanks for those last two replies. I'm not sure (and repeat not sure) whether the ball weight can be applied to a rack fitted to the ball, or if it is rather a figure to ensure correct relationship between towing and towed.
If, with a 1000kg caravan fitted, the tow ball can support the weight of that caravan under heavy braking, then I think it should support a downforce of 100kg.
However, if you see a green Xantia with a 1979 Maico 440 on the back travelling along with its front wheels in the air, you'll know I was wrong!

DoubleChevron · Post by **DoubleChevron** » 21 Dec 2004, 05:30

The towed weight that a Xantia can (legally) pull is about 1200kgs. However the <b>ball weight</b> is 85kg according to above. ie: if you put a scale under the tow ball hitch of a trailer/caravan you intend to tow and the weight there is greater than 85kgs, you can NOT legally tow the trailer/caravan. Even if the weight of the caravan/trailer is only 600kgs (when you can legally tow 1200).
I hope this makes sense.
seeya,
Shane L..

NiSk · Post by **NiSk** » 21 Dec 2004, 12:43

Yes, but batbay is right - the static loading is just STATIC - the dynamic forces applied by a towed trailer will be far greater than 100kg so the towbar should take it without any trouble. And as for the front wheels not touching the road, that will only occur if the same thing happens when you put a 100kg of load in the boot! (not very likely!)
//NiSk

batbay · Post by **batbay** » 21 Dec 2004, 13:40

Yes NiSk, as the man said when he sold me the rack, "As you have a Xantia it will be no problem."
Barry

zorgman · Post by **zorgman** » 22 Dec 2004, 18:37

im sure somewhere in my book that they uprated the static to 100kg,
anyhow i carry on a reg basis scooters what range from 80-150kg and never had a problem just make sure that youve got good bolts and big washers to spread the load
mines a ec approvved unit was only £15 difference in price and if anything happens i can shout at the manafacturer whos stated load is well over 200kg static

batbay · Post by **batbay** » 30 Dec 2004, 17:42

Thanks for that zorgman, and for everyone else who assisted.
Barry