Exhaust versus towbar.
 

Hi all,
I've arrived at the time of bolting on my new stainless rear bumper and refurbed towbar and because I've gone for a Simons Sports exhaust the rear box is in the way (as the original was more forgiving) and will hang too low if the towbar is fitted.
It's risky fitting back the towbar with a nice new polished bumper but hopefully it will only be me attaching any trailer in future.
The answer looks like moving the box forward towards the axle and cutting off the posh crome tail pipe and extending the tail with a new pipe..........or forget the towbar.
I would be grateful for any experiences or ideas from anyone,many thanks.

Andy

I guess you can't shim the tow bar lower so it doesn't foul the exhaust - I guess you don't want to either modify the tow bar or the exhaust...

...but it sounds like the tow bar isn't ideal so perhaps that should go?

Hi Army,
the towbar is a very substiantial piece of original steelwork and is well engineered, built in a time before the thoughts of Sports exhausts came into being and was fine with the original fitment.

OK well may be a few pictures will help the good folks here give some advice?

Could you take a chunk out of the exhaust / get someone to modify it for you?

Hi ya ,

Have you any images so we can see what’s going on please ? Never ever had this issue unless the bumper irons are old bent up ones due to a passed accident etc .

We can may be give pointers in more detail then

Kind regards
Robert.w

Hi Andy
I've got a tow bar that is inboard of the bumper brackets, so would be well away from the exhaust.
Andy M.

Thanks everyone for the comments, Andy I was wondering if yours was fitted out with one.
I've got a few pics now,it's a hell of a towbar and I've noticed someone has put a new rear panel in at some point (must be over 42 years ago previous owner has no knowledge) so if you hit that with this bar fitted you would know about it.
The offside angle support bracket seems to be the problem as the return angle is too deep for the box fitted underneath.
Although without the extra side brackets and just the rear bar "Happy Days" but the extra angles do give much more extra strength

Very different from my PV tow bar - that goes under up and around the fuel tank

How much space is above the exhaust? (Space between car underside and top of silencer)

This is my tow bar, surplus to requirements, I haven't got a trailer! i've done a bit of measuring, and it's closer than I thought, but clears my sports exhaust by about 1/4 inch, though a bit could be ground from the bracket, and the silencer could probably be a bit further over. £70 to you, and if it won't fit I'll have it back. Andy.

Thanks Andy that's very kind of you,my tow bar hides behind the rear bumper and requires 2 holes in the bumper centre section so it's quite discreet.
In order to make mine fit it looks like the bracing bracket will need some metal removed on the down angle.................Andy I'll bear you in mind but I'm trying this idea first.
Army the Exhaust box is at it's best position for when the bumper is fitted as is shown in the picture that's two and a half inches from under chassis rail to top of ex'st box so I'm going to fettle within those tollerances.