Quote:
Originally Posted by gaby
Exactly! That's why I thought it useful to mention the possible difference, also assuming (some) people
buy Volvo's because they are safe cars and the rear bumper is the first defense when hit from behind.
The beam of the rear bumper is indeed massive, I have it in my garage, asked for it when the towbar
was installed because I was curious about it. This probably explains why the Volvo towbar is expensive.
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While I have not studied it in detail, I believe that the original beam is malleable and mounted to crush-cans. The tow hitch that replaces it, on the other hand, is very rigid indeed and mounted solidly to the car's unitary chassis structure, as it indeed must be in order to tow 2.5 tons.
What this means is that rear impacts on a car with a tow hitch but without trailer attached will be more severely felt by passengers inside. The crash will not be absorbed or dampened as effectively. The safety cage will not be compromised, just that a certain degree of energy dissipation will be lost.