Towing capacity for 240 GL.

[c_lee]

Originally Posted by Oilydad

Hi Colin. That's a weird one I have to say. I don't think my guy has anything like that.

I'd be inclined to simply unbolt the 4 hole mount from the towbar, scrap it, and then bolt a new towball straight onto the towbar, maybe with a spacing bracket, so that you can use your existing stabiliser.

If it's a fairly recent one (Bulldog say) then you won't have any trouble getting the right bolt on bracket for the stabiliser arm to go through.

Bit like this on mine: We have a Bulldog Major. Still use it. I'm a great believer in them.

Hi Oily,
Thanks for the input.

Both my 240's have 4 bolt type towbars like the one in the photo so it's unlikely to be one that has been fabricated specially as a ' one of '. The plate on the upper surface of the towball mount is marked Volvo and has the spec on it. I think it was probably a standard 240 towbar of its era - I think it has a Volvo part No on it on the plate - will check.

The threads that the 4 bolts in the photo screw into are on a flat plate that is part of, and welded to, the main body of the towbar which is totally of a one piece welded construction right up to the chassis mounts.
The towbar has no 2 bolt fixing holes of the usual type anywhere unfortunately.
The horizontal spacing of the holes is also different to the normal spacing on a 2 bolt mount towball and the bolts are slightly smaller in diameter than would be used on a standard 2 bolt mount.

I have a standard 2 bolt mounting towball in my spares and looked at fitting it years ago - but the mounting is completely different.

More head scratching needed.

Colin

[Oilydad]

I am confused.

Looking at the picture of your towbar, I see 4 bolts.... well I can see three of them actually, but assume the 4th is there.

If the towball bracket is welded to the main towbar, then what are they for? There would be no need for them?

But more to the point, I see that behind the right hand 2 bolts there is a mounting plate for a 7 pin socket. At some time, that must have been put there, and the only way to do that, as far as I can see, is to undo the bolts.

Are you SURE they don't undo? Basically IF they do, then you can simply mount another ball, electric socket and stab bracket for your newer stabiliser. I think you'll find that that whole ball unit detatches from the main towbar. I'd be very surprised if it didn't.

[c_lee]

Originally Posted by Oilydad

I am confused.

Looking at the picture of your towbar, I see 4 bolts.... well I can see three of them actually, but assume the 4th is there.

If the towball bracket is welded to the main towbar, then what are they for? There would be no need for them?

But more to the point, I see that behind the right hand 2 bolts there is a mounting plate for a 7 pin socket. At some time, that must have been put there, and the only way to do that, as far as I can see, is to undo the bolts.

Are you SURE they don't undo? Basically IF they do, then you can simply mount another ball, electric socket and stab bracket for your newer stabiliser. I think you'll find that that whole ball unit detatches from the main towbar. I'd be very surprised if it didn't.

Hi Oily,

Thanks for the reply.

We seem to have got our wires a little crossed probably due to the way I have described it.

Before long I will be removing my towball bracket from the towbar to fit a 12S ( the grey one ) socket and I'll take, then post, some pictures of the fittings then.

A picture ( or two ), as they say, is worth a thousand words.

Thanks - Colin

[c_lee]

Hi Oily,

Here is a towbar exactly like mine on eBay.
Good price too at £9.99 for anyone needing one in the West Midlands.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/VOLVO-240-TOWB...item1e62d716ac

In that photo the towbar is shown up side down though in relation to the towball bracket itself, but it shows the 4 holes that the towball mount bolts to in the plate welded to the circular section of the main tow bar cross member.

Those are the 4 holes that the bolts in my earlier photo bolt into.

It might not be obvious from the photo but the bolts are slightly smaller and differently spaced horizontally from the standard 2 bolt mountings.

Hope this helps to clarify our crossed wires.


Colin

[c_lee]

Here are some photos of my Lunar restoration.

Last updated last week.

The front end wallboards have now been replaced and there was no leaking in there tonight despite torrential downpour.

http://www.colin-lee33.pwp.blueyonde...unar/index.htm

I am in contact with a man in Scotland who's got much more to do than I on his 1990 Clubman.

We are nearly there now.

Colin

[Clifford Pope]

Originally Posted by Oilydad

as low and near to the centre of the floor and axle as possible. .

I agree about as low as possible, but is it actually best to concentrate weight close to the axle, rather than distributed evenly along the floor?

I ask because when ballasting a boat it is very important to spread the distribution fore and aft, to minimise excessive pitching. Maintaining weight at the extremities helps to dampen rocking backwards and forwards, because of inertia.

Imagine carrying a long heavy pole over your shoulder. Isn't that more stable than a long very light pole with the same weight concentrated in the middle?

[c_lee]

I've been updating my webspace regularly regarding the Lunar caravan repairs and things are now looking good.

See here http://www.colin-lee33.pwp.blueyonde...unar/index.htm - new posts at the bottom of the page.

I have now just about sorted the situation with the caravan stabiliser too - drilled and re-tapped the hole where that broken and rusty 'immovable' bolt was in an earlier post here.

I'll be glad when it's all done and ready to tour.

BTW: Don't think I'll be organising a Volvo meet at Pennington Flash this year - too much to do.

[Clifford Pope]

Originally Posted by c_lee

It might not be obvious from the photo but the bolts are slightly smaller and differently spaced horizontally from the standard 2 bolt mountings.


Colin

I had one like that. The holes are a non-standard spacing, so an ordinary ball or dropplate and combination jaw/ball won't fit. I took the whole tow bar off and put on an ordinary one. I needed an adjustable drop-plate to pull an old army trailer with a high coupling.

[c_lee]

After checking the running gear and adjusting the brakes earlier this week I took the outfit out on the road for a trial tow.

I had had new tyres fitted to the caravan and fitted spring assisters to my 240 manual.

As Oily said, with the stabiliser fitted, it tows like it's on rails - very stable.

It also was able to get up to speed easily too - though the van only had a little over its unladen weight in it. I don't anticipate problems though once it is loaded correctly.

I updated my webspace last night at http://www.colin-lee33.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/lunar/

A few minor jobs remain but we will be away in it for a trial weekend before too long.

Thanks for any help here.

Colin

[Nig]

excellent job on the van, Now you need to stock up on some beer and go and enjoy it