Genuine detachable towbar

[Barney90]

So yesterday I decided to remove the seized detachable towbar from my 2008 XC90.
Had sprayed it for a few weeks with WD40 to no avail.
I removed the receiver too that the neck was seized into, got it in a vice and gently, with a big hammer, knocked the pin into the end of the neck, I didn't actually realise before that the neck in hollow.
Once I had separated the two parts I started off by running a wire brush over the receiver and got that all cleaned up.
Next part was a bit of a pig, trying to free up the large locking pin in the middle of the hollow neck.
I had to strip down the release mechanism, the bit that you turn to retract the pin in order to remove the part that holds the large locking pin in place.
Next I gently drilled a 4mm hole in the end of the large locking pin and tapped it out to an M5 thread. Put this in a vice pointing upwards and soaked the end of the locking pin in WD for a good 20 mins.
Next I screwed an M5 bolt into the hole that I'd made and used a claw hammer under it to getly lever the pin up about 2mm, then tapped it with a hammer back down, I did this sever times until it started to move more freely.
Eventually I managed to get the locking pin out. Cleaned all the surfaces up with several fine files, and covered all the internal parts with grease and rebuilt it.
All in all a time consuming job, well, about 3 hours or so, but worth it in the end to be able to take the bar off when not in use.
Would highly recommend doing this, was very satisfying once complete, unfortunately I didn't take loads of photos while I was doing it. But if anyone wants to do this I'll offer and help where I can.

Barney

[Barney90]

Managed to upload a few pics

[SwissXC90]

I have the identical towbar, but it never stays fitted to the vehicle unless I am towing.

I always remove it when done, and I clean it and stow it in it's little blue Volvo baggie in the boot of my XC90

But well done on getting yours cleaned up and working again

[Barney90]

Originally Posted by SwissXC90

I have the identical towbar, but it never stays fitted to the vehicle unless I am towing.

I always remove it when done, and I clean it and stow it in it's little blue Volvo baggie in the boot of my XC90

But well done on getting yours cleaned up and working again

Only has the car a few months and was like it when I bought it, didn't get the bag or even the keys, bought the keys on eBay for a fiver. Is there a blank or a bung that goes in the receiver when the towbar isn't being used?

[Jms153]

Detachable towbar covers available on the bay though only for genuine Volvo bars
Got one for my v40

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?m...2F292994497448

[SwissXC90]

Originally Posted by Barney90

Only has the car a few months and was like it when I bought it, didn't get the bag or even the keys, bought the keys on eBay for a fiver. Is there a blank or a bung that goes in the receiver when the towbar isn't being used?

There's a Volvo blue bag that you put the towbar in to stow it in the trunk

There's a black plastic Bung to go in the towbar hole when not using it.

[4x4]

First job I did when I bought my XC90 was to remove the seized detachable tow ball. Took about an hour so I was happy with that. My previous Range Rover took 100 Tonne hydraulic press at my local garage to get the blighter out

[idiotgap]

There is a bung on mine which only just fills the hold the tow bar slides into. I've seen a larger cover on some photos which might be a different type.

This is what I have

http://www.skandix.de/en/spare-parts...evice/1027529/

This is the bigger thing
https://www.volvopartshop.com/detach...14-16523-p.asp


I only got my 2013 car in December. The towbar was in a bag in the boot in a purple bag, but had no keys. I bought some on ebay only to discover the lock was broken so even with it 'locked' you could still remove the towball. I spoke to brink/thule and they confirmed it was a security rather than safety issue but I decided in the end to send it to them and get it refurbished, it was about £70 to do that but now it's all working.

[SwissXC90]

The smaller bung is for the R-Design, like I have, which has a different rear valence.

The larger is for the standard car with standard rear valance

The larger is definitely better as it protects the towbar from salt and road muck must more.

[laundryman]

ive got to take my hat off to barney90. I can see his work top! mine is buried!