Volvo 240 towbar identification

[Stephen Edwin]

By the way. M14 by 110mm 8.8 bolts are currently not available to my local well established trade counter. An ebay seller listing that item actually supplies grade 10.8. A good bolt higher strength for the job. Depends if "you" are a purist. I am not. But this judt niggles.

It is a ridiculous little point. But it niggles .... which is silly of me because my 240 is just a "does the job well" jam jar.

Stephen

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[Stephen Edwin]

Hello philroche

I hope you can tell more about those spacer tubes in time. I can't grasp how they would be deployed .... hey ho ....


I obtained my nice new 8.8 M14 by 110mm bolts. From a very helpful supplier in NI.

Getting 8.8 is a ridiculously silly small point, except. The issue of bolts for fixing a towbar crops up in the forum from time to time. If my "it does the job" 240 survives, and if the car is checked to see what towbar fixing bolts are needed. Then I would not want them to find 10.8 grade and think that 10.8 might be required. This is my remnant of a mind working over time ...

But that's ok.

AHEM A lot of ideas get perpetuated in life for invalid reasons. Just because it has been done before that does not mean it is necessary ... there is a cookery narrative that someone always cut the end off a leg of lamb. Their mother did it but, only because the roasting dish was small LOL Those bolts are good at 8.8 and 10.8 is not required ..


Stephen

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[Clifford Pope]

Originally Posted by Stephen Edwin

Hello philroche

I hope you can tell more about those spacer tubes in time. I can't grasp how they would be deployed ....

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The bolts have to be longer because with the towbar in place the flange sits against the lower face of the chassis member, rather than recessed inside the member simply tightening the bumper shock absorber.

If you didn't insert the spacer there would be nothing to hold the shock absorber firmly - it would be free to slide freely on the bolt.
The spacer therefore has to be precisely the correct length to fill the gap between the shock absorber and the face of the chassis member.

[Stephen Edwin]

Thank you Clifford.

I have not grasped that yet.

When I fitted a new towbar in about the 1980s I did yes fit the longer bolts supplied. I am not aware of spacers.

I will seek the energy to investigate the fixings of my current towbar further.

Where should the spacers be please?

Edit. I have a diagram showing a sleeve which might be the spacer.
Does the sleeve or spacer provide a diameter increase for the new bolt where the new bolt is inside the shock absorber fixture thingy?
I must go and look.

Stephen

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[Clifford Pope]

It doesn't really matter about diameter, as long as the bolt will go through it.
A stack of washers of varying thicknesses would do, just so long as the total thickness fills the gap between the bumper shock absorber and the outside of the chasis member.
It doesn't go inside the shock absorber, just up to it so it holds it tight.

It's a little bit like the spacer on the rear trailing arm where the bolt grips the shock absorber - if it's not just the right length it leaves the shock absorber free to rattle from side to side.

[Stephen Edwin]

Thank you Clifford.

To start my brain remnants at the beginning. On simple inspection the towbar is fitted and held firmly against the car's "box section" structure. As I thought I remembered. It has to be so or the bolts and machine screws would not line up with the holes.

So any sleeves or spacers are "higher up".

I wonder what the sleeve dimensions are.

Things may become clearer as and when I remove the towbar.

To be detailed....I have noted that the washers removed are a little larger and thicker than usual heavu duty washers..

Stephen

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[Clifford Pope]

Originally Posted by Stephen Edwin

Thank you Clifford.


So any sleeves or spacers are "higher up".

I wonder what the sleeve dimensions are.


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Quite so - you can't see them normally - they are bracing the inside of the box section, and also holding the shock absorber tightly.

It's only the length of the sleeve that matters - too short and it won't do anything, too long and the tow bar bracket won't be clamped against the box section.

[Stephen Edwin]

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Hello. I wonder if anyone can measure one of these sleeves and give the dimensions please ?



Clifford. Thank you. I will, in time, remove my towbar and look further.

I wonder how many 240 towbars might be fitted without these sleeves?

I wonder if that is possible and if so how important that might be?



philroche, you have alerted the forum to what might be a very important point. Thank you.



Stephen

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[Clifford Pope]

Originally Posted by Stephen Edwin

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Clifford. Thank you. I will, in time, remove my towbar and look further.

I wonder how many 240 towbars might be fitted without these sleeves?

I wonder if that is possible and if so how important that might be?





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You are I am sure correct. I fitted one myself once some years ago, and I confess I don't recall any sleeves. I don't think there were any in the "kit" of parts I removed from the donor car, so it never occured to me they were necessary.
I do remember that the bumper was a tiny bit loose, but thought nothing of it. It perhaps it just contributed another slightly annoying rattle.

[philroche]

@stephen see https://tinyviking.ie/galleries/gall...0/DSC_0885.JPG for dimensions of sleeve

25mm length
Inner diameter 15mm
Outer diameter 19mm