XC70: Body Towbar lock

[37 RUBY]

Jocularity aside, I actually polish the ball with Autosol as I tow a caravan with the infernal Alko hitch which creaks like an old wooden ship if it has the slightest hint of contamination on it.

Also, if you do manage to get it fixed and attached to your car and find there is some play in the bar, don't despair as I have found a good permanent cure for this.

[Whyman]

Originally Posted by 37 RUBY

Jocularity aside, I actually polish the ball with Autosol as I tow a caravan with the infernal Alko hitch which creaks like an old wooden ship if it has the slightest hint of contamination on it.

Also, if you do manage to get it fixed and attached to your car and find there is some play in the bar, don't despair as I have found a good permanent cure for this.

Please tell as I have some play in mine.

[37 RUBY]

Originally Posted by Whyman

Please tell as I have some play in mine.

Mask off the latch end of the bar. A good de-greasing of the bar and receiver. I took the receiver off. Three coats of spray hammerite on both bar and receiver. Left to properly dry over several days followed up with two thin coats of https://www.frost.co.uk/liquid-wrap-...xoCRbwQAvD_BwE

I checked after each coat of paint and rubber coating what the fit was like, so it did take a few days.

Now there is NO discernible play found, it is still easy to fit and remove. It has been on for around 2000 miles of towing with the only scuffing of paint and coating being on the two side location pegs.

HTH.

Henrik, sorry for the thread hijack, I blame Whyman

[morsing]

Still not managed to get this to work...

Even tried removing the little torx screw to see if I could remove the lock handle completely, but it doesn't look like you can.

[37 RUBY]

Originally Posted by morsing

Still not managed to get this to work...

Even tried removing the little torx screw to see if I could remove the lock handle completely, but it doesn't look like you can.

Oh dear....I'd bet that until the lock mechanism or latch is un-seized and parked at the unlocked position it won't come off, anti theft and all that.

Does the key feel like it engages the pawls inside? Does the key move at all?

Is the latch recessed or protruding? It should be the latter.

if it's the former I'd go with it being the latched seized....leave it in a bucket of old sump oil for a week then fastening the bar in a vice and using a drift on just the latch to see if it releases anything...you've nothing to lose.

or I wonder if someone will sell you just the that part like what can be seen on the back of this https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2011-VOLV...edirect=mobile

[morsing]

Hi,

I have no idea if it is protruding or not, having never seen another one. See attached photo.

I don't think the latch it seized, it seems spongy when I strike it and it also slightly spins.

The key moves fine, the handle also, but stops before entering the "green" area and you can hear a slight click just before that.

[reggit]

Is the receptor on the car clean without rust build up?

[morsing]

Originally Posted by reggit

Is the receptor on the car clean without rust build up?

Don't know, I haven't got that far yet.

[37 RUBY]

Originally Posted by morsing

Hi,

I have no idea if it is protruding or not, having never seen another one. See attached photo.

It is protruding the correct amount.

Originally Posted by morsing

I don't think the latch it seized, it seems spongy when I strike it and it also slightly spins.

you can feel resistance of a strong spring when pressing the latch in by hand. There is the smallest amount of rotational movement.

Originally Posted by morsing

The key moves fine, the handle also, but stops before entering the "green" area and you can hear a slight click just before that.

In your picture you have the key halfway between locked and unlocked.

Also green indicator cannot be seen nor accessed unless the bar has successfully engaged with the receiver.

Have you tried placing it into the receiver to see if it actually engages and resets itself? at worst the bar will be stuck in the receiver which you can remove via the cross bolts securing it to the main frame.

[morsing]

Originally Posted by 37 RUBY

It is protruding the correct amount.

Cool.

Originally Posted by 37 RUBY

In your picture you have the key halfway between locked and unlocked.

The key spins freely 180 degrees, it is meant to spin more than that?

Originally Posted by 37 RUBY

Also green indicator cannot be seen nor accessed unless the bar has successfully engaged with the receiver.

According to the manual, it has to be red when inserting it, and the red bit of tape is beyond the green.

Originally Posted by 37 RUBY

Have you tried placing it into the receiver to see if it actually engages and resets itself? at worst the bar will be stuck in the receiver which you can remove via the cross bolts securing it to the main frame.

Ok, will try that next.