|
Towing and Caravan Topics A forum for all towing/caravanning related topics |
Information |
|
XC70 (2008) Volvo towbar – a cautionary taleViews : 1409 Replies : 5Users Viewing This Thread : |
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
Nov 16th, 2017, 21:03 | #1 |
New Member
Last Online: Nov 18th, 2017 09:57
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Glossop
|
XC70 (2008) Volvo towbar – a cautionary tale
This is a story of what might have happened – Volvo fitted towbars don’t break off the back of Volvos, do they?
I have owned my XC70 (2008) since 2012. I bought it from a now defunct Volvo dealership in Lincoln. When purchased, a Volvo fixed towbar was already fitted to the vehicle. I have enjoyed six years of caravanning since then, towing to the Med or Northern Italy each summer and touring all over the UK, too. I tow pretty light at about 1300kg loaded, with a noseweight of around 75kg. I have had no incidents when towing. I drive over speedbumps like a snail! When I detached my caravan after my last trip a couple of weeks ago, I was surprised to notice vertical movement of the towball as I lifted the van on the jockey wheel. The towbar was loose. I could lift it easily with one hand. I took it to my independent Volvo mechanic. He took a look underneath and told me that two of the four securing bolts were missing. There are two bolts each side, behind the rear wheels, connecting bar to chassis. Further investigation of the one visible missing bolthole showed that the bolt had recently sheared. The stub of it was still in the thread. New fixing kit ordered (£56 inc vat!), and a dismantle and repair undertaken. The other bolt hadn’t sheared. It had fallen out and was living above the exhaust on a heat shield. On the plus side, the caravan and towbar hadn’t detached during our last trip home. On the down side, I am £150 poorer, and I am shocked by what could have happened. How can this be? Was the towbar fitted incorrectly in 2008 – wrong torque, or just not tightened up at all? Does this mean we should all be checking those fixings every year? Two of them are behind the exhaust silencer, so that doesn’t look a likely prospect. Does this mean anyone with a Volvo and Volvo towbar has something else to worry about? Or is everyone checking this anyway, and I missed the memo? Oddly, when I spoke to Volvo parts, the guy said that he had spoken to ‘a technician’ about my case and that I should watch out because the bolts might have sheared. Is this a known problem, then? Anyone had a similar experience? |
The Following 3 Users Say Thank You to hymerbeliever For This Useful Post: |
Nov 17th, 2017, 17:56 | #2 |
Bungling Amateur
Last Online: Today 08:00
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Beverley, East Yorks
|
That's really not good and I can imagine it has damaged your confidence significantly.
I would suggest that the tow bar was incorrectly fitted, it sounds like the technician has used air tools and sheared one of the bolts, and then not tightened the remaining ones. Bolts that size would only shear under tension, not shear forces (i.e. stretching from over tightening, not slicing...)
__________________
2011 XC90 D5 Executive 2003 C70 T5 GT 2012 Ford Ranger XL SC 1977 Triumph Spitfire 1500 1976 Massey Ferguson 135 |
Nov 17th, 2017, 19:42 | #3 |
Premier Member
Last Online: Today 11:30
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Newark
|
It sounds as though you have had a lucky escape.
It is good advice to check that the bolts are tight but you cannot always get at all of them but check those that you can. Usually once fitted the bolts rust in place and are very difficult to remove after a few years. Having said that I have only done it once in many years of towing. As Tannaton has said they were probably either over or under tightened when first fitted.
__________________
XC60 2013 D5 215 SE Lux Nav geartronic |
Nov 18th, 2017, 09:41 | #4 |
New Member
Last Online: Nov 18th, 2017 09:57
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Glossop
|
Thanks!
Thanks for your comments. Yes, a bizarre combination of overtightening and not tightening at all seems to have put me in danger years down the road. Looking at the old bolts, they are not a matching set of four, so some messing about has gone on at some point.
All fixed now, so I’ll have to get my confidence back in my trusty rig - it is a brilliant tow car. |
Nov 22nd, 2017, 17:13 | #5 |
Premier Member
Last Online: Apr 11th, 2024 09:21
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Ffos y Ffin
|
Guess what I shall be doing before I next hitch the van.
Thanks for the heads up. Paul. |
Dec 2nd, 2017, 08:30 | #6 |
Premier Member
Last Online: May 2nd, 2018 08:14
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: DownSouth
|
Lucky escape!
Steel bolts don't corrode, BUT some cheap stainless bolts can fatigue crack and real bad far Eastern stainless bolts will even shear off if over stressed or torqued. The solution is real Volvo Carbon steel nuts and bolts Locktited or nutted!
__________________
2003 V40 1.9TD Mods: Scratches, bent bumpers, raised REAR mats & internal mud guards. SHELL ULTRA 5/40 & LIQUI MOLY CERATEC. Everyone should DYOR (Do Your Own Research) |
The Following User Says Thank You to skyship007 For This Useful Post: |
Tags |
safety, tow bar fitting, towbar, xc70 |
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests) | |
|
|