Tow Bar Design - Fiji Edition (Help please)

[MrOizo]

I am over in Fiji at the moment and it seems tow bars don't exist here.

The road testing gear that i have is all trailer mounted so a towball is needed.

The Govt department here supplied me with a mid 90's Land Cruiser which had the following done:



I have told them I'm not happy with it because there are no provisions for safety chains or lighting - and i don't trust their welding.

What can be done to make this reliable? I have said to use some thick U shaped channel and weld to the tow hook.

I thought there could be a bolt through the hook on to the steel extension where the weld is as a back up but not sure.

If i had a idea what vehicle we'd have, i would have bought something like this with me:

[B_giB]

Shouldnt this be in Funny Images? lol

[MrOizo]

Shouldnt this be in Funny Images? lol

Haha maybe - so should have got a pic of the actual work that was done! That was ROFL material!

[Bling]

6mm x 50mm flat bar?? Not sure there are really any proper solutions as that has failed before it started. However, my only idea would be to put 4 bolts in to hold the bar / tow hook together. I'd also move the towball as close to the tow hook as possible.

6mm, lol

6mm!!!

edit: something like this


Actually, probably not possible, but bolt the towball through the tow hook bit

[Toby]

edit: something like this


Actually, probably not possible, but bolt the towball through the tow hook bit

Awesome

[edwagon]

About the only thing that a 6mm drawbar is useful for is as a template for the 16mm plate that you should be using!

6mm has gotta be someone taking the piss!!

Oh and just a rule of thumb for bush spec welding jobs - a stick welder will generally produce stronger welds if the operator is not skilled, but they will most likely look awful - you can trust them within reason. Mig is easy to get looking neat, but hard to get good strength in heavier stuff- the nice neat bead will just sit on top... so be wary....

[Mr Revhead]

If that wasn't so dodgy it'd be hilarious!


I don't think you have any choice but to tell them to make a proper bar.
Welding to the tow hook... oh dear!
Could unbolt the bumper from it's frame and use that as the basis for making a bar.

Or, smack them over the head with their 6mm plate and hang at the beach until your flight home


6mm plate!

[MrOizo]

Thanks for the comments guys. I'll see what they have to say / what they give me on Monday.

... and hang at the beach until your flight home

I did that last month - 11 days on the company in Fiji and no work!

[Lloyd]

Just weld another plate on the top of the hook and onto the bar, it'll be fine