Towbar - Rav4 - 4.1 5 Door, 1996. Fitting

[Sandy - West Cornwall]

Just bought a 1996 4.1 5 door GX, and now want to add a towbar.

I have had a look at previous postings, but cannot see my specific query mentioned (possibly).

Last year in July 'Wudzy' mentioned

....I fitted a Brink on my 4.2, ....... Dead easy to fit as it uses the existing threaded towing holes in the chassis......

When our local 'Travelling Towbar Fitter' got the vehicle up on the ramps and tackled the first bolt, it moved after a heave and continued to move round and round, but without coming out. Wudzy's comment implies the thread is in a beafed up section of the chassis frame, as opposed to having a seperate 'nut' welded to the inside of the box section - The Travelling Towbar Fitter then said it could not be done until the bolts are sorted - he only tried one!!!! and set off on another job.

Q. Is the thread in the chassis metal or a seperate nut inside - If a seperate nut inside, can this be reached through the top of the box section via rubber gromets under/through the rear floor section.

When the local garage set up the TowBar delivery, the question was asked "..are the special bolts still in place? otherwise they will be a special order and I don't think they are available any more.... ", presumably these are the ones that hold the two towing eye brackets to the chassis, I cannot see they are anything special, other than having the washer moulded into the bolt head (my 'lay' terminology). I'm assuming the are 17mm high tensile bolts - as I haven't had a go at getting the others out yet, thus have not checked - family demands mean I cannot devote 24/7 to my needs.......

I'm new to RAV4's, this ones done 150k, little if any rust, biggest problem, no paperwork/markings to show cambelt has been replaced since 64k, booked in this week to be done, otherwise a tidy motor that once the towbar's fitted will enable me to travel up country, north of Birmingham with my 1933/4 Austin 7's.

Obviously I've scanned through these pages over the last few days, most useful.

Sandy - West Cornwall

[halfpastsix]

Yes, they use the bolts that attach the towing eyes. Mine were very very stiff to take off, having been in place for 15 years or so. I used a 5 foot long cheater bar to get them to budge. After removing them and the tow eyes, I put some WD40 on them and tightened them up just using a normal socket wrench. It took all of ten minutes.

[Sandy - West Cornwall]

Many thanks for the prompt reply, however there still remains the

Q. Is the thread in the chassis metal or a seperate nut inside. .

TIC. OK, I would agree, if I try the other bolts and get one out I will know, but in West Cornwall it has been *****ing down with rain for hours and likely to do so for a while yet, so my 'thoughts' are the only active way at present to work my way through the process.

I am grateful for any suggestions, I've got plenty of Duck Oil (xx litres - to do with Austin 7's) which I have been spraying on the bolts/nuts ready for working on them.

Sandy in West Cornwall.

[Sandy - West Cornwall]

Sunday Afternoon update -

Like a lot of jobs, once you start there's two options, it's a lot easier than you think and/or there's further trouble.

The back carpet etc came up easy (to easy!), there's no holes/grommets in the floor to get into the chassis box section, there appears to be a rain water leak by the rear side doors.

On the towing eye bracket bolts into the chassis, two bolts have come undone after applying a lot of leverage OK, although one 'thread' is doubtful as to it's secure fixing.

One bolt is still turning and going nowhere, the last bolt won't budge at the present, but will buy a socket tomorrow that is squared off at the opening and if possible only six sides for a very snug fit to the bolt head.

Then the fun of fitting a towbar + electrics.

Sandy in West Cornwall