Towbar, Hitch

Towbar, Hitch


























INTRODUCTION

- NOTE: Read through the whole installation instruction before starting the work.

- The illustrations display the procedure in order of operation. The order of operation is repeated in the text section

Towbar, hitch

Preparations





- Raise the tailgate.
- Remove the screws in the rear edge of the wheel housings on the right and left-hand sides.





- Remove the two plastic nuts in the lower edge of the bumper cover.





- Pull out the corner and continue to pull the bumper cover away backwards until the five clips at the side and under the rear lamp have released.
- Repeat the operation on the other side.
- Remove the bumper cover by pulling it backwards until the three catches opposite the tailgate opening have released.
- Unplug the parking assistance connector (if fitted).





- Detach the connector and cable from the shock-absorbing section above the impact member.





- Remove the screws and remove the shock-absorbing section above the impact member.





- Remove the screws and remove the impact member.





- Lift out the cargo compartment carpet.

Applies to cars without spare wheel





Installing the towball holder
- Detach the rubber grommet and measure the horizontal distance from the edge of the hole.

NOTE: Check that there are no cable harnesses obstructing the hole drilling process.

- Measure out for drilling a hole for the screw for the towball holder, and drill out the hole with a diameter 8 mm (5/16 ") diameter drill bit.
- Deburr the edges of the hole, apply rustproofing agent and remove the drill swarf.
- Reinstall the rubber grommet.





- Install the holder on the inside of the rear crossmember, and tighten it in using a screw and nut from the kit. Torque tighten to 10 Nm (7.5 lbf.ft.).





- Take the strap and storage bag from the kit.
- Thread the strap in the holder.

Applies to cars with twin rear silencers.





- Remove the screws in the rear mountings on the right and left-hand sides of the silencers and lower them down to the stop.

Applies to cars with single rear silencer
- Remove the screw in the rear mounting on the left-hand side of the silencer and lower down to the stop.

Applies to cars with twin rear silencers.
- Remove the clips to the heat deflector plate on the right and left-hand sides and fold it down toward the silencer so that the holes on the inside of the rear side members are accessible.

Applies to cars with single rear silencer





- Remove the clips to the heat deflector plate on the left-hand side and fold it down toward the silencer so that the holes on the inside of the rear side member are accessible.

Illustration A applies to 8-cyl, 6-cyl and all wheel drive cars





Illustration B applies to other variants





- Detach the exhaust system rubber mounting in the body behind the centre silencer/by the fuel tank.

Applies to all models





- Detach the exhaust system rubber mounting in the body above the front edge of the subframe.





- Now angle the silencer and radiation shield down to gain optimum accessibility to the holes for mounting the towing member.
- Measure out a distance of 70 mm (2 (3/4)") from the centre in the embossing on the insides of the side members and backwards on the protective tape covering the mounting holes for the towing member.
- Cut off the protective tape and discard the long rear section.

Installing the towing member





- Thoroughly clean away splashes of underseal, putty or dirt from the plate surfaces on the insides of the side members where the reinforcements shall be located.





- Check that the contact surfaces inside the side members are clean, if not, clean them opposite where the towing member's side plates shall be tightened.
- Take the towing member from the kit and insert the two side plates in the holes in the rear edge of the side members.





- Take screws and reinforcement bar from the kit. Get assistance to hold and adjust the position of the towing member when the screws are tightened into the towing member's weld nuts. The silencer and deflector plate need to be pressed down to allow the screws and reinforcement bar to be positioned and torque tightened.
- Tighten the screws alternately on both sides.

Tightening the screw joint





- Tighten the screws to 90 Nm (66.5 lbf.ft.) and angle tighten to 60 degrees. When angle tightening joints in tight spaces, a protractor cannot be fitted to the torque spanner. A hex screw head must instead be used to determine the angle.
- Make a mark on the screw head flange (1).
- Make a second mark (2) on the reinforcement bar.
- Now tighten the screw so that the screw head marking (1) lines up with the marking (2) on the reinforcement bar.
- Repeat for all screws.

Applies to cars with twin rear silencers.





- Reinstall the heat deflector plate and the rear mountings for the silencer. Torque tighten the mounting screws to 50 Nm (37 lbf.ft.).
- Carry out the equivalent operation on the left-hand side for cars with single rear silencer.

Applies to all models





- Reinstall the exhaust system rubber mounting in the body above the front edge of the subframe.

Illustration A applies to 8-cyl, 6-cyl and all wheel drive cars





Illustration B applies to other variants





- Reinstall the exhaust system rubber mounting in the body behind the centre silencer by the fuel tank.

Applies to all models





- Apply rustproofing agent P/N 1161682 on the marked clean plate surfaces on the impact member and rear edge of the rear side members on the left and right-hand sides.





- Reinstall the impact member and tighten the screws to 48 Nm (35.5 lbf.ft.).





- Reinstall the shock-absorbing section above the impact member and tighten it in using the existing screws.





- Reinstall the connector and cable to the shock-absorbing section above the impact member.





- Apply tape to the outside of the bumper cover, opposite the markings on the inside and right up to the first joint line on the lower section of the bumper cover. This is in order to protect the paintwork from the base of the saw when sawing out the cut-out for the towbar.
- Cut out the cut-out following the existing markings.

NOTE: Do not damage the painted surface of the bumper cover. Cut so that the raised edge on the inside remains. The raised edge marks the cut-out.

- Smooth off the sawn edges with a fine toothed file.

NOTE: Install the towbar connector with cable harness in accordance with the applicable installation instructions before reinstalling the bumper cover.





- Refit the bumper shell and plug in the parking assistance connector (if fitted). Make sure that all catches engage.





- Tighten the end faces of the bumper cover into the wing liners using the existing screws.





- Tighten in the bumper cover at the lower edge using the existing plastic nuts.
- Remove the protective paper from the bumper cover.





- Take the ball holder, ball, washer, nut, lock bolt and locking pin from the kit.
- Insert the ball holder in the towball's square bracket until the holes in the ball holder and square bracket correspond.
- Slide the locking bolt into the hole.
- Lock the other side using the locking pin.
- Position the ball in the hole on the ball holder.
- Install the washer and nut. Torque tighten to 244 Nm (180 lbf.ft.).

Storing the towball





Applies to cars without spare wheel
- Take the bag from the kit and insert the towball, and then tie it together.





The towbar must be positioned in the holder as indicated in Illustration B
- Wind the long strap twice around the bag and tighten firmly.





Applies to cars with spare wheel
- Take the bag from the kit and insert the towball, and then tie it together.





The towbar must be positioned as in Illustration B
- Wind the long strap twice around the bag and once around the wheel and tighten firmly.





- Reinstall the cargo compartment carpet.

Fitting the protective cover





- Press the protective cover into the towing member's profile tube.