Removing bumper to fit tow bar?

[LavisLane]

Hey all,

My job for today is to fit the tow bar i bought on ebay some time back. Has everything bar the tongue. Really looking forward to getting stuck into this but hitting a bit off road block...

2 questions i'm hoping to resolve;

Removing the rear bumper
Looking at the workshop manuals references to removing the rear bumper sounds like an overkill! (cut and pasted below). Do i really need to remove the rear wheels??

Getting underneatht the car, it looks like i need to remove the 2 star shaped bolts from the bumper and a few bolts on the left and RHS to then pull off the bumper with the mudflaps attached all in one peice. Is this right?

Tow bar mounting bolts
Can't seem to find any info on how to attach the tow bar so will be taking a few pics along the way to make a post for people trying this in the future.
In the meantime, does anyone know the bolt setup? I'm looking at the 2 ends (see attched) which each have holes for 2 long bolts or 4 short ones - what's the correct setup?

Thanks in advance for any guidance - stay tuned for pics.

David

Desccription for bumper removal copy and pasted from P38 worksop manual below;

Remove
1. Raise the vehicle.
WARNING: Support on safety stands.
2. Remove rear road wheels.
3. Remove 3 screws securing each mud flap.
Remove mud flaps.
4. Remove 2 screws securing each wheel arch
liner extension panel to rear bumper/chassis.
5. Remove 2 wheel arch liner extension panels.
6. Release 2 clips securing bumper ends to
mounting brackets.
CHASSIS AND BODY
REPAIR 13
7. Disconnect 3 towing harness multiplugs.
8. Remove 2 mounting bolt covers.
9. Remove 2 bolts securing bumper to chassis.
10. With assistance, release bumper ends from
brackets. Remove bumper.
Refit
11. With assistance, position bumper. Engage nylon
end supports to brackets.
12. If necessary, slacken bolts securing end support
brackets. Align bumper to body. Tighten to
29 Nm. (22 lbf.ft)
13. Fit bumper mounting bolts. Tighten to 70 Nm.
(52 lbf.ft)
14. Fit bolt covers.
15. Secure bumper end clips.
16. Connect towing harness multiplugs.
17. Position wheel arch liner extensions. Secure with
screws.
18. Position mud flaps. Secure with screws.
19. Fit road wheels. Tighten to 108 Nm. (80 lbf.ft)
20. Remove safety stands. Lower vehicle.

[p38arover]

I didn't remove the wheels to fit that bar, just the bumper and mudflaps.

Once you have the bar off, fitting becomes self-evident.

Maybe the P38A manual instructions are for a UK towbar, not the Hayman Reese bar. I should have the HR instructions here but I don't know where.

[Hoges]

It's easier first time to remove the rear wheels to simplify access re. the bumber bar and mud flaps.
The tow bar fits on the ends of the chassis rails which, as Ron says, becomes evident once you remove the bumper bar. Other bolts fix the towbar to a cross member.
The relevant electrical connections are behind the small plastic panel in the boot space behind the driver's side tail light assembly.

[andrew e]

you take the rear bumperoff with 2 clips, 2 bolts (a 12mm?? 12 sided socket fits on it) the mudflap top screws (dont have to take them all off), and 2 screws behind the inner rear wheel arch. If you can get to the screws in behind the wheel (try offroad height) you should not need to take the wheels off.

There is a clip on each side of the car you need to flip out of the way, then your bumper slides down, and back. The holes are already there to mount the towbar.

you also need to unscrew the plastic part in the middle on the bottom of your bumper (where the towbar now sits) if someone has not done so already.

Should only take an hour or so.

Andy