T6 Fixed towbar removal or cut?

T

T6Norfolk

Fletch
T6 Guru
Evening all

So I'm looking for some advice, just had my T6 lowered and while in the garage I asked them to remove the towbar which is a fixed towbar, as I want to do a rear bumper upgrade and have no use for the towbar.

However they phoned to say couldn't remove it till I got a new rear crash protector to replace and protect the rear end.

We also discussed should I just cut it off flush and leave the electric socket in place.

What are peoples thoughts? It's cheaper to cut it off and since the rear crash protector is only reinforced plastic I feel it might have more strength in the rear end just chopping the towbar off.
 
Its not just plastic - its a metal beam that bridges the two chassis rails under the bumper. I’ve seen them offered for free on the forum as most go in the scrap bin when fitting a tow bar.

Cutting off sounds a bodge and is likely to need a few discs.

If your swapping bumpers just do it then - mine was only 6 bolts. Join as a VIP member and post a wanted add for a beam.
 
The steel beam is on the Kombi. If you search for "Kombi bumper beam" or similar there are a few tow bar related threads showing it.
As @Paynewright says, these often pop up for free as people ditch them when fitting tow bars. The panel van bumper (I believe) just has a plastic beam. This is more of a filler than protection, possibly as the PV wouldn't normally have passengers in the boot.
If you can find a beam, it's a better option.
 
Just be aware, a cut off towball may attract an advisory on the MOT....

My MH has a factory fit towbar but the ball hitch is missing. The MOT tester mentioned this as an advisory, kindly
 
My panel van had a plastic part behind the bumper that was removed. As the towbar replaced the area it was in.

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Tow-Trust detachable Towbar - "TVW9VK" kit & Wire kit -- How I Done It -- Here we go, following on from this thread . . . - Towbar recommendations please i though it was time i finaly got around to doing it myself. . . it started with a quote from the main dealers . . . and the...
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.
 
Cheers all appreciate the advice thank you. I did feel just cutting it off felt like a bodge and I don't want to bodge job with anything on the van. I did manage to find one metal one on ebay but its not mega urgent so happy to join and stick a wanted post in.

Sackmycook said:
Just be aware, a cut off towball may attract an advisory on the MOT....

My MH has a factory fit towbar but the ball hitch is missing. The MOT tester mentioned this as an advisory, kindly
Click to expand...
That's an even better reason not to go down that route then thanks for pointing that out.

archersam said:
my 6.1 is steel as it was only taken off the other week and is heavy
Click to expand...
I have found a few metal ones on ebay, does the 6.1 fit the T6? I prefer the protection a metal one would give over a plastic one even for the weight addition.
 
Mine has just failed the MOT for having a tow bar but no working electrics - the tester clearly didn't see it last year!! He said you can take off the tow ball and leave plate there, but the electrics cannot be left visible otherwise it's another automatic failure. It will also always be an advisory once I have removed the tow ball regardless unless you fill in the two holes in the plate where the tow ball used to be or you remove everything and put in a new crash protector. I understand the electrics bit, that should be challenged, but the rest is just ridiculous - if there is no tow ball you cannot tow anything!
 
racT6bus said:
Mine has just failed the MOT for having a tow bar but no working electrics - the tester clearly didn't see it last year!! He said you can take off the tow ball and leave plate there, but the electrics cannot be left visible otherwise it's another automatic failure. It will also always be an advisory once I have removed the tow ball regardless unless you fill in the two holes in the plate where the tow ball used to be or you remove everything and put in a new crash protector. I understand the electrics bit, that should be challenged, but the rest is just ridiculous - if there is no tow ball you cannot tow anything!
Click to expand...
That's crazy. I think I have decided im just going to pickup a metal crash bar and remove the whole thing Including the electrics.
 
T6Norfolk said:
That's crazy. I think I have decided im just going to pickup a metal crash bar and remove the whole thing Including the electrics.
Click to expand...
Yeah I would if I could afford to right now, never planning to tow anything, I only kept it on as extra protection! Trying to get those bolts undone doesn’t look easy, I doubt they’ve been touched since it left the factory in 2016!!
 
We have a westfalia removable tow ball for our bike rack, its never left fitted else i smash my shins on it .
Its never been mentioned on any mot .
 
JumpShip said:
We have a westfalia removable tow ball for our bike rack, its never left fitted else i smash my shins on it .
Its never been mentioned on any mot .
Click to expand...
Your van presents as having working towing electrics, but no tow-bar, but @racT6bus's van presented the other way around - a tow-bar but no working electrics.
 
Yes IF fitted it must be working but it was SackMyCooks comment i was referring to.
Sackmycook said:
Just be aware, a cut off towball may attract an advisory on the MOT....

My MH has a factory fit towbar but the ball hitch is missing. The MOT tester mentioned this as an advisory, kindly
Click to expand...
 
I dont see why having just a bar or just electrics is a fail!

Some of these clip on bike racks (mainly on cars) should have a trailer board to be safe!
 
When I bought my van it had a factory Westfalia fixed swan neck tow bar fitted which has metal wings that extend out from the edges to replace the normal metalwork that is provided when no tow bar is fitted.
I replaced it with a Brinks removable tow bar that didn't have the 'wings' so there was no corner crash protection.
I sourced the stock metal bar and fitted it over the Brinks tow bar to restore the crash protection.
bumperbar.jpg
 
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personally I would wire the cables to something else like say an extra set of reverse lights (like I already have as I added them to that circuit) remove the socket and then they are not towbar electrics.
 
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