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Fitting A Tow Bar To A Mini


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#1 minimissions

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Posted 05 August 2018 - 06:53 AM

Hi all I was wondering if anyone had an photos of the underneath and back of the mini of where this is fitting I have a good Idea of where it all needs to bolt up to.

 

Just want to some pics to double check.

 

Thanks guys and girls..



#2 Bat

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Posted 05 August 2018 - 07:05 AM

Hi,

Just check you can fit a towbar first.

I read in the MPI manual that "this car is not suitable for towing" don't know if it applies to SPI too?

Cheers  :proud:



#3 megamini_jb

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Posted 05 August 2018 - 07:52 AM

It depends what tow bar design as there are a few.

I've seen some that bolt to the rear bumper lip, but I personally wouldn't want it fitted on there. The last two tow bars I have had on minis I made sure they were the ones that have the spreader plate that bolts to the rear part of the subframe and then a single bolt through the rear seat bench.

Same sort as in the link - https://www.minispor...ng-bar-kit.html

I never got a picture of mine from underneath, but I might have just a normal rear end pic of the mini with it fitted and can get one of the mounting holes to give you an idea

#4 minimissions

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Posted 05 August 2018 - 08:54 AM

Thanks yes she can tow I checked all that.... :D

 

I have seen that kit from mini sport but wont be paying their prices.

 

I have seen the same on the bumper lip it doesn't sound the best place to fit it. The bar I am looking at is very much like the mini sport kit (and like the one you have mentioned) there is a row of bolts through the subframe on the valance end, then looks like a few go through the floor on the boot end.

 

Just wanted pics of someone who has done this, as I was thinking it would need a strengthener spreader plate to make this nice and strong...

 

Any photos would be very helpful

 

thanks



#5 Homersimpson

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Posted 05 August 2018 - 10:51 AM

It depends what tow bar design as there are a few.

I've seen some that bolt to the rear bumper lip, but I personally wouldn't want it fitted on there. The last two tow bars I have had on minis I made sure they were the ones that have the spreader plate that bolts to the rear part of the subframe and then a single bolt through the rear seat bench.

Same sort as in the link - https://www.minispor...ng-bar-kit.html

I never got a picture of mine from underneath, but I might have just a normal rear end pic of the mini with it fitted and can get one of the mounting holes to give you an idea

Looks a good kit but I wonder how it works with part of it being on the subframe and part fixed to the body when the subframe is rubber mounted?  I wonder if it increases the noise/vibration/harshness at all? Alternatively is their a risk of continually stressing the fixing to the rear seat eventually leading to fatigue fracture?


Edited by Homersimpson, 05 August 2018 - 10:57 AM.


#6 nicklouse

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Posted 05 August 2018 - 12:06 PM

reading this a few points. the rover Minis have no approval to tow. but can have a tow bar fitted for a bike rack etc. Any tow bar fitted must have approval. gone are the days of making your own.

 

there are a few towbars out there that do have local approval. but that does not make it OK to use somewhere else.



#7 absx2

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Posted 05 August 2018 - 12:10 PM

I had a towbar on a 1989 mini. I fabricated it myself and it bolted directly to the subframe in four places so no need to drill holes in the bodywork.

That was a while ago and before the law changed but it was a beauty, so over engineered you would have to rip the entire rear subframe for it to fail.



#8 minimissions

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Posted 05 August 2018 - 12:49 PM

I believe there is a cut off date for a mini being able to tow, basically 96-97 I am sure I have read this in a number places...



#9 nicklouse

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Posted 05 August 2018 - 01:12 PM

I believe there is a cut off date for a mini being able to tow, basically 96-97 I am sure I have read this in a number places...

it is not the date it is the Maker ie Rover. but any fitted to any Mini needs to have the approval tag on it.



#10 nicklouse

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Posted 05 August 2018 - 01:24 PM

the date you are thinking about may be the date that required all towbars to have the E mark.

 

Tow bars
All tow bars fitted to cars registered after July 1998 must have an E approved tow bar fitted. Rover Mini is not E approved so no tow bar can be fitted to minis registered on and after 1st August 1998 .So if a mini was registered on 31 July 1998 it can pull a trailer however if the same car was registered on 1 August 1998 it cannot. However a towbar can be fitted with electrics to a S reg onwards car if it is used for cycle carriers etc .

 






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