Model Boat Mayhem

Mess Deck: General Section => Chit-Chat => Topic started by: Martin (Admin) on May 13, 2010, 04:01:42 pm

Title: Removing a car tow bar...
Post by: Martin (Admin) on May 13, 2010, 04:01:42 pm
I need to remove my car's tow bar before it's returned, company car....
 Any recommendations how I fill the bolt holes in the boot?
Title: Re: Removing a car tow bar...
Post by: cos918 on May 13, 2010, 04:10:26 pm
rubber grommets


John
Title: Re: Removing a car tow bar...
Post by: poddy on May 13, 2010, 04:11:44 pm
I'm not trying to be funny, but you could just put the bolts back in. Paint them if you want it to look tidy
Title: Re: Removing a car tow bar...
Post by: Martin (Admin) on May 13, 2010, 04:15:40 pm
I'm planning to sell the tow bar on flea bay
Title: Re: Removing a car tow bar...
Post by: ministeve on May 13, 2010, 04:25:47 pm
duck tape thats what we used to use
Title: Re: Removing a car tow bar...
Post by: riggers24 on May 13, 2010, 04:28:06 pm
Are the bolts not located under the carpet in the boot and if its a company car will there be a inspection that will highlight them? Are you going to make much on the towbar that it is worth taking it off?
Title: Re: Removing a car tow bar...
Post by: Martin (Admin) on May 13, 2010, 04:57:27 pm
When the car is returned then can fine drivers if they are in a bad mood.
If they lift up the carpet to inspect the spare tyre, the holes will be pretty obvious....
I should get £59+ on ebay....
Title: Re: Removing a car tow bar...
Post by: riggers24 on May 13, 2010, 05:07:38 pm
£59 that's mere coppers to man of your wealth. Have you tried the place that fitted the towbar to see if they having anything?
Title: Re: Removing a car tow bar...
Post by: funtimefrankie on May 13, 2010, 05:07:39 pm
P38 and a waft of touch-up paint.
Title: Re: Removing a car tow bar...
Post by: Martin (Admin) on May 13, 2010, 05:09:42 pm
I Like it!   :-))
Title: Re: Removing a car tow bar...
Post by: TugCowboy on May 13, 2010, 05:13:21 pm
In a previous life I used to do this kind of thing, when I worked for the water board, before we sent the cars back to the lease company.

Is the bumper an awkward colour?

We used to use the plastic caps that go over screw holes in flat pack furniture, file them down to fit and then epoxy them in from the back. If the car had any black plastic trim (even if it was just wing mirrors) then we'd leave them black. Otherwise we'd paint them roughly the right colour and we only once got picked up on it after the car got sold on and the owner had thought it was the covers for the rear parking sensors. (we must have done about 10 a week for 3 years)

I reckon that'd be a pretty safe bet.

Once we did have an Audi A6 to do which took a bit more thinking, I plastic welded some plasticard from the rear, built up a layer of fine grade milliput from the front and then painted it with a touch up stick. Then Polished the paint around it to blend it in nicely. Cost about £15 in materials but it was pretty flawless

What kind of car is it? can you get anything to roughly match?

Alex
Title: Re: Removing a car tow bar...
Post by: Roger in France on May 13, 2010, 06:51:30 pm
The easiest and most professional looking (without resorting to filler, paint and a great deal of work) is certainly solid rubber grommets. You can buy them cheaply in various sizes in any car spares place. Probably called something like "blanking grommets".

From new, many cars have them in place in holes which are to be used for optional accessories.

The other option is to stick your thumb in the hole, Martin!

Roger in France
Title: Re: Removing a car tow bar...
Post by: Perkasaman2 on May 13, 2010, 07:38:35 pm
If you were present at the fitting then dissembling the bar/electrics is a known - do it providing you can work safely and have the tools n knowhow otherwise suss it (some models require the removal of the entire bumper to install/remove fixings/electrics. It's easy for specialists - doing it all day long using purpose facilities - it's not if you are 'chancing' = suck it n' see.  :o   Be prudent Martin - life's too short for tears/jobs with an unknown 'pandora factor', unless you are prepared to 'Kenny7' it from the getgo.  ;)
Title: Re: Removing a car tow bar...
Post by: Bunkerbarge on May 13, 2010, 08:25:38 pm
Try electrical suppliers and look at the backing box grommets.  They do blind ones as well.
Title: Re: Removing a car tow bar...
Post by: malcolmfrary on May 13, 2010, 09:50:37 pm
Blind grommets.  It will look "official" and whoever buys it will eventually be pleased that the manufacturers made fitting a tow bar so easy.
Title: Re: Removing a car tow bar...
Post by: Bryan Young on May 14, 2010, 02:47:10 pm
When the car is returned then can fine drivers if they are in a bad mood.
If they lift up the carpet to inspect the spare tyre, the holes will be pretty obvious....
I should get £59+ on ebay....

Any of your bosses/inspectors read this forum? BY.
Title: Re: Removing a car tow bar...
Post by: Martin (Admin) on May 14, 2010, 03:25:20 pm


Hmmmm.... good point Bryan!   {:-{
Title: Re: Removing a car tow bar...
Post by: Ghost in the shell on May 14, 2010, 03:37:54 pm
boss probably knows about the tow bar anyway, i doubt it'll be an issue as you would have needed to seek permission to fit the thing in the first place
Title: Re: Removing a car tow bar...
Post by: malcolmfrary on May 14, 2010, 06:34:03 pm
boss probably knows about the tow bar anyway, i doubt it'll be an issue as you would have needed to seek permission to fit the thing in the first place
Ah....  Urm.... Yes, well....
Title: Re: Removing a car tow bar...
Post by: Perkasaman2 on May 15, 2010, 11:28:45 am
Just go for it Malcolm!! - 'Procrastination is the thief of time.'  O0 :-))

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_erFUvUzf9U
Title: Re: Removing a car tow bar...
Post by: malcolmfrary on May 15, 2010, 11:38:15 am
Just go for it Malcolm!! - 'Procrastination is the thief of time.'  O0 :-))

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_erFUvUzf9U
Procrastination is also an opportunity in the making.  If you put something off for today, you can put it off again tomorrow.
Title: Re: Removing a car tow bar...
Post by: hopeitfloats on May 15, 2010, 12:47:27 pm
duck tape thats what we used to use

that sounds like an arthur daley trick :}