Saturday project ... towbar
Posted: Sat Oct 15, 2016 8:58 pm
Bit of background -
I want to cycle to work. Nice short 4,2km trip. BUT, I need my car at work during the day to drive to sites .... Aaaahhh, I can leave the car in the secure basement parking at work. But dropping the car at work, and getting home to use the cycle .....
Okay, easy solution - bike in the car, drive to work on Monday. Cycle to and from work a couple of days, then drive home again with the bike in the car.
Bike wont fit in the car ....
I do have a Thule back rack that fits on a towbar. But surely a towbar is an expensive item ....
So I go looking for one of those bikeracks that fit onto the back of a hatchback .... NOPE Cant get one as the car has a full width glass pane ....
Okay, so how much would a towbar cost ? Nope !! Not about cost ... NO towbar for an Etios ....
Now if you know me, then you know I dont give at that easily !!
The Etios is too light to tow a trailer, thus no towbar on the market. BUT, I just need it to mount a bike rack ... Nice light-weight structure. I dont even need a trailer plug for this project.
But if I am going to build something I might as well try to make it look nice.
And so the search starts for "swan-neck" towball. The typical "goose-neck" bolts on with two bolts, out in clear sight ... Finally, LUCKILY, found one at a tire fitment outlet. And as it was in the spares box I got it for an absolute steal.
Off to the steel shop in search of a short piece of rectangular tube to serve as the receptor for the towball. Finally found a piece of about 27cm in their scrap bin.
Cutting, grinding, welding, some more grinding .... and finally the project takes shape.
WOW, time flies when you are having fun !! Much later in the day -
And then it was time to finish it off neatly, and to apply some Hammerite paint
Final fitment tomorrow
I want to cycle to work. Nice short 4,2km trip. BUT, I need my car at work during the day to drive to sites .... Aaaahhh, I can leave the car in the secure basement parking at work. But dropping the car at work, and getting home to use the cycle .....
Okay, easy solution - bike in the car, drive to work on Monday. Cycle to and from work a couple of days, then drive home again with the bike in the car.
Bike wont fit in the car ....
I do have a Thule back rack that fits on a towbar. But surely a towbar is an expensive item ....
So I go looking for one of those bikeracks that fit onto the back of a hatchback .... NOPE Cant get one as the car has a full width glass pane ....
Okay, so how much would a towbar cost ? Nope !! Not about cost ... NO towbar for an Etios ....
Now if you know me, then you know I dont give at that easily !!
The Etios is too light to tow a trailer, thus no towbar on the market. BUT, I just need it to mount a bike rack ... Nice light-weight structure. I dont even need a trailer plug for this project.
But if I am going to build something I might as well try to make it look nice.
And so the search starts for "swan-neck" towball. The typical "goose-neck" bolts on with two bolts, out in clear sight ... Finally, LUCKILY, found one at a tire fitment outlet. And as it was in the spares box I got it for an absolute steal.
Off to the steel shop in search of a short piece of rectangular tube to serve as the receptor for the towball. Finally found a piece of about 27cm in their scrap bin.
Cutting, grinding, welding, some more grinding .... and finally the project takes shape.
WOW, time flies when you are having fun !! Much later in the day -
And then it was time to finish it off neatly, and to apply some Hammerite paint
Final fitment tomorrow