Tow eye won't fit!?!

[Danith]

Ok well as the title suggests, I'm getting really cheesed with something as simple as screwing in a tow eye!

I bought one of Cotball's ones when he first started selling them and it didn't want to screw in, so fair enough I've badgered him and he's probably reading this now and thinking 'for f***s sake'!

So he's sent me out another and it doesn't fit so there's no way it can be anything to do with the wrong size or anything - Cheers Cotball for giving me the benefit of the doubt tho bud.

I bought a TRS strap and tried the bolt in that and it will start to go in - although I didn't try too hard to get it all the way in as I CBA getting underneath the bumper to use a spanner to get it in!

The standard tow eye seems to start going in ok aswell but does get really tight, but will go in.

So only thing I can think is that the thread's gone? Or, the eye itself is bent, as it does seem to go in at a weird angle - BUT how would someone manage to bend a thread eye?!

I've cleaned it, blasted it with an airgun and to no avail.

Anyone else had this problem!? And what could I do - I don't want to be stuck if it ever broke down!

 

[Sam@NP]

Sounds like the thread is knackered, I'd run a thread cleaner down it and see how you get on. take the bumper off so you can have a good look at the threads too.

 

[Danith]

Cheers mate. Could do with getting the bumper off anyway to sort the cracked splitter.

So you can get thread cleaners for them? Or do you mean just using something to get in there - nothing specific?

 

[Sam@NP]

Its a thread repair kit, similar to a thread tap. I dont word that post too well if I'm honest.

 

[Danith]

Job's a good'un. Cheers mate. Something as simple as this has stumped me! Should stick to my textbooks. Gonna be fitting my shocks and top mounts and rear springs on Sat/sunday aswell - could be interesting.

 

[Danith]

14mm I'm guessing? Looking at some on eBay now that do next day delivery.

 

[Tony Hunter]

Sounds like it's been cross threaded at some time. It should go in easy as it's a parallel thread.

 

[Danith]

Sounds like it's been cross threaded at some time. It should go in easy as it's a parallel thread.

Sorry, what will? The thread repair tool? The tow eye refuses to go in. It will nose itself in, get mega tight so won't go in further, then if you manage to get it past that it just spits itself out.

 

[Dan@M.A.D]

If you remove the shackle part you can put a breaker bar through the stainless threaded part of the tow eye, It won't bend as it's high grade stainless & plenty thick enough.

You could also retap the thread. I can turn the thread down some more but it went in easily on my 172 so i would be worried that with less thread to hold it could strip the thread.

 

[Danith]

Cheers anyway mate. Gonna try retappping it with some tool off ebay. Would this be ok? The diameter of your tow eyes is 14mm

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/15-Piece-...653?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item3cc7d5c635

So you reckon I could possibly force it in without if I got a bar in the main bolt? Thought about drilling it as you said and putting a bolt the other side but I don't think my OCD could handle the rattle over bumps!

 

[Dan@M.A.D]

Cheers anyway mate. Gonna try retappping it with some tool off ebay. Would this be ok? The diameter of your tow eyes is 14mm

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/15-Piece-...653?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item3cc7d5c635

So you reckon I could possibly force it in without if I got a bar in the main bolt? Thought about drilling it as you said and putting a bolt the other side but I don't think my OCD could handle the rattle over bumps!

If you can get the thread to go in a decent amount then you could force it in with a bar but if it's only in a small amount then it could just make your tow eye hole worse.

You would get any rattle over bumps if you drilled it, Just drill the hole 1mm or so bigger and use a nut on the back end, You would be able to get it very tight if you put a spanner on the back end and a bar through the tow eye.


I'm pretty certain my tow eye's are not 14mm diameter. I will check in a minute if i can find my vernier at home

 

[Danith]

ok cheers dude. yeah it won't go in at all with yours, it sort of grips for half a turn then just spits itself out.

 

[Adam G]

Just stating the obvious but you do know it goes in on an angle don't you?
It looks like it's pointing in to the middle of the car a bit.