Advice: rear end clearance

[mattt]

Hi, I moved to North Wales the other day, amazing green lanes up here and have been putting some heavily modified Discoveries to shame in my unmodified gen 2.

The one thing that I have encountered so far that is a problem on the surf compared to the Discovery is the rear end sticking out too far for me to go up steep hill's.

The tow bar and exhaust hit the ground even on fairly modest uphill sections.

What can I do to move the tow bar and exhaust up a bit? By a lot actually.

All suggestions are welcome.

Cheers
Matt

[shokenore]

Side exhaust will help to give some more clearance.

Do you need the tow bar?

[mattt]

I sort of do yes, I sometimes tow trailers full of canoes. Costs me a fortune in fuel but it's one of the reasons i have the truck.

My mates landrover has a plate fitted that allows him to adjust the height of the tow hook. I don't think that will help me.

Maybe a newly fabricated tow bar, angled high to bring the tow hook up by 6 inches or so and welded on in place of the old one? Would that be safe do you think?

[shokenore]

I sort of do yes, I sometimes tow trailers full of canoes. Costs me a fortune in fuel but it's one of the reasons i have the truck.

My mates landrover has a plate fitted that allows him to adjust the height of the tow hook. I don't think that will help me.

Maybe a newly fabricated tow bar, angled high to bring the tow hook up by 6 inches or so and welded on in place of the old one? Would that be safe do you think?

You could consider fabbing up the tow hitch so that the ball bolts through the bumper.
That would give you a bit more clearance.

I think TonyN's truck had this mod?

[MWS]

Hey Matt. I removed my towbar because I just didn't need it. Instead, I used the towbar legs as somewhere to attatch some recovery points. Just in case I need to tow in the future, I retained the electrics by coiling them up and ty wrapping them to the chassis crossmember. I've kept the towbar centre section to re fit if I need it. putting it all back together is only a half hour of a job anyway.

[mattt]

Hey Matt. I removed my towbar because I just didn't need it. Instead, I used the towbar legs as somewhere to attatch some recovery points. Just in case I need to tow in the future, I retained the electrics by coiling them up and ty wrapping them to the chassis crossmember. I've kept the towbar centre section to re fit if I need it. putting it all back together is only a half hour of a job anyway.

Ah, so i can just take it off and put it back on when i need it?

[MWS]

Ah, so i can just take it off and put it back on when i need it?

Once you have separated the electrical connector plugs ( I've seen people attatch them permanently to the rear bumper ), it's only six bolts. Here are a couple of pics of a towbar, removed, to give you a better idea. Also a pic of the recovery points that I replaced my tow bar with.

[wishbone]

Bigger tyres and suspension / bodylift..

[mattt]

Once you have separated the electrical connector plugs ( I've seen people attatch them permanently to the rear bumper ), it's only six bolts. Here are a couple of pics of a towbar, removed, to give you a better idea. Also a pic of the recovery points that I replaced my tow bar with.

Thanks for the pictures MWS, I'll have a look at mine next weekend and see how feasible this is for me.

When you say separate the electrics, presumable I can just unscrew the trailer plug thing and tuck it away somewhere?

Wishbone, I've been mulling that over, i saw a lifted hilux the other day and it was immense. It did not look at all safe though, in terms of staying upright that is.

I'm driving on trails that often involve near 45 degree angles of tilt and even unlifted, the truck feels like it might roll at any moment.

Is there any data to look at on how much tilt / roll you can have on a lifted surf before it will go over?

[wishbone]

Well if you're that worried maybe a bobtail would suit your needs..

Loads of people on here have fitted 33's with a 2" bodylift and a 2" suspension lift and played off road without rolling their truck.

Maybe lose the stock bumper and get a custom bumper / towbar made up ...

[shokenore]

Thanks for the pictures MWS, I'll have a look at mine next weekend and see how feasible this is for me.

When you say separate the electrics, presumable I can just unscrew the trailer plug thing and tuck it away somewhere?

Wishbone, I've been mulling that over, i saw a lifted hilux the other day and it was immense. It did not look at all safe though, in terms of staying upright that is.

I'm driving on trails that often involve near 45 degree angles of tilt and even unlifted, the truck feels like it might roll at any moment.

Is there any data to look at on how much tilt / roll you can have on a lifted surf before it will go over?

If your trails are that extreme then perhaps you might need one or both of these...