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OleDave



Member Since: 19 Oct 2013
Location: CARDIFF
Posts: 175

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 90 Puma 2.4 CSW Indus Silver
Front towbar design puma
Hi Guys I am back again sooner than than I thought for more help.

I am considering fitting a front towbar to my puma as I saw a Puma fitted with one last year and it made positioning the caravan in tight spots a doddle as you can see where your going.

I can buy a pukka one from Watling Engineers with detachable ball but they want 190 sobs for it! looking at the design there is not much too it, so my question is does anybody have one of these that could supply me with the dimensions and maybe a sketch as I can make one myself having a model engineers shop at home.

Thanks again guys

Ole Dave
Post #340926 26th Jun 2014 10:01am
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ARC99



Member Since: 19 Feb 2013
Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 1831

United Kingdom 2008 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 USW Cairns Blue
I have one simmonites. http://simmonites.com/towing.htm Don't make old people mad.
We don't like being old in the first place,
so it doesn't take much to Censored us off.

Richard
Post #341004 26th Jun 2014 3:35pm
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cobs



Member Since: 12 Jun 2008
Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 336

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 XS CSW Cairns Blue
I use a standard LR towball with spacer block on a 4" drop plate. I cut a second drop plate in half and used it as a backing plate and welded a bracing bar at the side (you could always bolt the side bar on rather than weld) The side bar uses the standard chassis hole for the front towing eye (or JATE ring as I have here). The bumper is standard LR. Initially this was only a temporary measure until I got round to sourcing a heavy duty bumper but in practice it's been fine and has been used for caravans, trailers and boats weighing up to about 2 tonnes. It's obviously not ideal if you're looking for an easily removable version but I had one of those on a previous Disco and after a while just left it in place permanently, so didn't bother making it removable on the Defender.


Click image to enlarge


Last edited by cobs on 27th Jun 2014 5:27am. Edited 1 time in total
Post #341016 26th Jun 2014 4:33pm
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OleDave



Member Since: 19 Oct 2013
Location: CARDIFF
Posts: 175

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 90 Puma 2.4 CSW Indus Silver
Front towbar design puma
Hi and thank you for the replies, well guys thats given me food for thought.

Have looked at the Watlings design again today and then priced up the materials on ebay, the design is pretty simple and makes the tow ball removable if you wish, the price for materials works out at less than half the price of the ready made but will have to do a little welding, the up side being removable it helps if selling the vehicle, will over the coming weeks get the materials and while at it make a drawing, when done will post it on the forum so if anybody is interested it might be of help, but will see how it works out first.

Many thanks again, you guys are an inspiration and a gold mine of info.

Speak soon

Regards

Ole Dave
Post #341042 26th Jun 2014 7:05pm
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borderterrier



Member Since: 09 Dec 2011
Location: Surrey
Posts: 1677

United Kingdom 2013 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 XS CSW Aintree Green
Fit a motor mov to your van Very Happy
Post #341048 26th Jun 2014 7:17pm
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OleDave



Member Since: 19 Oct 2013
Location: CARDIFF
Posts: 175

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 90 Puma 2.4 CSW Indus Silver
Hi borderterrier, well that is an option however they are £500 plus fitting and they eat batteries, so when flat your screwed unless you have a generator and thats another £450. My mate has one and its usless unless the ground is flat, give it a bit of an incline and its dead in minutes, they are not worth the money.

Regards

Ole Dave
Post #341051 26th Jun 2014 7:54pm
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Braydog



Member Since: 11 Apr 2012
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 27

Australia 2008 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 SW Alpine White
Good luck with knocking up your design. Look forward to seeing the results when finished. Sometimes It is better to ask for forgiveness, than to ask for permission.
Post #342048 1st Jul 2014 12:10pm
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SailingTom



Member Since: 19 Nov 2013
Location: ESSEX
Posts: 1722

United Kingdom 
Another option I intend to copy which I think looks really neat is the steering guard with the detachable receiver hitch like this;
http://www.extreme4x4.co.uk/acatalog/DEFEN...EIVER.html Defender puma dormobile camper
Post #342064 1st Jul 2014 2:21pm
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PCA42



Member Since: 15 Jun 2014
Location: Church Stretton
Posts: 468

England 2008 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Tonga Green
I'm looking to replace my rear tow bar with a 2" receiver hitch assembly as I both tow, and go off road. I had one on my old 90 and it was superb.

Thus I am also thinking of a 2" receiver on the front rather like that steering guard SailingTom suggested, however I would prefer to have a heavier duty front bumper with the receiver built in.

This will mean I can put my drop plate on either end of the truck for trailer manouvering (I have a 15' race transporter that I have to get round the back of the house), recovery eye or even my winch that I would plan to mount on a tray with electrical connectors at each end of the vehicle (also useful for jump starting).

Might be a bit of an over the top option for yourself if you don't use your Defender off road that seriously, so probably cheaper and easier to fabricate a hitch that clamps onto the existing bumper. Pete

2010 Discovery 4 GS TDV6
1972 Series III 88" 2.25P
Post #342077 1st Jul 2014 3:54pm
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NormanD



Member Since: 12 Aug 2011
Location: Bristol
Posts: 286

England 2015 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 USW Santorini Black
This may be an option

http://www.dborc.co.uk/goodwinch/

Page 2 of New Products NormanD WE191

2015 110 XS Utility
2014 VW Caravelle 180 Executive
Post #342093 1st Jul 2014 6:29pm
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Sphere



Member Since: 26 Apr 2013
Location: Midlands
Posts: 725

United Kingdom 2015 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 USW Keswick Green
I have a front receiver. Looking at the good winch one for the rear so I can just swap the receiver front to rear when needed. (I also have a snow plough that fits the receiver) problem if you build it into the bumper is the height, it could end up a little high.
Post #342105 1st Jul 2014 7:45pm
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leeds



Member Since: 28 Dec 2009
Location: West Yorkshire
Posts: 8582

United Kingdom 
SailingTom wrote:
Another option I intend to copy which I think looks really neat is the steering guard with the detachable receiver hitch like this;
http://www.extreme4x4.co.uk/acatalog/DEFEN...EIVER.html



Oh Tom, why don't you speak to me? Laughing


That one is made less then 2 miles away from where I am now sat drinking a beer! Thumbs Up


If you want we can get the receiver shifted sideways (as long as they are not too busy) so that you have a better view down the side of the caravan.


Brendan
Post #342124 1st Jul 2014 8:43pm
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sparkylee



Member Since: 06 Nov 2010
Location: surrey
Posts: 1455

2012 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 DCPU Santorini Black
Brendan that sounds great, I will call you in morning 👍 It's good to be back from the dark side


DC110 -2012 Black with black hood and black x-tech
FFRR 4.2 vogue
Renault traffic auto
PT crusier convertible
Laika x700 Motorhome
Post #342130 1st Jul 2014 8:58pm
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sparkylee



Member Since: 06 Nov 2010
Location: surrey
Posts: 1455

2012 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 DCPU Santorini Black
Opps double post It's good to be back from the dark side


DC110 -2012 Black with black hood and black x-tech
FFRR 4.2 vogue
Renault traffic auto
PT crusier convertible
Laika x700 Motorhome
Post #342131 1st Jul 2014 9:00pm
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SailingTom



Member Since: 19 Nov 2013
Location: ESSEX
Posts: 1722

United Kingdom 
/\ Caravan!? who said caravan. Wont catch me owning one of them in a hurry Laughing

Im starting to think your out to take all my money Brendan, all these nice things you supply, another item on the wish list for the work horse when it appears Thumbs Up
central gets my preference as only tow low trailers, but can see for high sided things the logic of an off centre mount Smile Defender puma dormobile camper
Post #342135 1st Jul 2014 9:01pm
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