Illegal towbar?

tfspark

forgotmyname wrote: »

Looks like they fitted the wrong one there or fitted it incorrectly, Unless your suspension is lower than the other one you took the picture of?

Take it back to whoever fitted it.

Thanks for your suggestion.

I did take it back to the fitting company who weren't interested.I spoke to the manufacturer and sent them photos and they agreed it was wrong.
Looking at the labels on the parts they are the correct ones and I measured from the ground to rear wheel arch on both vehicles and they are the same.

At the manufacturers recommendation I took it back to the fitter. They basically removed it with a view to make sure it had been fitted correctly. During this time they informed me that the threads had stripped in the captive nuts making it useless.
The only option I had was to buy a replacement. (Which happens to be a different make and is the same as my work colleague so now sits at the right height.)

This is what I'm objecting to. Do I have any redress because the original bar was fitted in May 2014 and was wrong from the start.
Why did I have to pay for a replacement. It was ok when it went in to be refitted (all be it too low), but now has stripped threads.

tfspark

esmerobbo wrote: »

Looking at the photos forgetting the distance from the ground, there is a vast difference to where the towbar is in relation to the rear bumper.

You're tow bar also looks a lot further from the body then the other.

Could it have the wrong neck on it?

It certainly does look wrong and that was pointed out by the manufacturer. It is the correct neck because they sent me their dimensional drawing.

I believe they are still trying to work out why it didn't work on my vehicle.

forgotmyname

Send the original company a letter before action claiming the full cost of the amount paid to supply and fit the original towbar.

Give them 14 days to respond the file a small claim online for that amount. With the evidence that you have there is no doubt that they should have checked why the ball was so low on your vehicle.

If it was at the lower end of the limit then fair enough, bit that low with an unloaded vehicle is just wrong and they should have spotted that.