2001 V70T5M Tow Bar Alternative

[dux02v70]

I just installed a receiver on my V70. I took a somewhat alternate route in order to get a 2 inch receiver without springing for the OEM one.

I have several attachments that require a 2 inch receiver and didn't want to have to replace them and I'm not a fan of the 1 1/4 to 2 inch adapters. Plus the aftermarket receivers all hang down below the bumper. And cost $180. I searched the local yards for an OEM one as well as various on-line sites but couldn't find one and I didn't want to pay $400 for a new one so I looked at some alternatives. I came up with a Reese 37042 which is a universal hitch for full size trucks. I bought it for $89.

DISCLAMER: What I did to make this hitch work involved some cutting of the pieces and definitely affects the strength and capacity of this unit. I have not performed any analysis of the final product to determine it's allowable capacity so perform this at your own risk.

That being said, the final product has as much steel left on it as many of the aftermarket units I have looked at, and I am personally comfortable with using it to carry bikes, a hitch-haul, and my small utility trailer full of leaves and trash.

The OEM hitch is basically a straight tube with angle brackets on the ends and a 2 inch tube welded to the bottom. The Reese 37042 looks much the same. I cut 2 1/8" off the top of the end brackets welded to the receiver plus 3/4" from the end near the weld to clear the welded seam on the rear of the body. I then cut the tip off the supplied angle bracket. With the rear bumper off, you can set the receiver tube in place and check the position of the angle brackets. I found that I was able to use two of the holes in the angles. One rear slot needed to be elongated about 1/2 inch for the bolt furthest forward to be installed. I used one of the holes in the face of the angle and then drilled the end plate on the receiver to allow it to bolt up. I drilled a second hole through both plates for a second bolt. One side will be a mirror image of the other. I bolted the angles to the end plate using supplied studs and nuts. I then "clearanced" the sides of the rear tub using a hammer. You can then bolt up the angles to the body using supplied hardware. The end pieces of the receiver are bolted through one of the slots using supplied hardware. I drilled another hole through the bottom of the center section and the end piece to allow a second fastener to be installed. You can then trim the bottom of the bumper cover and reinstall it.

[retrocycler]

Thanks for your detailed description with pictures. I'm about to embark on this installation, but I wonder about the picture showing the port side bracket. Where is the muffler? On my 2001 V70 T5M, there's a big bulbous muffler in the way. Did you remove the muffler to do the installation. Did the same muffler go back into the car?
Thanks.

[retrocycler]

As a thank you to the OP, I'd like to report here about my execution of this project, very much facilitated by the OP's descriptions in this thread.

I did end up getting a Reese 37042, and I modified it by cutting some pieces down as described in this thread. But instead of trying to squeeze bolts into that tight space on either side of the "trunk tub," I decided to weld the end plates together. (As a result I ended up with 90% of the kit hardware unused, LMK if you need any) I was lucky to find a kid in my neighborhood that had a TIG welder, having just completed welding school, and was happy to practice his new skills on my project. Pictures below tell the story fairly well...
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fresh-welded-end-bracket.jpg (122.45 KiB) Viewed 141 times

fresh welded end bracket, starboard side. By cutting one of the bolt holes into a slot, I was able to attach this to the car's frame with three bolts, instead of just two. The P2 V70 had three threaded holes available to receive the bolts on each side. On the port side, those held an exhaust hanger bracket, that I removed. On the starboard side, bolts held a doodad for attaching a towing "eyelet" or something like that; I removed.
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bracket-starboard-side-installed.jpg (152.62 KiB) Viewed 141 times

starboard side, installed (but not showing the third bolt)
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bolt-hanger-fresh-paint.JPG (132.74 KiB) Viewed 141 times

integral exhaust hanger (a long bolt welded on there), after painting
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receiver-installed-w-bolt-hanger.JPG (151.49 KiB) Viewed 141 times

port side showing that long bolt soon to be an exhaust hanger (again not showing 3rd attachment bolt)
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receiver-installed-w-muffler-supported.JPG (114.3 KiB) Viewed 141 times

[jonesg]

and if I could weld like that...