Mk.2 Mondeo towing eyes

Pure guess - to stop a numbskull screwing in any old eye that may not be rated for the expected load?

Incidentally, it's not just Mondeos...

Chris

Reply to
Chris Whelan
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As you may or may not know, the towing points on a Mk.2 Mondeo are not fixed, but take the form of a metal eye, which is screwed into the front of the car through a little hatch in the front bumper and into that mysterious "orifice" in the right-hand side of the rear bumper as and when required.

However, this eye has a reverse thread - ie. the opposite way to normal screws and bolts, ie. anti-clockwise to put it in, clockwise to take it out.

Why? What engineering advantage does this confer? Is it something to do with the way a towrope would be twisted?

Reply to
Stephen Leak

Good point. I hadn't thought of that one. However ...

If other cars' screw-in tow eyes also use a reverse thread, the aforementioned numbskull could (in accordance with the law that if someone can get it wrong, they will) use one from another car, possibly with a lower load rating.

Of course, this could be "regulated" by having a direct relationship between the load rating and the size/thread diameter of the eye. An incorrect, lower rated and smaller eye coul dnot be used, as it would fall out.

Also, this would not seem to require the use of a reverse thread.

Reply to
Stephen Leak

Good point. I hadn't thought of that one. However ...

If other cars' screw-in tow eyes also use a reverse thread, the aforementioned numbskull could (in accordance with the law that if someone can get it wrong, they will) use one from another car, possibly with a lower load rating.

Of course, this could be "regulated" by having a direct relationship between the load rating and the thread diameter of the eye. An incorrect, lower rated and smaller eye could not be used, as it would fall out.

Unfortunately, this system would not seem to require the use of a reverse thread.

Reply to
Stephen Leak

Maybe to stop Mr Numbskull from buying a B&Q eye bolt more suited for a washing line.

Reply to
Periproct

Again, true, but sheer size would prevent this. My Mondy's towing eye is a couple of orders of magnitude bigger than anything you could get at a normal DIY retailer.

Reply to
Stephen Leak

Again, true, but sheer size would prevent this. My Mondy's towing eye is a couple of orders of magnitude bigger than anything you could get at a normal DIY retailer.

Reply to
Stephen Leak

You need a better diy shop:-)

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Reply to
Duncan Wood

What a real old-fashioned "Aladdin's Cave" - there are too few of these places left.

I did specify "normal". I was trying to be kind to B&Q here: at my age, I may need them one day, and not as a customer, if you know what I mean ... :-)

Reply to
Stephen Leak

The message from "Duncan Wood" contains these words:

Oooh, I've been there. Worth a trip to Cambridge all on its own. We used to set aside a morning from the folk festival to go there and browse.

Reply to
Guy King

That's an easy way to damage your bank balance :-)

Reply to
Duncan Wood

Must admit they have a wide selection, but I wouldn't recommend anyone to buy their small tools from them. Taps, dies drills etc. Make for make, their prices appear to be 10-20% higher than most trade small tool suppliers would charge. Buck & Hickman, J&L Industrial Supply to name but two. Mike.

Reply to
Mike G

Even 20% isn't that bad for a retail operation compared to a 'trade' supplier. Mackays is one of the things I miss about not living in Cambridge any more.

cheers, clvie

Reply to
Clive George

However they don't sell them to you on a Saturday, never mind Sunday :-) & funnily enough you can get trade discount during the week.

Reply to
Duncan Wood

It was just something that caught my eye, being in the 'trade' (toolmaker) myself. Another tht amused me was their comment about taps:- "Straight flute taps are the only type of taps that can be used by hand," My preferred hand taps are straight flute, forward cutting machine taps. Especially for through holes, so their use of the word 'only' is hardly appropriate. Obviously written by a non engineer. :-) Mike.

Reply to
Mike G

There is that. A bit like Halfords. However much you may dislike them as a Co, being open 7 days a week makes them a useful resource. Mike.

Reply to
Mike G

That's from thr Toolbank catalogue....

Reply to
Duncan Wood

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