Bumper protection plate for tow bar

[ChrisPDuck]

I have a removable swan neck tow bar. I'd quite like to fit some kind of protection plate between the bumper and the tow ball, but all those that I've seen are intended to fit between a bolt-on tow ball and the flange, e.g.:



Is anyone aware of a similar plate that can be clamped around a swan neck tow ball in such a way that it would be easily removable?

 

[Notwen]

2013 I went through exactly the same thing, my new company C220 had a swan neck tow bar and we occasionally towed a trailer. I could not find anything commercially available, so used a mechanics mat with a slot cut in it, and kept it in the boot when not hitching up.
When I read your post, I thought someone must have made one by now, and went off for a google. Apart form not finding anything, I did have a wry smile when I saw something similar to what I had done. Sometime the simplest solutions...

 

[ChrisPDuck]

That's a neat idea - it's only needed when hitching up or (less so) unhitching, so doesn't need to be secure.

 

[SpikyMikey]

2013 I went through exactly the same thing, my new company C220 had a swan neck tow bar and we occasionally towed a trailer. I could not find anything commercially available, so used a mechanics mat with a slot cut in it, and kept it in the boot when not hitching up.
When I read your post, I thought someone must have made one by now, and went off for a google. Apart form not finding anything, I did have a wry smile when I saw something similar to what I had done. Sometime the simplest solutions...

View attachment 166426

Practical problem solving. I love it

 

[ChrisPDuck]

Once I looked at the swan neck I realised that I could probably 3D print something to clip onto it - it's a rounded I-beam section, and the top flange looks suited to making a clip-over bracket.

I modelled something in OpenSCAD, and after the usual half dozen iterations I have something that should work. I wasn't able to print it as a single piece, because the shape doesn't lend itself to printing cleanly without supports, so I split it in two and added a couple of M3 bolts to hold the parts together. The slot and holes in the top section are shaped to fit a standard flanged ball protection plate, and it's angled (22 degrees) so that the plate should be vertical. I have a plate arriving today hopefully, and I may need to iterate that part again to make it fit well.

The clip is a tight fit and grips the swan neck quite firmly - that may change with the protection plate fitted, but it's looking promising.

 

[ChrisPDuck]

The plate arrived this morning, and indeed the slot needed a bit of adjustment. Offering it up to the car, there are two things to fix. Firstly, the part that clips over the swan neck is sitting further back (towards the ball) than I guestimated, so although it's still secure it's not gripping quite as tightly as it would if it was further along, since the swan neck section tapers down towards the ball. Secondly, I'm going to glue a sheet of 10mm insulating foam to the back of the plate, so that when I mount it it can be touching the bumper, and if ever I do bump the plate it will spread the load a bit.

 

[ChrisPDuck]

Tweaked a bit, and reprinted in a better filament with stronger settings. Padding added behind the plate. That'll do now.