We seem to have no tow eye receiver on the front of our 1999 XK8, and no tow eye in the boot under the spare. There is a permanent tow eye welded in place near the right rear exhaust tip. Explanation?

 

Front towing eye locations are here (one either side), and should have a blanking plug fitted:



I guess a PO omitted to return the eye to its nest at some point

 

During NEW CAR PDI we removed BOTH front tow eyes, placed ONE in the boot tool kit and discarded the other.

I saved all the discarded tow eyes and shared some with tow truck drivers that frequented the shop.
Most of the extras were put in a box and I took them home for safe keeping.
I don't know what other dealership mechanics did with them but I saved them.

Over the years I sold all but a few that I use for my own fleet of XKs.(the tool kits had the tow eyes missing from all the cars I bought)

 

michaelh Perfect! Found the front receiver points from your post!

 

Looks like Mazda uses the same metric size/pitch (M20 x 2.5) as earlier XK8s, so I may try one of those

 

EUREKA! The Mazda M20 x 2.5 tow eye is a perfect fit for the earlier XK8s. Very robust and well made. Also fits well in the designated slot of the tool carrier under the spare.

If interested, search for: 2013-2015 CX-5 2014-2015 Mazda 6 - KD53-50-EJ2A

 

Can I just ask.if they are right hand thread? I've one stuck in the front and want to be sure before I give it too much hammer trying to undo it the wrong way.

 

ALL the 4.0 liter X100 cars are M20 x 2.5mm RH.

Sometime after the 4.2 liter cars introduction (post A30645) the tow eye was replaced with M16 x 3.0mm LH.

I don't remember the VIN production change date but 2005 or 2006 maybe?

 

I believe motorcarman is correct. There was a change with the 4.2 liter model, both in size (M20 vs M16) and thread direction (RH vs LH).

As for your situation brinny, try inserting a large screwdriver (or small pry bar) thru the eye and twist first in one direction then the other. If you can get penetrating oil on the threads that will help, It should break free easily.

 

Great, thanks for that. So left for loosy then!

 

One other note to add to motorcarman's great info. The rear threaded eye is ONLY be used for transport from the factory to the dealer. It is NOT to be used to tow or recover the car.
Jaguar calls it a "Transport Lashing" as well as a rear tow eye. Even though they say don't use it to tow?

Are you sure the rear tow eye is welded in place? I had not heard of that before.
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Isn't that for the X150 models? I'm sure that my X100 has a welded loop which is used for towing.

Richard

 

If the car has M16 x 3,0 LH, the same size rear tow eye is used.
The M20 x 2.5mm RH has the welded rear loop.

 

Richard can you post a picture of the welded loop?
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Just to confirm that we are talking about the X100 model, 1996 - 2005, rather than the X150 model, 2006 onwards.

Richard

 

Post #2 has an explanation.

From my copy of the XK introduction JJM 18 15 14/70 August 1996...........
"The rear towing eye is a welded double loop on the right hand corner of the luggage floor."





Pics from two of my XKRs.
One on the floor and one on the lift in the air.

 

The front locations are attached to longitudinal box sections/front crossmember, so are pretty substantial.

For the rear., a welded loop attached to a somewhat-strengthened corner of the spare wheel well. Although the literature implies otherwise, I wouldn't use it for towing unless it was an emergency.

Just my

 

That's for the great pictures as I learned something about the earlier cars.
That's a substantial metal loop at any rate.
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I agree with Michael. I would not trust that loop....

 

Agree. These cars are not lightweight, and that bottom corner of the boot is hardly “structural”. For early X100 model years, I believe this should be considered a “lashing point” for stable carrier transport and nothing more.