Tying down on a RAV 4

[moragjones]

OK, maybe this is a dumb question but does anyone know how to do a front tie down on a recent RAV 4? I have a Pro-Rack kayak carrier and the aft end of the boat can be tied to the towbar. The front of the car however is just a mass of plastic...

M
confused of Aberdeenshire

[Owen]

Morag,

Is there a towing eye, you may have to screw this into the front of the car, if not look for something under the car.

[moragjones]

No towing eye, this is the first car I've ever had that doesn't have one. Just a sea of recycled pop bottles under the front.

Do you think it might be an after-market fit?

[mark62]

Some cars have a pop off cover around the bumper/valance. There should be a towing eye (actually a tie down eye), or a threaded hole to take a screw in eye. May be in the handbook.

[MikeB]

See viewtopic.php?t=32653 for an alternative solution - -

But as others have said, there will almost certainly be a front tow point somewhere - usually hidden behind a pop out panel in the front bumper. The handbook will tell you where it is.

Mike.

[Canoe-Cowal]

Try here
http://www.toyotaownersclub.com/forums/ ... pic=114603
http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.f204398

Here is an extract for toyota owners club
Page 403 in my manual [same vehicle] has a diagram with the instruction:
Remove the front towing eyelet cover on the front bumper, using a flathead screwdriver which is wrapped in a cloth.
The diagram shows the screwdriver inserted from the inboard side i.e other side to fog light.
Personally, when prising plastic trim I wrap a strip of Duct tape around the screwdriver tip

[Baldy-Old-Troll]

If you go on to Song Of The Paddle you will see a solution that gets around the problem of no obvious front tie down, what they do is fix a piece of webbing to a bolt under the bonnet-one of the front wing fixings or similar-when needed this comes out between the wing and bonnet and allows you to tie off your bow, you can fit one on each side if you need to. If you look on SOTP there are photos which will make it clear.

Stuart.

[moragjones]

Awesome guys - these ideas should get me going just fine.
The thought of the bonnet letting go is too horrible to contemplate, it must weigh 3 times the Avocet!

Happy paddling everyone
M

[Adrian Cooper]

The webbing tie-downs are bolted to the bodywork inside the bonnet, not to the bonnet itself.