2017 towbar recall??

[Barboots]

Nah I'm here for the laughs! [emoji6]

[reklaw1947]

Thanks! 😢

[crdv6]

I'm picking up a 2017 Grand Cherokee next week, but the dealer can't fit a 'genuine' one and won't fit an after market one, so will be going to ARB.
The local Pedders don't know Jack S either!

[JayVidler]

I removed the lower rear plastic bumper section today so I could get at the tow bar mounting bolts. All had spring washers but a couple missing flat washers. Also weren't torqued up very tight at all. No leaning on ringy to undo whatsoever. I had a few creaks coming from back of car whilst towing before. Can only assume this was the tow bar physically shifting.

As I'm heading up north soon with a caravan, needed this fixed but Jeep in Wangara no help whatsoever with an update let alone a solution.

Set to work myself. Removed bolts (they were all 8.8 high tensile) and reversed so nuts visible/accessible from outside chassis rails and can be torqued correctly, put flat washers on where they were missing, whacked on a healthy dollop of loctite and rattled back up a hell of a lot tighter than the dealer did.

Quick tow of the van and no creaking when under load/braking so she's on tight now.

Happy to go north now knowing it's bolted up a lot tighter. Given the recall is simply because bolts could lose torque, i'm confident what I've done is more than the dealers will do when they eventually get their act together.

Anyone else done the same or is everyone erring on the side of caution for liability reasons?

[Barboots]

Originally Posted by JayVidler

I removed the lower rear plastic bumper section today so I could get at the tow bar mounting bolts. All had spring washers but a couple missing flat washers. Also weren't torqued up very tight at all. No leaning on ringy to undo whatsoever. I had a few creaks coming from back of car whilst towing before. Can only assume this was the tow bar physically shifting.

As I'm heading up north soon with a caravan, needed this fixed but Jeep in Wangara no help whatsoever with an update let alone a solution.

Set to work myself. Removed bolts (they were all 8.8 high tensile) and reversed so nuts visible/accessible from outside chassis rails and can be torqued correctly, put flat washers on where they were missing, whacked on a healthy dollop of loctite and rattled back up a hell of a lot tighter than the dealer did.

Quick tow of the van and no creaking when under load/braking so she's on tight now.

Happy to go north now knowing it's bolted up a lot tighter. Given the recall is simply because bolts could lose torque, i'm confident what I've done is more than the dealers will do when they eventually get their act together.

Anyone else done the same or is everyone erring on the side of caution for liability reasons?

Aside from the washers, was there a flat ~5mm steel plate under (if I recall correctly) the forward-most mounting bolts? This "fish plate" is to prevent the relatively localised force compressing the rectangular monocoque member, by spreading the force over a larger area.

If this is missing I'd be very cautious about using the system.

Cheers, Steve

[Barboots]

For reference... Part 3 from an older version of the installation manual:

[Treebreakerbob]

So the lousy bas*ards haven't put compression posts in the chassis.

Although even if they have fish plates are still a good idea

Bob