maffoo Posted July 9, 2009 Report Share Posted July 9, 2009 Because my 2-11 is an earlier model (61) it did not come with towing eyes front and rear. At the time I was told you could use the roll bar to tow with, which now it is advised against. I am still amazed that a track car can be supplied and sold without these! I have recently had towing eyes fitted by Hoffmans of Henley, which are not a lotus product, and a fraction of the cost. The front strap fits between the splitter and the number plate and fixed to the chassis by custom brackets and high tensile wire, all of this was achieved by not taking the clamshell off ( 6hours labour according to lotus) The rear one is bolted onto the chassis under the rear diffuser. The whole thing cost around Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ads_green Posted July 9, 2009 Report Share Posted July 9, 2009 Any pics? There's a lot of aftermarket rear eyes available - they all use the 2/4 big hex bolts holding the undertray and diffuser on so should be very stable. The front is a pain though. Lotus thought the roll bar would work as apparently it can hold the weight of the car and I think it's fine pulling the car backwards it's just pulling it forwards through gravel can cause it to dig itself in on the splitter. I believe new cars do have the standard tow post fitted (I think). They certinaly have the spot all marked out for it but the older cars have to get this bit built from scratch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephanie plum Posted July 9, 2009 Report Share Posted July 9, 2009 I had the rear Lotus towing eye fitted recently - will get the front put on should I ever need to take the front clam off again. Otherwise will just have to hope I bed myself in the kitty litter nose first so the rear eye will suffice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
[email protected] Posted July 13, 2009 Report Share Posted July 13, 2009 Like Jo I have only the rear towing eye fitted. Interested in the front one, especially if they can fit it without taking the clam off. Got any decent pictures of it fitted? Quote Saving up for a sequential gearbox Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pgn340r Posted July 13, 2009 Report Share Posted July 13, 2009 It's very expensive to fit the front towing eye as Jo says the front claim needs to be removed (6 hours labour) as a strengthening bar needs to be fitted. I fitted mine when I had the Lamova cooler/triple radiator installed. So good time to do then if you go for the upgrade. Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
[email protected] Posted July 13, 2009 Report Share Posted July 13, 2009 Paul I was hoping to avoid the clam off job - the original post by Maffoo suggests that for the Hoffmans solution, they don't need to take the front clam off. I realise that to fit a non-Lotus part can be an anathma to some purists but I reckon if Lotus wanted to fit one, they should have made it an option on the original car (they weren't even available as an option when I orderd mine)! Bit like the story with oil pressure and temperature guages - would have been nice to have them available as an option and all nicely co-ordinated into the dashboard - instead I have had to bolt-on some non-Lotus ones. Quote Saving up for a sequential gearbox Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pgn340r Posted July 14, 2009 Report Share Posted July 14, 2009 Del, I have no problem with non- Lotus parts either, although would prefer the Lotus part if available and not ott price wise. Not sure how strong the non Lotus option is though, as a bracing bar had to be fitted, although that may be a FIA compliant thing. Understand that originally the roll bar was the towing option and only after they went racing and found that when the car was pulled out frontways the nose would dig in and cuase more damage they went the tow eye route. Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maffoo Posted July 16, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 16, 2009 The person you need to speak to is Chris Randal at Hoffmans, he said he was going to put up some pics. He seemed to think that the lotus fit was not that strong any way and he has seen cars come back to him with bent towing eyes due to over zealous tow trucks. This tow strap is fixed to the chassis by high tensile wire and does not move, and best of all can be done without removing the clam. As he is a racer and engineer, I think everything he does is designed and made to be the most hard wearing and cost effective possible, hope this helps Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pgn340r Posted July 16, 2009 Report Share Posted July 16, 2009 Is it FIA compliant? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
track-club Posted November 6, 2009 Report Share Posted November 6, 2009 Is it FIA compliant? We can fit either an MSA or FIA compliant front tow post using the original Lotus parts for around Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abrussich Posted June 1, 2011 Report Share Posted June 1, 2011 My car came sans towe hooks or even the front mount for the hook. I used the long Memorial Day weekend to install both. What a royal pain in the nether regions the front was! If you go by the instructions in the owners manual it sounds like a relatively hastle free effort. Wrong! The manual only mentions a third of the bolts and screws that have to be removed. On top of that my front grille did not have the opening for the hook to pass through which resulted in some snipping of the mesh. It amazes me how much has had to be added to the car to make it race compliant. I still have to install a proper fuel cell and fire supression system. Will save those headaches for another long weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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