Towing Eye

[Tedder 6]

I haul a canoe on my 06 Fourtwo, and am looking for another towing eye to tie down on the rear end. I'm in Brockville, so can pick up in eastern Ontario, or pay for shipping. Tedder

[Leadwing 565]

The actual eye can be purchased from MB for $25 - $30 ... Unless you are in the area to begin with and can pick one up for free, the shipping costs would put it way over that even if you got the item for free. (I don't work in the post office, but I do know that even small, light packages are rather expensive to ship.)

[MikeT 744]

Tip: go to a wrecker and get them out of the rear jack compartment of a 2005-2012 B-Class - under the black plastic cover with the left rear passenger seat tipped forward, which has two per car (for some reason mine had three).  They should be VERY cheap.  I guess I have two spares but they're very heavy and would cost a lot to send by mail.

[Willys 747]

Teddy, we used to go to Dom's decades ago now, and not even sure if they still allow you to walk around and get the stuff off yourselves, but they used to be great folks. There are many wreckers that still allow you to walk and pic.....do a search.

You should be able to snag them if you say they were found on the floor of some car as you go to pay for them.  Don't say Benz or Smart imho...lol

 

[niteshooter 30]

Looks like Dom's has re-opened their U-Pull parts area. It was shut down a while ago after a fire. 

 

https://www.domsauto.com/parts4less.html

 

Standard up on Taunton is shut down after their fire, though their website claims they are going to open again soon. Didn't see much activity there the last time I passed by.  I bought a couple from a local MB dealer, I thought I paid $15 each though that was a year ago. 

[Leadwing 565]

35 minutes ago, niteshooter said:

  I bought a couple from a local MB dealer, I thought I paid $15 each though that was a year ago. 

 

I inquired about them for a friend at an MB dealership in the spring  and was told $25 + taxes each.

 

The wreckers (scrap yards, auto recyclers ... whatever) is a good place to look as long as the interior of the car hasn't been gutted.  While searching for the towing eye for my friend, I made the rounds to the local wreckers only to find that there was very little left on the passenger side under the carpeting in any of them.

 

Good luck with your search.

 

[tolsen 630]

Mercedes screw in towing eyes are a bit too long in my opinion.  Can of course cut to size and weld. 

[Willys 747]

I just wanted them to get the threaded part then I will weld onto that whatever I need to use  it for.   As you have said before, finding that threaded rod is like finding a set of chicken lips!

[tolsen 630]

The threads are quickly cut on a lathe. 

Image shows my DIY stainless steel bolts that hold my towbar on. The bronze pup pieces silver brazed on to the hex heads were an afterthought. These have same thread size as the bolts and serve a dual purpose. 

1) Standard socket will no longer fit so theft protection. 

2) Allows fitting the Smart Basic Carrier when hauling a trailer. 

 

[tolsen 630]

Thread size is ACME 5/8” x 8 tpi. Thread taps in this size can be bought cheaply but not so with thread cutting dies and bolts are non existing. Therefore no point googling for bolts as nobody has them. 

[Willys 747]

I have an old lathe from the 40's, that has seen it's best days long gone, but she can still turn out some things, Threads are not that easy.....I'll be checking now to see if I have the gear sets to make this thread.  I am loosing my brain cells by the second....why I never thought of this I do not know!!!!!   I'm embarrassed even to admit this feat of stupidity!  lol

Will check later today for gearing....Must write this down asap!....lol

 

Damn I'm getting useless...lol      I better start searching for that pasture they are going to place me in soon...lol

[tolsen 630]

You can also cut these ACME threads with an angle grinder and cutting disc. Clean up the threads with a suitable file  

Those having sufficient amount of elbow grease can cut them using only a file. 

 

[Willys 747]

I won't be trying to make any without the lathe lol....not worth the time or effort when you can buy them for not that much....some folks must have too much time on their hands or zero fundages...lol

IF no fundage, then perhaps this isn't the vehicle for you..lol

 

[tolsen 630]

Good elbow grease obviously is in short supply in certain parts of Canada.

[lebikerboy 96]

16 hours ago, tolsen said:

Thread size is ACME 5/8” x 8 tpi. Thread taps in this size can be bought cheaply but not so with thread cutting dies and bolts are non existing. Therefore no point googling for bolts as nobody has them. 

They are actually M12x20 threads...European manufactured cars don't use imperial size threads.

[tolsen 630]

4 minutes ago, lebikerboy said:

They are actually M12x20 threads...European manufactured cars don't use imperial size threads.

Are we discussing same thing?  Smart 450 towing eye threads? 

Measure yours with a vernier caliper. Diameter accross threads is about 15.9 mm. Thread pitch about 3.2 mm. That is ACME 5/8” x 8 tpi. 

Got proof too.

1) Can screw in by hand an ACME thread cutting tap in that size into both front and rear towing eye sockets on my European spec Smart 450.

2) Set up my lathe for this size of ACME threads and made two special bolts to attach my tow bar to the Smart’s towing eye sockets. Both bolts fitted perfectly.

3) Cut ACME threads same size in bronze pup pieces using my ACME tap. Bolts that hold the Smart basic carrier also fitted perfectly. 

 

[Tedder 6]

Hey Gang. I recently replaced a headlight bulb, and checked out the front bumper for a 2nd hole for a towing eye while I was in there. My '06 450 does NOT have a 2nd hole for a towing eye. Not a big disappointment, as I can easily hook my tie-down straps under the front end. I have not checked out any wreckers yet for another eye for the back, but probably will in the spring (before fishing season).

[Leadwing 565]

@ Tedder ...... Brand new towing eyes can be purchased from the $tealership for about $25 ... My latest trip to the wreckers produced a used one for the same money.

[Tedder 6]

I found a wrecker in the Ottawa area, with an 05 Passion. It was heavily stripped. I managed to get a right side mirror and right door handle (had a kink in the cable that made it stiff to open). I was very pleased to get those. But alas no towing eye. I broke down and drilled two holes in the u-shaped tube of the rear suspension to tie down my rear straps. I am no longer seeking a towing eye. Thanks for the interesting replies.

[LooseLugNuts 557]

i hope you dont mean the dedion tube ends

 

 

they move up and down when youre driving

[slipperyslope 34]

15 minutes ago, LooseLugNuts said:

i hope you dont mean the dedion tube ends

 

 

they move up and down when youre driving

it should be ok if he uses bungee cords so they can lengthen and shorten as he goes over bumps....lol

[Tedder 6]

Yes, I am using that. It does move a bit, but the straps have a bit of give. I anchor the front straps in the hole on the end of the lower A-arm near the wheels. I'm sure they move more than the dedion tube, but not so much that the canoe flops around loose. It does the job.

[tolsen 630]

If your Smart had spoked wheels you could just tie to them. 

[Willys 747]

4 hours ago, tolsen said:

If your Smart had spoked wheels you could just tie to them. 

Zing........!

 

[slipperyslope 34]

On ‎2018‎-‎09‎-‎03 at 11:03 PM, tolsen said:

Thread size is ACME 5/8” x 8 tpi. Thread taps in this size can be bought cheaply but not so with thread cutting dies and bolts are non existing. Therefore no point googling for bolts as nobody has them. 

https://cadcamcadcam.com/58through78diameteracmethreads.aspx    for those who dont own a lathe, these are cnc lead screws in 5/8 x 8 acme. 3' threaded rod for 9 bucks...the nuts however are a little more pricey