Towing eye not fitting.

[Phaeton91]

I have a bit of an emergency.  I have just tried to attach the towing eye and it doesn’t seem to be the correct one for the car - the thread is not catching at all.  It doesn’t look like the female threads are damaged and I’ve removed the grill to be able to try different angles.

Does this one look right to you?

Is there an alternative that I can source before Monday, for example off a different car?

Any help appreciated.

[Phaeton91]

Doh! Just worked out it’s a reverse thread.  What a dodo!

Unfortunately I cannot delete the original post.  Perhaps Bibs will come to my rescue and hide it somewhere or change the name to protect the guilty!

[Rambo]

Don't worry Phaeton, we won't laugh too much 🤣

It caught me out for a few minutes the first time I tried too. Nothing mentioned on p152 in the handbook either. It seems rather odd it's a LH thread, but it is a Lotus?

 

[exeterjeep]

(Lotus RH threads on back order, )   well perhaps not....

It's reverse threaded to prevent the ccw twisting torque from a tow cable from loosening the tow hook. Instead the twisting cable will tighten the hook.

[Bibs]

I can remove the thread but in truth I spent about 10 mins trying to fit mine on a trackday before I realised the same. This thread could be very useful in the future!! 

[Alfa2Evora]

The benefit of running Italian cars most of your motoring life - you learn from an early age that the towing eyes are reverse-threaded, and get plenty of practice in fitting them, .

[Escape]

Most cars have left-hand thread for the removal towing eye. And most owners don't know about that and/or wont believe you when you tell them. Often good for a laugh. 😄

Don't be ashamed @Phaeton91, we all have to live an learn. This is a lesson you're not likely to forget. I struggled as well the first time, on some Ford I think. And then you see it and can not help but smile.

I hadn't heard the explanation about multi strand towrope trying to tighten or untighten the towing erye, but that makes sense. I've never experienced twisting when using recovery straps, but those are typically heavy duty and of good quality, unlike a typical B&Q tow rope. Better safe than sorry!
Another theory is that the left hand thread makes it much harder to find something else to screw into the hole. So less chance of anything other than the correct towing eye being used.

Filip

[Rambo]

15 hours ago, Bibs said:

I can remove the thread .....

Can you change it to a right hand one for Phaeton please?