[Pranav]

Hi Guys,

In the last week I have managed to hit the hook (meant to be used in towing the car) by those raised kerbstones placed in some parking bays, so we do not go too forward.

Normally in my old car I would go further in the parking bays until the front tires were near the kerb.  But I realized that in my i30cw...the hook under the bottom hits the kerb well before the tires.

I find the clearance of the car a bit low as all other cars parked besides mine were parked furhther than I could park mine. 

Have you experienced this too ??

[rustynutz]

Yeah, I've noticed that too, Pranav.....

I've scraped the hook a number of times and also found the front of the car scrapes fairly easily when exiting driveways if you don't come out on a bit of an angle. I just assumed it was the extra weight of the diesel engine but you've now buggered that theory...

[Pranav]

Hi Rustynutz !

Thanks for confirming this, I was actually quite confused on what I had hit..until I got out and ducked to check the srape marks on the hook.

It made a rather large noise, I hope I do not crash it too many time like that or it will fall !  and become a bigger problem.

I really dont find positioning the hook, there was a good idea after all.

[rustynutz]

I really dont find positioning the hook, there was a good idea after all.

The first time it happened I thought, there goes the front bumper, so was qute relieved when I found it was just the hook....

I'd much rather the hook hit than expensive bodywork...... 

It's better than ripping the whole bumber off as my wife did to our last car while backing out of a driveway.  A couple of times that hook has been a nice reminder.

Snap!!

[Surferdude]

Yeah. In this day and age of plastic bumpers which sit down pretty low, the towing hook is a great protection. My wife's Corolla, 2005 and my Impreza, 2004, all do/did it as well. Yes, some of the parking stops are higher than the others but I'm happy to drag the hook occasionally.
My last Falcon, an AUII, used to drag the bottom of the bumper and it got quite marked underneath but fortunately I never ripped it off.

[Dazzler]

My last Falcon, an AUII, used to drag the bottom of the bumper and it got quite marked underneath but fortunately I never ripped it off.

"Ditto" for my Hybrid 

[Pranav]

hmm..thanks guys I will look at it in a positive way then 

[accim]

I really dont find positioning the hook, there was a good idea after all.

The first time it happened I thought, there goes the front bumper, so was qute relieved when I found it was just the hook....

I'd much rather the hook hit than expensive bodywork...... 

Same here. Though the i30 isn't the lowest car around.. A friend of my has the Peugeot 407. You should see his bumper (which was replaced twice already btw) As if it wasn't enough the bumper is low, they had to make a long front of the car

[meehalych]

The ground clearance seems to me to be somewhere in the middle among the cars of the same class.
I wouldn't mind it being a little bit to bigger, though.

[Surferdude]

Actually, the topic's title is probably a bit misleading as Pranav is really only talking about the towing hook, not the whole underbody.
But, given those videos of his village that Meehalych has posted, I can understand why he might like the i30 to be  alittle bit higher underneath.

[Pranav]

Yup, well my point was that the clearance might have been better had the hook been somewhere else.

So, the hook positioning is somewhat a limiting factor here.

The hook comes after the front bumper ! so if something has hit the hook, then it must have been past the bumper.  So I dont really find it protecting the front body ! (or may be I am missing something) 

[Pranav]

On second thought...while backing up the hook will hit first ! 

[Phil №❶]

You've confused me now 

[accim]

But in case you do hit the bumper and don't stop there, the hook will be the next thing that will probably stop you and protect the rest.. Ok, not if you go too fast, but..

Regarding the bumper.. It has that black elastic "plastic" underneath, that should warn you, that you are about to do a bad thing

[Eyethirty]

I have scrapped the black lower edge on our driveway at work a couple of times.
But only happens if I have a passenger.

[meehalych]

Actually, the topic's title is probably a bit misleading as Pranav is really only talking about the towing hook, not the whole underbody.
But, given those videos of his village that Meehalych has posted, I can understand why he might like the i30 to be  alittle bit higher underneath.