I’ve stuck an adjustable height coupling on my vans towbar, which unfortunately means I now have about 6 inches of ground clearance on a two metre rear overhang. So I’m doing a good job of carving up the tarmac and I’m worried I’m going to crash down on a speedbump or kerb, damaging my towbar or the chassis.

I don’t use the lowest setting so I want to angle grind the lower tabs off, which will restore the clearance to what it was before…low, but high enough to get into B&Q’s car park. I reckon the metal is about 8 to 10mm thick, I have a 115mm disc angle grinder.

If I set about it, will it cut through no problem, or am I going to end up which a scarred, blackened lump of scrap metal and covered in burrs?!

I have a half used disc and a new one, will they be worn to nothing in the first two minutes?!

Its the top two tabs sticking up on this item, except they are longer and at the bottom, obviously 🙂

A good quality cutting disc (thinner than the normal ones) will go through that in a couple of minutes and do at least 20. Go slowly and let the disc do the work.

Thankyou 🙂

Sometimes old discs can break down quickly if they have been stored in damp. Also as said make sure it is a cutting disc and not a grinding disc and you will be reet.

OK, I suspect I may have grinding discs so I’m glad I asked now.

With a wee grinder it might be easier to do it with the part off the van. But otherwise, should be fine as long as you use a metal cutting disc.

As above, get a cutting disk, and a thin one at that. Of course, make sure you are also wearing goggles, gloves and suitable clothing.

Bish, Bash, Bosch – job done!

Just to add to the good advice above… get a new, thin, metal cutting disk and it will be fine. This’ll be a lot easier with the handle on the grinder. These often get removed for little jobs (as do the guards but I’m sure you haven’t). Wear goggles, not safety specs and wear something non flamable with minimal gaps for hot sparks.

As said ideally a 1.0 or 1.2 mm cutting disc. If you have to do it on the van protect it fully as within a week you will have rusty spots all over the paint work where each spark lands.Let the weight of the grinder do the work then it will be effortless, no need to force it!!

can you take it off and put it in a vice?

make sure your comfortable. also any sparks that hit the paint work may cause rust spots.

if its galvanised be careful as galv is poisonous if you breath it in. then give the cut edge a lick of paint to stop it rusting.

As Above esp oneoneone the sparks will burn the paint and glass. Once cut off stick the grinding disk back on and smooth all the sharp edges other wise you might regret it

Some safety tips;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJOiKuVeXA0&feature=related
I prefer wearing my full face visor.

Yep it will be coming off, knowing my luck the sparks will make a bee-line for the LPG tank suspended under the van 🙂 Not that anything should happen.

I don’t think its galvanised, it has a goldish finish as per the picture above.

I have all the safety gear from work, we are supplied with the full works as occasionally we use a screwdriver or bang 5mm cleats into walls 🙂

That is a good range of safety clips. Have to admit, after seeing the first four ‘graphic’ ones, I was relieved to find that ‘worker pulled through woodchipper’ wasn’t demonstrated 😯

Some things astonish, I watched a rally mechaninc take an angle grinder to a shock mount in a boot swimming with petrol. Nothing happened. His face was a picture when it sank in what he’d got away with.

Why not drop it in to the local metal fabricators and ask them to lop it off with a bench saw. No hassel and a much neater cut/finish

Nice idea Carlos, might have a look and see whats about locally.

spooky_b329 – Member
That is a good range of safety clips

Yeah. We get reminders at work regularly on the dangers of operating various hand tools. I have to do the HSE course to allow me to change discs and unless you have then you are not allowed to do so.

I can however drop into Argos/Halfords/hire shop etc and buy or hire a grinder etc and use at home without any formal skills training or knowledge ❓ 💡

Junior hacksaw, some emery paper and MTFU 😉

I can however drop into Argos/Halfords/hire shop etc and buy or hire a grinder etc and use at home without any formal skills training or knowledge

Yeah but if you lose a finger at home, you won’t try and make a claim on the employer’s insurance, obnov.