Anyone installed Toyota Factory Towbar

[Brains Find all posts View Profile Close Brains]

Re: 150 prado towbar

Wynnum Towbars bar cost $600 fitted included the control box that needs to be installed and powered straight from the battery, there is a bit of mucking around as there is no wiring loom to just plug into and you can't just come of the respective wires for each light. I had other quotes of $650 for a Hayman Reese bar but they still have to cut the bumper which I wanted to stay away from. I was quoted around $870 for the Toyota bar but had to add LCT to take it to nearly $1200 so I believe at half price it is a good deal.

Brains

[JSloosehead Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close JSloosehead]

Re: 150 prado towbar

I rang Auto extras and checked with them on the electrics. It is HR model. They now say it includes electrics but it does impact the parking sensors - that is when reversing with a tralier the parking sensors will sound, whereas apprantly with the genuine Toyota one they will not.

[gympiebrowns Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close gympiebrowns]

Re: 150 prado towbar

gday ppls just had HR towbar fitted, the new cars 1st trip to ARB

http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=aVuXNF0

[Ryzz Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Ryzz]

Anyone installed Toyota Factory Towbar

Just wondering if anyone has installed the factory tow bar on a 150 Prado themselves yet. I'm contemplating doing this as the dealer cant get it and fit it in time for delivery of the vehicle, so they said they are happy to courier the tow kit to me to fit myself.

Does anyone know if this is very difficult, do you need to cut into the rear bar to fit it or is everything preconfigured from the factory to accommodate it.
Thx in advance!

[Guest Close Guest]

Re: Anyone installed Toyota Factory Towbar

This thread might give you an idea.

[KAKADAZ Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close KAKADAZ]

Re: Anyone installed Toyota Factory Towbar

Just wondering if anyone has installed the factory tow bar on a 150 Prado themselves yet. I'm contemplating doing this as the dealer cant get it and fit it in time for delivery of the vehicle, so they said they are happy to courier the tow kit to me to fit myself.

Does anyone know if this is very difficult, do you need to cut into the rear bar to fit it or is everything preconfigured from the factory to accommodate it.
Thx in advance!

I get my car tomorrow Ryzz I will have a look at the towbar install.

[Guest Close Guest]

Re: Anyone installed Toyota Factory Towbar

Make sure that it is all still covered under warranty if you fit it yourself....

[Silvo Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Silvo]

Re: Anyone installed Toyota Factory Towbar

Make sure that it is all still covered under warranty if you fit it yourself....

this is a good point.. if you are spending all that extra money on it, you may as well have them install it. what about installation at the 1000km check-up? you can't really tow anything before then anyway per the warranty for the vehicle run-in period.

also, if you buy it outside the car purchase, the bar will be cheaper as you won't be paying the luxury car tax on the towbar as well.

dan

[PeteF Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close PeteF]

Hayman Reese Tow Hitch

I am considering ordering a 150 GXL and getting a Hayman Reese tow hitch fitted so that there will not be any issues with using my HR weight distribution kit.

TheToyota tow hitch is not a very neat looking thing, but have not been able to see a HR unit.

I would appreciate it if any Forum user could post a picture of a HR tow hitch.

Thanks,
Pete

[gympiebrowns Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close gympiebrowns]

Re: Hayman Reese Tow Hitch

heres ours anymore piccys needed just yell

[Truckasaurus Rex Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Truckasaurus Rex]

Re: Anyone installed Toyota Factory Towbar

I Always thought you had to be licened to fit towbars?

[Gav&Jo Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Gav&Jo]

Re: Hayman Reese Tow Hitch

Hi Pete,

Re the HR towbar.

I settled for the genuine Toyota bar on my 150 series GLX Prado. I also tow a van (20ft) and can advise the the HR Weight Distribution Hitch fits into the geniune Toyota towbar no worries. I had an auto electrician wire up the Prodogy brake control unit, power to the van etc etc. All good thus far.

I went for the genuine towbar due to the fact that it attaches to the chassis at three different points, rather than the one point l(HR unit). The genuine bar has got to be stronger than the HR unit. Never mind what the HR unit looks like fitted to the vehicle, go to a HR dealer and ask to see one yet to be installed. It's the size of a shoe box and attaches to the rear cross member on the chassis - that's it!!! Like the 120 series, I'm sure with a lot of load from the HR Weight distribution hitch, they may fail. (Aka Kedron boys towing a van on Fraser Is).

Compare the HR unit to the genuine bar. That's what I did and I didn't need to be convinced which one looked the stronger. I agree the genuine bar is an ugly sucker once fitted and for serious 4X4ing, I guess it would be an issue for clearance. However I don't do much 4X4ing - I do alot of towing and I want the strongest bar I can buy .

Stay safe.

Gav

[yowie Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close yowie]

Re: Hayman Reese Tow Hitch

Does the towball stick out further than the rear tyre, and is the ball attached to a box section so it can be removed from the bar? I have a tight fit into a garage and am running short on space.

I have a van ordered, but it will not be built for some time. First van for me. I will be heading to the Sydney van show in a couple of weeks, but don't know anything much about the weight distribution kit or stabiliser kit. Are they the same thing?

Yowie.

[Gav&Jo Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Gav&Jo]

Re: Hayman Reese Tow Hitch

Hi yowie,

Great to hear you are about to get into caravaning. Contrats and enjoy!!! Me and the family love it. The places you see and the people you meet make the investment in a van worth while.

Re your question re the HR Weight Distribution Hitch. If I can work this site properly (I'm not flash with all things computer), I'll take a photo of my HR hitch fitted to the OE Toyota towbar and pop it up for you to view.

Basically, I only put the hitch on when I need to use it for towing the van. It sits a long way out the back of the car - so much so, I can see the hitch in the reversing camera - which is great for hitching up!!! The down side is the bloody reversing sensors go off the minute the car is put in reverse (it must be picking up the hitch sticking a far way out the back of the car), so I switch this off when the HR hitch is fitted. When not towning the van, I pull the HR hitch off the back, pop it in a safe place and replace with the genuine tow tongue. No worries at all. That way, I can still tow the boat or box trailer easily. Don't forget, the HR Weight Distribution hitch is adjustable - for height - so suit the van / car combo - to make it all sit nice and level when loaded for trips.

Depending on the size of the van you buy, you'll need a HR Weight Distribution hitch - at least 250kg bars. Be careful - 500kg bars are very ridgid and may make the ride a tad harsh....however if you buy from a HR dealer, they will be able to set you up with the correct set of bars, ride heights etc etc. Basically, the HR weight distribution hitches help level the ride and move weight over the front wheels of the car. Once my van is hitched up to the Prado, my bars pick the back of the car up about 2 inches (standard suspension) I've just towed my 20ft Coromal to Emu Park from Rocky this Easter and the HR Weight distribution hitch worked a treat. Thank God for it, as like everyone else, I'm hanging out for the upgraded suspension to be fitted, which will help towing the van enormously. The standard suspension made the van much more of a handful when towing, (compared to the aftermarket set up I had on my old 120 series). Anthony Lacey at Rocky TJM set the old 120 series up with aftermarket suspension and it was fantastic for towning, so I'm hoping for the same outcome with the 150 series suspension upgrade.

I'll do a photo tomorrow and hopefully post it tomorrow night for you to see.

Stay safe.

Cheers

Gav

[yowie Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close yowie]

Re: Hayman Reese Tow Hitch

Copy that Gav. Have tented a fair bit of Australia, the kids have seen enough red dust, and the wife has had enough of tents. The van will be a Goldstream off road model and will sit a bit higher than average.