I need to install a towbar - need help

[bazz]

Hi Guys,

I sourced a towbar for my AU wagon on the weekend, now I need help installing it. They said I have to remove the rear bumper...how hard is this gonna be?

If there is a DIY guide or a diagram somewhere on the net, please point me to it.

If anyone can offer some assistance, do tell, please.


Cheers,

[MIKEVYII]

What size towbar? it it the 1650 kg You dont need to remove the bumper. if it's the bigger capacity one you may have to tho. I installed a used EF towbar i bought for $50 onto a 6cyly AU wgn i had for a short while. just climbed under the car popped out the hole in the bumper. & lifted & bolted the towbar in (4bolts either side) mounting points are already there. easy as

[JC]

There is one 13mm nut in behind the plastic wheelarch on each side holding the bar on.

Open the tailgate and you will see 4 (or 5) plastic little river screw thingys - remove them (small screwdriver and long nose pliers work).

Under the bar (about where the tow bar will end up) there are two rivets holding the bottom of the bar to the fording(?) plate - drill these out. When you re-install this bit, just use 2 self tappers to replace the rivets (obviously you will need to make 2 new smaller holes in the metal plate).

The bar should now come off - if not, then I've missed a nut or two, so just keep looking, but I'm 99% sure that's all you'll need.

Or you could try Mr Envy's way of fitting the tow bar; that would work too.

[bazz]

The tow bar is 1,600kg, was told it's a standard factory unit.

I will attempt those methods tomorrow.

Thanx for the tips guys.

[EDXR8]

I just wanted to know if EF-AU towbars are the same for sedans too, and if anyone knows if the earlier e-series ones (EA-ED) would also fit the AU? I was hoping to pick up a cheap 2nd hand towbar for the AU from the wreckers, and if I can just get an EF/EL one it should be far easier to find.

[bazz]

I cannot be sure whether the E-series towbar fits the AU, but the towbar I bought from the wreckers is quite rusty and old. It looks to be atleast 10 years old, some of the nuts and bolts have rusted away I had to buy new ones to fit the towbar. It could have come from an E-series, but that's speculaton, not confimation.

I fitted the towbar today, I didn't need to remove the rear bumper bar like the wreckers said, however I removed the rear muffler exhaust hanger (the rubber hanger that holds the muffler to the car) to enable me to push the muffler slightly out of the way so the towbar could slide in.

Now I can tow, yippie.


Cheers guys,