new towbar....not real pleased

[poppa smurf]

got the new 2300 kg towbar installed yesterday in the ford workshop,...comes out standard with the 1600kg insert which is fine

sticker on the insert stating this is not suitable for load levellers????

despite paying $730 for supply and install I now have to buy another insert in order to tow my sharabang! and I didn't get a wiring loom with it either, ford want $160 for the loom so I bought a genuine ford one off ebay, brand new for $60

ford won't sell me the 2300kg insert without the "tow pack" which includes load levellers (which i already have)

Hayman reese want $130 for a 2300kg insert

a standard 1600kg insert from Hayman reese, that is able to take load levellers, is still around the $100 - $130 mark!

I dont trust these chinese ones that are available from autopro or super cheap auto, looks like the wreckers to try and get one!

[The G6ET Spot]

Why would you go to a Ford dealer in the first place for a towbar. They are always going to ream you for them. Also very strange that they didn't put the wiring loom in as they usually are included.

I'm in Sydney but my 230kg hayman reese towbar was $575 fitted complete with wiring.

[poppa smurf]

Originally Posted by The G6ET Spot

Why would you go to a Ford dealer in the first place for a towbar. They are always going to ream you for them. Also very strange that they didn't put the wiring loom in as they usually are included.

I'm in Sydney but my 230kg hayman reese towbar was $575 fitted complete with wiring.

I'm not in a major city (over 300 k's away, plus time off work) so my options are limited!,......I have looked at the ford website and I reckon I got "reamed"

I contacted two towbar installers in the smoke with the intention of taking a day off but neither returned my emails so I went genuine.....but not real pleased..they left the old plug simply zip tied up to the chain hangers,

unusable until the wiring loom comes from ebay, which should be the next few days

I normally install my own tow bars and do my own mechanical work, have done all my life, but to be honest the electrics on this thing scares the shote out of me!

[poppa smurf]

rang the service agent about the inability to install the load levellers.....his response was "oh you want to tow with it, then you need the tow pack!, it comes with the heavier insert"

not at $700 I don't......contacting hayman reese to see what they have got...I told the same service agent before the install of the upgraded towbar what I was towing

oh! well......as a famous man once said..."ya! get that!"

wonder how many secondhand sets are out there!......gumtree, here I come!

[Lightning Strike GT]

Not all parts are included on the FORD towbar
When I bought the BF back in 06 I bought a FORD tow bar and that is what i got
No ball
No wiring loom
Just the tow bar
I should of bought the TOW PACK that inc the ball , the loom my bad
I only found this out a few months later when I went to hook the box trailer up and I had no ball - that was OK I had one at home - and there was no place to hook the connector up - looked in the boot , felt under the bar and rear bumper - rang the selling dealer and then I was informed of what was included with the FORD tow bar

[poppa smurf]

yeah! so I've learned....surprising thing that I did find is two monstrous bow shackles hanging from the chain supports

I just feel a little bit "dudded"!......but I'll get over it1

[adamRSLC]

Poppa , I've also got the HD kit but used my old neck for my distribution hitch as its integrated into the neck . I had a look at the non genuine HD kit and it was missing a few supports compared to the factory kit so it wasn't an option for me , I did fit it myself which knocks of about $300 from your price . I bought it as a kit and got the ball , shackles and loom to suit the rear camera / sensors .

Adam

[poppa smurf]

Originally Posted by adamRSLC

Poppa , I've also got the HD kit but used my old neck for my distribution hitch as its integrated into the neck . I had a look at the non genuine HD kit and it was missing a few supports compared to the factory kit so it wasn't an option for me , I did fit it myself which knocks of about $300 from your price . I bought it as a kit and got the ball , shackles and loom to suit the rear camera / sensors .

Adam

yeah! I'd buy the genuine Ford heavy tow kit but I sorta reckon another $700 is a bit cheeky

I got the message today that my new loom has been sent so I expect that in the next few days, at least I can put that in

I reckon I'll grab myself a new ball as my old one has chased me around australia once too often I think, she's a wee bit worn

had a squizz for a secondhand Hayman Reese insert, there are some around but I might just shout me a new one

rear parking sensors were acting up a bit today, constant beep.....so I guess theres troubles coming up there ...don't ya love it!

still gotta get the electric brakes fitted so I'll have them done probably next week then start looking at new vans ...........THE EXCITING BIT!!

I'm just surprised that I paid $730 and can't really tow too much with it!......they did throw a nice big scratch in the lower plastic shielding just beside the receiver for free so I guess I can't complain

but then I guess my expectations were too high! ........HAH!.....live and learn!

I'm getting to the stage that I just want every thing done regardless of cost so i can nick off again!.......the bush is calling!

[poppa smurf]

worked out what the problem is with the reversing sensors, turns out the insert (tongue) is the problem.....too long and the sensors are picking it up

removed the insert and the sensors seem okay!

[svo supporter]

Why would you fit a towbar if you didn't want to tow? Bloody idiots Ford are.

[Lightning Strike GT]

Originally Posted by svo supporter

Why would you fit a towbar if you didn't want to tow? Bloody idiots Ford are.

Isn't the tow bar the poor mans reverse park sensors

Or better still delete the tow bar option and have the tow pack either standard or heavy duty
I can guarantee I was not the only one to be - lets say bent over - on this special one of a kind deal

[poppa smurf]

Originally Posted by svo supporter

Why would you fit a towbar if you didn't want to tow? Bloody idiots Ford are.

what annoyed me was that the service agent and all the mechanics and I are on very good terms after the debacle with another dealership whom shall remain nameless

I put a lot of money through his books and he knew EXACTLY what I wanted to do with the vehicle after numerous yakking about the places we've been and things we've seen

I was surprised indeed and a bit disappointed to find (1) no wiring loom, ($160 extra) (2) a tongue that I cant fit my load levellers onto (comes as part of a $700 "towpack")

but I guess these days we simply dont get what we pay for

never mind, tomorrows another day!......one day I will tell the tale around the campfire with a heap of friends and laugh about it!

at the moment it is like walking through treacle! LOL!

[svo supporter]

Originally Posted by Lightning Strike GT

Isn't the tow bar the poor mans reverse park sensors

Or better still delete the tow bar option and have the tow pack either standard or heavy duty
I can guarantee I was not the only one to be - lets say bent over - on this special one of a kind deal

I thoguth of them more as knee busters for unsuspecting shoppers

Really, the 2 options they should have is a lighter rated towbar (with tongue and loom fitted), or a heavy duty towbar (very much like a Hayman Reece) for heavier towing capacity, with tongue and loom fitted. Not have the tongue and loom as an "optional" extra.....It's as stupid as supplying new tyres, but the air costs extra.

[joolz]

Wow i bought a BA Hayman Reece 23000 kg towbar for $75 including loom and modded just the right bracket (past muffler) to suit the FG and hard wired the loom. Tows the caravan fine. Apparently the FG have no brackets that bolt towards the spare wheel well, f the do they are horizontal and not vertical.

[joolz]

Just found this and is what my BA towbar looks like after the mod (cutting off the right bracket)!!

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/HAYMAN-RE...item27bf86faf7

Still saved around $500!!

[Windsor220]

Originally Posted by poppa smurf

worked out what the problem is with the reversing sensors, turns out the insert (tongue) is the problem.....too long and the sensors are picking it up

removed the insert and the sensors seem okay!

You can get trailer plugs that cut the reverse sensors when a plug is inserted.

[2011G6E]

We only agreed to the tow pack on the G6E because we got such a stupendous trade in price for our Landcruiser...otherwise it would have been off to a normal tow bar place.

The Ford one cuts out the rear sensors when reverse is selected so it doesn't beep its head off all the time, and leaves the camera operating, which is really handy as you can see the towball clearly at the bottom of the screen, allowing you to reverse cleanly up to the hitch and line the ball up underneath it perfectly!

[poppa smurf]

Originally Posted by Windsor220

You can get trailer plugs that cut the reverse sensors when a plug is inserted.

already done that and all things being equal it should be here today!....genuine ford off ebay for $60

[meggsy]

Gidday poppa smurf what very very nice words hope your life is the same cheers Ian

"may your day's be filled with smiles, your life be filled with love, may your children know nothing but happiness and joy, cherish the memory of those who strove before us for they cleared the way, spare a thought for those who serve we owe so much to so many, life and the freedom to enjoy it is a special gift that can be taken away far too soon! "

[csv8]

My Holden 2000kg towbar came with 7 pin wiring, ball and tongue, $830 fitted. As 2011G6E said Reversing camera is great , as you can see the towball when reversing! Makes connecting real easy..Caravan dealer changed the 7 pin to the 12 pin plug the caravan has. Seems strange Ford's towbar is only the bar?????

[Brazen]

You took it better than what I would of. ridiculous they did not fit the harness. I would be back first thing in the morning getting them to put it in.

[Ford17]

FWIW, I've purchased both a genuine Ford towbar, and an aftermarket towbar.

Hands down the genuine Ford item was a much better product; and a much better, tidier and more integrated fit.

Sure it cost a little more, but to me at least, there's the long term benefit which outweighs this.

I'd persist with it, then move on to the next issue in life.

[arronm]

I don't know why people bother with ford. For towbar is gotta be a hayman Reese.

[prydey]

you guys do realise meggsy dug this thread up from 2012?!

i'm sure poppa's towbar is well sorted by now

[arronm]

Nothing changes. The less your car sees FORD the better it will be for it.

[meggsy]

Originally Posted by prydey

you guys do realise meggsy dug this thread up from 2012?!

i'm sure poppa's towbar is well sorted by now

Whoops don't know how that happened .I hate using this on a phone

[XB GS 351 Coupe]

It's not just Ford they are all the same, went through the same thing with Holden a while back.

Tow bar was just the infrastructure, ie the actual tow bar brackets mounted to the car.

Did not get a wiring harness, plug, or even a hitch insert or ball.

So I did the same, bought Hayman Reese insert and ball, and ordered harness on eBay as it was 1/3rd the price.

[Interceptor]

First of all, I'm more or less *it* at a small dealerships parts department.

To blame Ford/Holden/Toyota/Mitsubishi/Nissan or any other manufacturer for having to buy all the parts seperately is petty, they do it so they can offer the parts seperately in case of warranty claims, recalls, customers needing replacement parts.

Yes, there is a need for individual parts to be available seperately, genuine towbars often differ from how the aftermarket would make the same item, sometimes the bolt on/slide in tongue is on an angle which means the normal aftermarket items wont work, wiring harnesses will be vehicle specific, towball shank lengths might need to be longer if the customer is using a load levelling hitch, hell, even the shackles used on some models wont fit a different models towbar!

But that said, it is pure laziness on the part of the staff that they didnt quote and offer to supply all the needed parts.

When my service department gets a request to supply and fit a towbar, they get me to quote the customer, and I ask what theyre towing, and based on that I quote on the bar, harness, ball, and accessories such as the escutcheon that dresses up the hole cut in the bumper, a load levelling hitch and anything else that the customer wants or would be appropriate.

The funny part? Some people have joked that I'm just trying to sell them more bits.....

[meggsy]

HI Interceptor.

Whilst you may be good at your job there are some people that I would not buy a box of matches from (that's if they still sell them) - Id probably end up with a gas lighter instead.

It is not beyond the ability of the manufacturer to specify in its parts list a "KIT" number with the contents that make up the compliment of individual parts required, of course per tow rating required and vin number. This means that when a spare part dude orders a kit he gets the lot from manufacturers distribution centre. the distributor assembles all the parts into the kit and whoopee the customer gets all the correct parts (or workshop). This leaves the individual parts for sale on order by part number. This entails no more work than any normal parts retrieval process - the punching in of the Kit number into the computer means that automated parts picker still retrieves the individual parts the same as if each part had been punched in individually. It also removes human error.

Seems human error is what caused the problem in the first place. So I disagree with your statement in the end the manufacturer should have had a Kit specified in the Parts listing.

As I said it removes the human error however nothing can prevent incompetency or lack of training.

[prydey]

Originally Posted by arronm

The less your car sees FORD the better it will be for it.

Yeah, ok then.

Obviously some dealerships have a lot of room for improvement, but its a bit harsh to tarnish the whole network.

I used to do all my own work, to save a bit of money, and because i enjoyed it, but as i get older, and my family gets older, the value i put on the time i spend with my family, is higher than the small amount i save by doing the work myself, so these days i just get my car serviced by the dealer. 160000km with full service history, incl brakes and coolant and the dealership have been awesome.

Dealerships(all brands) have a much larger knowledge bank to tap into as well. They know a lot more about your car than any independant garage.