Tow bar advice please

[intercooledpc2]

I am pretty sure what they are calling the garnish plate is just a bit of trim with there name on it.

Yes, I too get the feeling it's something like this.

[intercooledpc2]

Dave, I have a 2009 kluger with a toyota tow bar, came with the car when i bought it. no issues dragging my boat around. is your kluger 2WD or AWD? mine is 2WD so I used some level riders to move some weight onto the front wheels, helps at ramps when there is a bit of sand on them.

I also changed over the plug to a 7 pin flat plug, fits neater on the kluger bracket.

Thanks, good to know. My Kluger is AWD.

I believe I'm going to need a round plug fitted to the car, as that's what I have on the trailer.

Level riders hey? Man, I sure do have a lot to learn about towing and boating in general.. i'm a towing newbie!

[Nude up]

I doubt you will need level ride bars 2wd klugers are front wheel drive so when towing minimal weight on the driven wheels yours is awd will be ok it is very straight forward to change the plug on the trailer the wires are colour coded you can't go wrong.

[ratbag]

agree with Nude Up, I don't need the level riders, just makes it easier at the ramps and on the longer trips makes it a better drive. I could get by without them. you won't need them on the AWD.

its worth changing the plug - 5 minute job on your boat trailer, the new plug will come with a wiring diagram to match up the colours to the numbers in the plug.

[frozenpod]

It would be worth having your boat weight and ball weight confirmed.

Pending on the hull and trailer yours might be 1600kg but for comparison our 5.2m haines was measured at 1900kg on trailer (it does have a higher than typical hull weight as well as quite a few extras).

Weight distributing hitch aka level riders are certainly a good idea not just for more weight on the front wheels but better stability of the load a more connected feeling to the tow vehicle.

I would also look at upgraded shocks for the kluger as the OEM shocks are very soft.

[Birdman]

Re fitting a towbar, choose the bar that suits you best, just be careful and do your research if you want to fit it yourself. I have fitted them to Camry and Rav4 and they have extensive electrical fitting to go with the towbar itself, and not just for the lights! You have to add relays and ECM chips for abs sensing ect. Hopefully that is not the case for the kluger, it might be like say the BA falcon I fitted up last, bolt on the towbar and plug in the trailer loom...also find out if a transmission cooler is recommended for the weight you are planning to tow. Most manufacturers do a standard and a heavy tow pack option...

[burks]

No boat towing experience, but plenty of towing experience of caravans/camper trailers. I can second the BTA recommendations - quite a few guys I know have them, and they're great. I have a Hayman Reece myself, but only because the place I ended up going with could do tow bar & electrics and custom extra electric work, and cut down double the amount of labour I would have had to pay!

If the BTA is coming up cheaper, you won't be compromising at all, just saving money!