Fitting A Towbar On M35 Stagea

[ChrisB]

Guys,

Im fitting a Towbar to my M35 Stagea.

I will put up more information as I progress if I'm sucessful.

I have the tow bar here ready to fit that was low cost for a V35 Sedan from the USA.

It is not intended to pull large loads, just a garden trailer.

First problem i require a litle help with is getting the rear bumper bar cover off.

I have got most of the clips and screws out or so i believe.

There seems to be some clips hiden away inside as shown in the picture and I can't figure them out.

Is there any information out there on how to remove the rear bar?

I had a quick search but did't find anything really useful.

Thanks

[ChrisB]

Don't worry guys, I got the bumper off without any problems.

I may have a V35 Sedan towbar for sale soon

I read on here somewhere that it should fit.

IT DOES NOT FIT.

It is on the car as per attached picture but will require additional engineering.

Any suggestions where to take it or should i just give up and sell it to someone with a sedan?

[ChrisB]

Here are the Install instructions for the Sedan

CM_11482_INS.pdf

[dasic1]

You could try Locsed, They made one for me

2/505 Maroondah Hwy Ringwood 9879 3545

[ChrisB]

Ok Job finished.

I cut up some steel in work this afternoon and made a bracket and fixed in position.

Just the electrics to do now and then have to connect my transmission cooler up which is fitted but not plumbed in yet.

Pics below.

[PN-Mad]

Srs question. Is that even legal? Does someone have to check it or anything?

[ChrisB]

Strictly speaking probably not. The compliance label is American not Australian.

I'm not going to tow anything more than a garden trailer which is about 750kgs loaded. The bar is rated at 900 kgs but im concious that the Stag is not the best tow car out there and there are no chasis rails to bolt on to so these bars are designed to bolt to the floor pan.

They are designed specifically for the V35 Sedan.

If I come to sell the car at any time, I will remove the bar.

[PN-Mad]

Ok man, good luck. Test it out good and proper before you take it 110km/h down the freeway.

[Daleo]

Listen very carefully; I'm only going to say this once. Argue if you like; I don't care.

Do not use that tow bar to tow anything.

At best, you may only destroy the rear of your car.

At worst, you may kill someone with your trailer as it tears the back out of your car and flies into oncoming traffic.

That towbar is only tied into sheetmetal; not into any load bearing part of the structure of the car.

You are concentrating all the force generated by the trailer (accelerative AND decellerative) on a structure less than 1mm thick.

Even if you plated heavily inside the car, behind the piece of angle; you are not spreading the load anywhere near well enough.

What will happen is; you will pull a neat section of sheetmetal the same size as whatever is on the inside, straight out with the towbar & trailer still attached. It will look like someone used a tin opener to do it.

If it hurts or kills someone; you may get to see what prison food tastes like.

Edited September 11, 2012 by Daleo

[ChrisB]

Dale,

Good points but in which case how does it work on the Sedan and surely the manufacture wouldnt be able to sell them for the sedan if it were dangerous.

Got the information regarding this bar in this very forum.

Seems another member has fitted the same bar.

Read this thread

http://www.skylinesaustralia.com/forums/topic/346140-wtb-tow-bar-to-fit-an-m35-stagea/page__p__6411543__hl__tow bar

Will try and contact Brett (CAD) and see if he has had any problems with his.

Otherwise you are suggesting the hitch is good to connect a bike carier to.

[mike40sydney]

im not saying it wont fail but in the past i have has cars with tow bars mounted the same way.my 240k 2 door had one mounted to the sheetmetal as such and i towed a car trailer a couple of times with it and it didnt seem to stress the car.mind you it had some healthy 10mm plates as washers about 75mm x150 mm.and the mounting points were spread wide apart and a center brace was fixed thru the spare wheel well so the load was spread over a large area i actualy removed it and put in my next 240 thats how i could tell it hadnt done any damage.that was 20 years ago and the laws are pretty strict now .

[HER_M35]

Chris, i'd imagine if you were in an accident with the trailer on your insurance company would drop you like a ton bricks.

Not only would you not be covered for damage to your car and others, i would think you're not going to to be covered for any personal injury others might incur (ie the injured people sue you).

You could stand to lose everything because of an illegal modification.

I could be wrong (i'm far from being a legal eagle) but i wouldn't go on a public road with it either mate.

Best of luck.

Jas

[ChrisB]

OK, bar will be removed today.

Seems I'll need to fork out and get one from Locsed.

Anyone have any pictures of how the Fastfit bar secures to the car?

thanks

[scotty nm35]

It removes the intrusion bar and uses it's existing bolt holes.

[Daleo]

OK, bar will be removed today.

Seems I'll need to fork out and get one from Locsed.

Anyone have any pictures of how the Fastfit bar secures to the car?

thanks

I think you've made a really good decision there Chris.

As Scotty says, the Fastfit has a piece of profile cut 12mm plate the width of the rear, that picks up the reo bar mounts, and has a piece of heavy wall RHS stitched across it's length.

The tongue is gusseted onto it, and also has a torque arm that runs underneath the wheelwell and is plated through the bottom.