Fitting Towbar And Electrics To 04 Xt4 Rav

[mooranger]

Has anyone DIY fitted a towbar to their Rav recently? Any recommended makes and wiring hints appreciated - does the 04 Rav have a tow electrics connector built into the wiring loom or do I need to use scotchlock connectors to splice into the existing wiring?

[mikew]

Has anyone DIY fitted a towbar to their Rav recently? Any recommended makes

## Brink, detachable ball, this what Toyota supply but is a lot cheaper from www.towequipe.co.uk. A fixed ball is too low, also very anti-social!

and wiring hints appreciated - does the 04 Rav have a tow electrics connector built into the wiring loom

## no

or do I need to use scotchlock connectors to splice into the existing wiring?

## yes, basic wiring kit and instructions included free with the above, or buy an expensive harness with piggy back connectors onto the rear clusters.

Mike

[mooranger]

Thanks Mike. Does the basic wiring kit use any relays or just wire direct from the exisiting circuits to the new lights?

[mikew]

No relays, just wires into the existing circuits. I haven't found any problems with it.

If you probe around Towequipe's website you can find wiring details, akso fitting instructions for the bar, which is dead easy taking about 20 minutes.

[daibiker]

Has anyone DIY fitted a towbar to their Rav recently? Any recommended makes and wiring hints appreciated - does the 04 Rav have a tow electrics connector built into the wiring loom or do I need to use scotchlock connectors to splice into the existing wiring?

i spoke to a company this morning that has looked into this for me cause i am thinking of fitting one to mine. the bracket bolts to the chasis which is the recommended fixing points stated by toyota. there is two wiring kits, a universal which uses scotch locks and a plug in kit which goes into the original wiring harness. the company is towbars direct. the phone number is 01925 73005. web site www.towbarsdirect.co.uk.

the bracket is £83.

universal wiring loom is £6.50.

plug in loom is £54.

hope this helps you. :D

[daern]

i spoke to a company this morning that has looked into this for me cause i am thinking of fitting one to mine. the bracket bolts to the chasis which is the recommended fixing points stated by toyota. there is two wiring kits, a universal which uses scotch locks and a plug in kit which goes into the original wiring harness. the company is towbars direct. the phone number is 01925 73005. web site www.towbarsdirect.co.uk.

Out of interest, the law changed a few years ago to force towbar manufacturers to always use the manufacturer's mounting points. If the manufacturer doesn't include any, you can't tow with the car - it's as simple as that.

This was a few (10?) years ago, so I assume it's not an issue any more.

Daern

[mikew]

Has anyone DIY fitted a towbar to their Rav recently? Any recommended makes and wiring hints appreciated - does the 04 Rav have a tow electrics connector built into the wiring loom or do I need to use scotchlock connectors to splice into the existing wiring?

i spoke to a company this morning that has looked into this for me cause i am thinking of fitting one to mine. the bracket bolts to the chasis which is the recommended fixing points stated by toyota. there is two wiring kits, a universal which uses scotch locks and a plug in kit which goes into the original wiring harness. the company is towbars direct. the phone number is 01925 73005. web site www.towbarsdirect.co.uk.

the bracket is £83.

universal wiring loom is £6.50.

plug in loom is £54.

hope this helps you. :D

Note that at this price it is a horrible ugly flange attachment unit which (a) has the ball below the proper standard height so the rear door can open, which will give you problems if you want to tow something double axle because the nose will be too low, (B) you will bash your shins on it every time you go to the rear door and © you will probably bash dents in other vehicles when parking! Honestly, it's worth paying up for a detachable ball type from Brink (my choice, as supplied by Toyota), Witter or Westfalia.

Mike

[Hoovie]

........... Honestly, it's worth paying up for a detachable ball type from Brink (my choice, as supplied by Toyota), Witter or Westfalia.

Mike

Hi Mike,

Do you know if with the Brink you can keep the Chrome rear Step (one with black rubber top as pat of the Style Collection (?) ).

Looking at the various towbar makers websites, it looks like the Witter has totally different fittings, so no-go there, but the Brink fittings look similar to the rear step and even mention in their installation guide comments like "in combination with rear step", and "in combination with rear bar", but I am wondering if the actual towbar itself really is long enough to clear the amount step/bar sticks out?

If the answer is yes, any ideas if both Brinks will Work with it? (I am inclined to go for the higher brink (408900) ball height as that would be really low anyway I would think even without going for a super-low option (366900)?? What sort do you have and does it work ok?

If you are not sure about the rear step question, any chance you could measure how far the towbar ball is away from the mounting bar?

Sorry to be pestering you, but you sound like a guy with the answers!

[mikew]

........... Honestly, it's worth paying up for a detachable ball type from Brink (my choice, as supplied by Toyota), Witter or Westfalia.

Mike

Hi Mike,

Do you know if with the Brink you can keep the Chrome rear Step (one with black rubber top as pat of the Style Collection (?) ).

Looking at the various towbar makers websites, it looks like the Witter has totally different fittings, so no-go there, but the Brink fittings look similar to the rear step and even mention in their installation guide comments like "in combination with rear step", and "in combination with rear bar", but I am wondering if the actual towbar itself really is long enough to clear the amount step/bar sticks out?

If the answer is yes, any ideas if both Brinks will Work with it? (I am inclined to go for the higher brink (408900) ball height as that would be really low anyway I would think even without going for a super-low option (366900)?? What sort do you have and does it work ok?

If you are not sure about the rear step question, any chance you could measure how far the towbar ball is away from the mounting bar?

Sorry to be pestering you, but you sound like a guy with the answers!

I fitted the type 4089 which works fine with a twin axle horse railer with coupling at standard height.

I really can't comment on the step. I think it would be fairly difficult reaching under it to remove the deatchable ball though.

I'll try and measure it in the next day otr two.

Mike

PS I suggest you contact Towequipe - I found them very helpful and knowledgeable.

[mikew]

Not easy to measure exactly but I would say it's 28cm between the ball and the face of the crosstube and another 7cm from there to the joint face between the crosstube and the angle brackets.

You need to go to http://techdoc.toyota-europe.com/ and search for towing hitch instructions in the accessory installation manual section or else loook at Brink's instructions via their own website or towequipe's.

You can definitley fit the step with the Brink fixed ball towbar which is in the low position, I don't know whether you can fit it with the Brink 4089 standard height detachable ball. The swan neck might clash with the back edge of the step and it might be difficult to reach under to release it.

Mike