Rav4 Towbar With Chrome Kit Installed

[Lomond Lad]

Hello to all you knowledgeable owners. I'm looking for a bit of advice please?!

I want to fit a towbar to my 53 plate Rav4 and have been given a bit of conflicting advice so far. I got a quote from Buchan's in Glasgow to supply and fit a towbar and single electrics for £364 including VAT which was cheaper than Mr Toyota garage in Helensburgh who were £413 inclusive of VAT.

My main concern is that I have the chrome kit installed at the side and rear of the vehicle. Buchan's were not sure if the chrome kit was compatible with a towbar fixing without seeing it first and Mr T initially said the chrome bar would have to be removed but then phoned back to say the chrome bar could stay on with the towbar fitted.

So....my questions are:

Is this a good price for towbar and single electrics? - £364

Does anyone know if the chrome bar at the rear and the towbar are compatible and can both be fitted without interfering with one another?

After a bit of a search on this forum I'm looking at the Brinks detachable towbar that fouls the rear door when installed but seems to give a better towing height. Any comments on this towbar would be helpful.

Thanks in advance

[Lomond Lad]

This is the chrome bar I'm referring to....

[Parts-King]

The Toyota tow bar IS compatible with the Toyota rear step, but if you have a combination of none Toyota parts or tow bar then I dont know. The Toyota tow bar does not allow the rear door to be opened when hooked up to your van. PM me your Reg number and I will price a genuine bar at Kingo's prices

Kingo

[Hoovie]

Hello to all you knowledgeable owners. I'm looking for a bit of advice please?!

I want to fit a towbar to my 53 plate Rav4 and have been given a bit of conflicting advice so far. I got a quote from Buchan's in Glasgow to supply and fit a towbar and single electrics for £364 including VAT which was cheaper than Mr Toyota garage in Helensburgh who were £413 inclusive of VAT.

My main concern is that I have the chrome kit installed at the side and rear of the vehicle. Buchan's were not sure if the chrome kit was compatible with a towbar fixing without seeing it first and Mr T initially said the chrome bar would have to be removed but then phoned back to say the chrome bar could stay on with the towbar fitted.

So....my questions are:

Is this a good price for towbar and single electrics? - £364

Does anyone know if the chrome bar at the rear and the towbar are compatible and can both be fitted without interfering with one another?

After a bit of a search on this forum I'm looking at the Brinks detachable towbar that fouls the rear door when installed but seems to give a better towing height. Any comments on this towbar would be helpful.

Thanks in advance

Hi LL,

Firstly, the Brinks towbar (which is the one that Toyota put their Badge on) is compatible with the chrome rear bar/step you have, so you are on the right track. I have exactly the same step and a towbar fitted.

Secondly, the towbar comes with EXACTLY the same chassis mounting kit that the chrome step has - so most of the mechanical fitting is already done. Did the Independant garage or the Toyota dealer take that into account when they quoted you their price? You will be stuck with the extra parts but I reckon they could knock an hours labour off the cost at least if they didn't!

I fitted the towbar myself and it took maybe 60-90 minutes of relaxed effort to do the mechanicals (remove chrome bar, offer up towbar, then offer up chrome bar again, fit bolts, tighten). No special tools or ramps needed.

The electrics I got a company to fit as I had no way to check my fitting due to a non-working trailer light board and that cost about £40.

The Towbar was a Brink, but I went for the lower height one as I only intended to tow a small trailer and the 20mm lower height wouldn't matter at all.

Here are a few pics to show you what it will look like

Normal View (Towbar very Stealth :) )

Lower rear view without detachable bar fitted

Lower rear view WITH detachable bar fitted

Side view showing clearance for the lower Brink bar (maybe about 5mm?)

If you look at this pic carefully, you can see the towbar sandwiched between the end plate of the chrome step and the chassis mounting plate (this already exist on your car as you have that step in place)

[chatman]

Hoovie :g: :g: do tell us what the green donkey lookalike symbol on the back of your RAV means????

[Hoovie]

The donkey is a symbol of Catalunya ..... "El Burro Catalan" - normally seen in Black. But as I live in Devon, where the county colour is Green, I though I would get a Green Donkey instead :)

And if you ask me why I have a symbol of Catalunya, it was actually meant to help bring notice to the plight of the Donkey and my Town is also home to one of the largest Donkey Sanctuarys in the world ... so a tenuous connection :)

So not that exciting really

[Lomond Lad]

Many thanks for your input guys!

Parts-King - Thanks for the offer of a cheap quote but I really want one supplied and fitted. I don't fancy crawling about under the motor myself.

Hoovie - Many thanks for uploading the pictures. That puts my mind at rest that the chrome bar and towbar are compatible and is exactly what I was after.

Cheers lads