New Rav4 - Rear Bumper Bar

[North Pole]

Hi - My new Rav4 D-4D XTR has just had a rear bumper prang. I'm considering fitting a rear stainless bumper bar. Does anyone know if this will affect the parking sensor operation? Also are there any bumper bars which are compatable with a tow hitch if I fitted one in the future. Thanks in anticipation.

[shcm]

Hello,

I'm surprised you've not had a welcome to TOC yet! So welcome!

Sorry to hear about the prang. :(. Hope it is easily fixed.

I expect you are already aware that Toyota say their rear bar is not compatible with any of their tow-hitches.

I can't see why the ultrasonic parking sensors should be affected by the Toyota rear bar. I think it is well below the sensors' positions? I suppose the most rear point of the vehicle would be slightly further back.

I suppose a bar like this could affect them:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...2c4daa4ffcd923f

Mind you, I have none of parking sensors, rear bar or tow-hitch. Maybe somebody else will comment.

I remember having some really good Fish & Chips in Wick! :D. In fact, I've had one or two really good meals up there

[North Pole]

Hi SHCM

Thanks for your comments and your kind welcoming remarks.

The bar on e-bay you detailed is the only one I've come accross so far. The supplier has advised me that it will probably not be compatable with a tow bar but he has not come back to me re the sensor question. I'm still interested to find out of any other makes and will seek details of the Toyota one (unaware they made one)

The damage should be easily repairable but not worth putting through the insurance - a pain!!!!!!!!

I'm glad you enjoyed your grub in Wick - our fishing fleet is virtually not existant now. Did you like your drive north? The road west through NW Sutherland is amazing to drive on a sunny day with stunning views.

[shcm]

To be honest, I'm not sure the Toyota one would provide the kind of protection you are possibly looking for. This is it anyway:

I'm glad you enjoyed your grub in Wick - our fishing fleet is virtually not existant now. Did you like your drive north? The road west through NW Sutherland is amazing to drive on a sunny day with stunning views.

Never seems to be much good news for Scottish fishermen and that particular trip was a good few years ago now.

I never seem to tire of the Highlands and driving up there is a real treat. Only managed to get up the far North West corner once, but yes, absolutely stunning round by Tongue and Durness area I think it was. Last time I was furthest north on the mainland closer to you would have been about 3 years ago, visiting the RSPB reserve at Forsinard.

Another Highland trip is already booked for the summer

[dave.m]

Allways fancied this one myself -

http://www.zontarh.co.uk/epages/es108883.s...Products/411600

[North Pole]

shcm & dave.m - thanks for the info re other makes of rear bars. Although they look quite cool especially the zontarh one, I'm looking for something a bit more robust. Something to repel a charging rhino perhaps, or maybe flatten a bollard!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! but without the appearance of an RSJ.

Still looking meantime.

[john1944]

shcm & dave.m - thanks for the info re other makes of rear bars. Although they look quite cool especially the zontarh one, I'm looking for something a bit more robust. Something to repel a charging rhino perhaps, or maybe flatten a bollard!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! but without the appearance of an RSJ.

Still looking meantime.

My first trip up the West Coast to Caithness and the Groat was back in the 60's in a minivan !!! It was April and a lot of snow was still around. They were the pioneering days when the journey north involved crossing over three or four inlets by very dodgy looking ferries. Then there was a bridge which you had to share with a train, and God help you if you were both on it at the same time !! My first re-visit was some 30 years or more later; the fantastic scenery remains, so do many of the single lane roads, but bridges now replace ferries, and road surfaces are A1. I did not even see one manually operated fuel pump !!! Why the hell did they not have Ravs in the 60's !!!!!!

[North Pole]

Aye John1944 the NW highlands are still a joy to drive - beware of camper vans in the summer. The RAV is ideal to pass traffic on the verges of the single track roads if the oncoming vehicles fail to use the passing places. The roaming sheep however are more road user friendly some times.

That Clarkson person drove a Land Rover to the top of one of the mountains near Durness a couple of years ago, poss for Top Gear. Then the *!*!* flew off by helicopter with the car keys.

John O'Groats gets several vintage and classic car rallys' every year - even one last month.

All we need is tropical weather!!!!!!!!!!!!!!