Tow Bars for Stageas

[uneekwahn]

well, I guess as long as I know yours can tow 1500, there shouldn't be a problem

just need to appease the girlfriend as its her horse we'll be towing, and she won't be happy if she thinks the car can't tow enough

thanks for the help.

[harold]

The other thing to consider with the tow bar is the ball weight, which is the amount of weight it is rated to to support pushing down on the ball.

[Sydneykid]

I have been keeping an eye on mine. Just the usual stuff, check for cracks in the tow bar welding, the goose neck, stress fractures around the floor and where the bolts go thopugh the subframe and tightness of the bolts themselves. So far (5 months) all is well:cheers:

[Terminal]

Hey guys. just thought i'd revive an old thread. i was browsing through the import market today and saw prestige have a yelow series 2 manual with a towbar for import. they must have made tow bars for the stagea in japan, so i can only assume they'd be available over here

[ian]

Hey guys. just thought i'd revive an old thread. i was browsing through the import market today and saw prestige have a yelow series 2 manual with a towbar for import. they must have made tow bars for the stagea in japan, so i can only assume they'd be available over here

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It might take a while for them to get here...

I'm going to get Prestige to do mine next week, as they did my skyline in Jan 2004 and I was happy with the result (see http://www.r34skyline.com/towbar/index.htm). Mind you, I don't pull anything really heavy with it, it mainly gets used as a push bike holder :-), but seems to be better done that quite a few others I've seen.

Ian

Edited September 21, 2005 by ian

[AlexCim]

What did that set you back. I would want something to pull 1500kg (track car or stock)

Maybe we can organize a Melbourne group buy type thing, if we all want similar things?

Im sure some of the other guys want towbars too? I guess we'll speak more in depth at the meet

[ian]

What did that set you back. I would want something to pull 1500kg (track car or stock)

Maybe we can organize a Melbourne group buy type thing, if we all want similar things?

Im sure some of the other guys want towbars too? I guess we'll speak more in depth at the meet

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The problem with 1500kg is the muffler -(as per this long post ) I've had the guys at prestige look at it already and they say there is no way they can do that without lowering the muffler etc etc etc, so I'm not going to bother.

So more info after they have done mine - and I don't think a group by will work as we don't have enough stageas in Melbourne.. :-)

Can't remember the price (I can look it up) but it was quite reasonable for a proper custom made one - if you read the skyline threads on towbars you'll see plenty of dodgy jobs...

[AlexCim]

Then i guess it may be best if i went and spoke to them myself about it, because SK has a 1.5tonne tow bar on his car and i dont think he mentioned anything about lowering the muffler etc.

Also, not sure how it will affect me as ive got/will have an aftermarket exhaust. As before, best to go and let em have a look.

We can have a group buy with 3 people cant we ! Nothing stops us! hehe

[ian]

I think SK did mod his muffler - you maybe should scan through the posts to look. I'm pretty sure that everyone I've heard of that got up to that weight had to..

Edit: Yep -

I popped into Karasel yesterday with the Stagea (got the usual" Volvo" comment) for a look over for them to make up a tow bar.  Remembering that I need a large capacity to tow the R32GTST.  After a good loook around, the consensus was the rear muffler (still standard) was too close to the chassis rail and the rear skirt to allow fitment of a decent size bar.  I will have to shorten the rear muffler by 50 mm or so, this means a longer tail pipe.

So next week is cat back exhaust time, but before I do that, I will do a quick power run on the 4wd dyno and log the 4wkw, torque, boost, A/F ratios etc.  Then I will know how much exactly just the exhaust gives.

The tow bar cost is $450 fitted plus $50 for wiring.  That's for designing and making just one, I will get a group buy price if anyone else is interested, just let me know. :jester:

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Edited September 21, 2005 by ian

[Burns]

I will be in for a tow bar group buy from prestige. They did one on my R33 and I was real happy with it. It was only rated to 850kg but that was all I wanted at the time. I would like to be able to tow my Datsun 1600 rally car with the Stage so would need a heavier duty one.

[AlexCim]

Yeh, we can all talk about towbars at the meet...only 1.5 week away now

[ian]

Yeh, we can all talk about towbars at the meet...only 1.5 week away now

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I might put mine off from next week till later then - I was going to have to do that anyway as the wife told me tonight that she was going to need the stagea next week (I can't complain, as I still have the R34 to drive.. )

Anybody else in Melbourne want one?? (I need to get mine before I sell my skyline as we carry bikes on it..).

Ian

Edited September 21, 2005 by ian

[Sydneykid]

This a later post on this subject;

I have had mine done for a couple of months, not from Karasel though. I tried for a long time to find someone who would do one for 1500 kgs, but no luck. The best I could do was one rated at 1200 kgs, I will keep a close eye on out for fatigue, cracks, retainer wear etc.

I am not happy with the service or the price I got, so I am not going to recommend them. They quoted me $550 and then charged $650 when I got there to pick it up. I told them it had to be suitable for use with stabiliser bars, and then told me when I got there to pick it up that it wasn't. They promised to reinforce the goose neck if I took it back another day and then wouldn't do it when we took it back 2 days later.

The bar itself is a nice fit, looks reasonably well made, OK welding, totally concealed, you can't see it when there is no goose neck on it, the wiring is good and works perfectly, the cable & plug sit inside the spare wheel well when not in use. So it's not ALL bad.

As you can see I ended up not getting the tow bar from Karasel, they jerked me around too much. Plus they wouldn't go over 750kgs, which is around the Jap tow bar capacity (Skylines and Stageas).

The only issue if have had so far is the tow bar bracket on the LHS gets hit by the standard muffler loops (the ones for the rubber o'rings that hold the muffler up). It only happens when the exhaust is really hot and expands (in length). When I (finally) fit the 3.25" exhaust I will make sure I leave enough space for exhaust system expansion.

That's why I did the tow bar before the exhaust, I knew it would be a tight fit.

cheers

[Burns]

So how many people do we have in for a tow bar group buy from Prestege?

What weight rating are we all after I need to ba able to tow my Dato 1600 at around 800kg plus trailer.

We may be able to boost the numbers and make it cheper for us all by geting prestege to make a kit that can be purchased by interstate buyers.

[Sydneykid]

So how many people do we have in for a tow bar group buy from Prestege?

What weight rating are we all after I need to ba able to tow my Dato 1600 at around 800kg  plus trailer.

We may be able to boost the numbers and make it cheper for us all by geting prestege to make a kit that can be purchased by interstate buyers.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Datto plus trailer with ramps, spares, fuel, tyres etc = around 1400 kgs. I would be very interested in having a look at the tow bar kit. If it is much improved over the one I have, then I will get one as well.

cheers

[Tangles]

hhmm, I too want a tow bar, just to tow a medium sized trailer to the tip, and to Mallala with my 186kg CBR900RR Fireblade motorcyle on it.

Even if the tow bars are made in NSW or VIC (Im in SA) I can arrange transport thru my business carriers..... so count me in, if its a decent price.

Brendan

[thedriver]

It looks as if this thread kinda died in the arse.

I'm picking up my Stagea next week and have been investigating towbars. There's a guy that does great customs bars here in Canberra, about $300 - $350 for a removable ball. Then it's another $350 or so for an engineer's certificate for roadworthy compliance.

However, if we have the people perhaps we can organise for a standard bar, one off engineers certificate which will make it cheaper and accessible to others in the future.

I'm happy to chase this up but need interested parties...

I'll post more info as it comes to hand.

[Sydneykid]

I have never heard of an engineer's certificate for roadworthy of a tow bar in NSW. I have a receipt that says " one 1500kg tow bar", that's all. I have never had a problem with registration renewal on any car with a tow bar. I have had well over 20 cars with tow bars and they have been inspected for rego, both blue slip and pink slip, 30 plus times.

Is this an ACT only thing?

cheers

[thedriver]

Is this an ACT only thing?

cheers

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

May well be, however, I would imagine all states are much the same with regards to engineering. I too can have a towbar custom made and fitted in the ACT, but it doesn't mean that it is legal.

Most towbars come as a kit designed for a specific vehicle and have already been certified.

This is from an NSW RTA brochure:

TOW BAR

A properly designed and fitted towbar is essential for towing. The rated capacity of the towbar and coupling should not be exceeded.

The towbar should be clearly and permanently marked with its:

Maximum rated capacity.

Make and model of the vehicle it is intended for or the

manufacturer’s part number.

Manufacturer’s name or trade mark.

This is compulsory for vehicles built after 1 January 1992. The exception is where the towbar is a permanent part of the vehicle.

Towbars must not protrude dangerously when there is no trailer connected.

This is from another RTA brochure on Engineering:

Chassis or body subframe structures

• Avoid welding or bolting to the flange areas of

chassis and subframe rails but in anycase, do not

weld across the flanges of chassis rails.

Just spoke with NSW RTA - thier requirements are such:

Any towbar must meet ADR 62 - Mechanical connection between vehicles

And the towbar needs to contain a plate with the following information:

Manufacturers name

Maximum rating

Vehicle it was designed for

Gerry at Rego.ACT says:

Manufacturing a towbar for a vehicle does not require an engineer's certificate if fitted with a plate (same as NSW). But the addition of this plate means the towbar manufacturer is responsible if something goes wrong, hence they normally require it be approved by an engineer.

It has certainly cleared things up for me.

[ian]

So how many people do we have in for a tow bar group buy from Prestege?

Mines going to prestige as soon as I can do without it for three days.... Nobody else seems to be in that much of a hurry, and talking to prestige I'm not sure a group buy is going to fly - particularly before they do the first one, as they want to see what they have to do..

Ian