VF Commodore Sportwagon Towbar Options - Sydney

[Smashfist]

I bought a 2100Kg kit on eBay from arandatowbars and it was around $550 including freight to my door. I have a 2014 VF SV6 wagon.
I have fitted it myself and experienced some hassle with the wiring because I was expected to splice it into the factory trailer connector on the right hand side of the car behind the rear panel, as per what everyone says on this forum. Unfortunately there is no such connector on the VF. After a lot of head scratching, I ended up splicing the aftermarket trailer loom into the cables that go into the tail lights themselves on the left hand side near the battery. I ran the cables through the rubber plug in front of the tail light and spliced the battery cable onto the big wire on the large loose connector above the battery. For the right hand side indicator, I ran a cable across the car to the cable inside the car that goes to the indicator.
It's all working now and compared to the quotes of what others have paid, I got a bargain.
Mechanically the bar looks great.
Let me know if you have any questions about fitment. I can help.

Just be VERY careful with trailers you use. Any short or backfeed on the tail lamp circuits will fry the BCM. That's why the genuine setups run a trailer interface module (TIM) that isolates any circuit issues.

 

[SARRAS]

I'm not sure if the towbar kits are different with the wagons but I had a 1600kg kit fitted to my Redline sedan after purchase and the cost at dealer was $970 complete and fitted. This was done at Muirs in Haberfield. They did a really neat install job on it as well. Interestingly, the exhaust sound altered a little after the towbar was fitted - its a deeper, more growly sound now when you give it the boot. Pretty good side-effect in my opinion!

 

[strgas]

would recommend fitting the 2100kg towbar over the lighter towbars as you end up wanting to tow something over the 1600kg one day and then wish you had installed the class 4 towbar . go with a Hayman Reese towbar as they also make the OE towbars for Holden and have a plug and play wiring loom for the VF wagon .
some suppliers will supply a HR bar with their own stickers and a universal wiring loom and module which requires a hack and slash to install to the vehicles wiring , seems a cheaper option at the time of purchase but requires and auto elec to wire in correctly at an extra cost .

 

[Bud]

Here are some photos of my installation - https://onedrive.live.com/redir?res...32&authkey=!AJgWmhSTybJMZuE&ithint=folder,jpg

I hope that they are useful. I probably should have taken more as I progressed.

This towbar does have an isolation unit with a separate 12V feed, so shouldn't harm the BCM. You can see it next to the battery in one of the photos.

I recommend buying a genuine Holden trailer wiring loom. I had to do a hack and slash with this one. I was originally an electronics engineer so it was no problem for me though the average person would struggle big time or completely fail.

 

[Bud]

I'm not sure if the towbar kits are different with the wagons but I had a 1600kg kit fitted to my Redline sedan after purchase and the cost at dealer was $970 complete and fitted. This was done at Muirs in Haberfield. They did a really neat install job on it as well. Interestingly, the exhaust sound altered a little after the towbar was fitted - its a deeper, more growly sound now when you give it the boot. Pretty good side-effect in my opinion!

No change at all with mine. Maybe they took off some sound shields and didn't refit them?

 

[SARRAS]

No change at all with mine. Maybe they took off some sound shields and didn't refit them?

I doubt that as its not a big difference in volume just the tone if you will - I think the mass of metal in the bar is picking up sound from the nearby mufflers and transmitting it into the chassis/body structure. Whatever it is I prefer it so will be leaving well enough alone!

 

[Bud]

i doubt that as its not a big difference in volume just the tone if you will - i think the mass of metal in the bar is picking up sound from the nearby mufflers and transmitting it into the chassis/body structure. Whatever it is i prefer it so will be leaving well enough alone!

#win

......

 

[redvxr8clubby]

would recommend fitting the 2100kg towbar over the lighter towbars as you end up wanting to tow something over the 1600kg one day and then wish you had installed the class 4 towbar . go with a Hayman Reese towbar as they also make the OE towbars for Holden and have a plug and play wiring loom for the VF wagon .
some suppliers will supply a HR bar with their own stickers and a universal wiring loom and module which requires a hack and slash to install to the vehicles wiring , seems a cheaper option at the time of purchase but requires and auto elec to wire in correctly at an extra cost .

Pretty sure if the bar is genuine Holden, the 1600KG bar and the 2100KG bar is the same. When you read owner manual for 2100Kg rating you need either a Weight Distribution hitch or lift shocks or both. I did read on an aftermarket supplier website that their 1600Kg bar was made from 4mm steel whereas their 2100Kg bar was made from 5mm steel. As has been said by others, I'd also suggest using genuine Holden wiring kit, even if you decide to go non genuine with the bar.

 

[Smashfist]

Also make sure you use the right weight distribution hitch as well. I've seen someone use a Hayman Reese hitch on a genuine bar in a VE and it basically tore the arse out of the car towing right on 2100kg.

 

[redvxr8clubby]

Also make sure you use the right weight distribution hitch as well. I've seen someone use a Hayman Reese hitch on a genuine bar in a VE and it basically tore the arse out of the car towing right on 2100kg.

That's a worry, I tow a 19'6" dual axle full height caravan with my VE SS, it weighs 1530Kg according to the plate, but I have never had it on a weigh bridge to check that figure. I fitted a towbar myself to my previous SV6 sedan and when you look at the towbar steel thickness and compare that to almost paper thin chassis that you are bolting it into, you do think the Commodore is really not the best tow car. It's little wonder that most people towing anything substantial are using a light truck, most likely with 3 to 3.5 tonne towing capacity.