Whats involved in fitting towbar?

[Millenium7]

As the title says basically. Is it all pretty straightforward?
Maneuver towbar in place and bolt it in with new bolts or do I need to undo existing things and bolt it in alongside them?

[MadMax]

The devil is in the detail.

Go to a self service wreckers, and find your model with an intact towbar on it.

Pull it and the wiring off yourself. Look how the wiring runs and where it is connected. Keep every bolt you remove, and note where different length ones go. You will learn everything you need to know while doing the removal.

(Usually the bar mounts to threaded holes that are already there for the bumper bar mounts, and you just use longer bolts, and the wiring runs through a grommet already in the floor and connects to one of the tail lights or is spliced into existing wires.)

[leadfoot6]

As the title says basically. Is it all pretty straightforward?
Maneuver towbar in place and bolt it in with new bolts or do I need to undo existing things and bolt it in alongside them?

If I were you, unless you are absolutely 120% conversant with electrical wiring, I would have the wiring harness fitted by an auto electrician or licenced accessory fitter.

However, if you are going to have a go yourself, this may help:

https://www.narva.com.au/products/browse/wiring-diagrams

who can also supply the correct harness.

[Millenium7]

I've called wreckers and there are none with a towbar here so I can't go and inspect. Have found someone who has a new towbar for sale but its off the vehicle

I'm good with wiring, I often cut and recrimp new waterproof connectors in place where the plug is either garbage or I simply need to run new wire. I do the job properly
I can't remember if there was a plug in the boot of the car already

But I want to know about the mechanical fitment so I don't find I have to remove half the rear end to fit it. I'm not too concerned with bolts I can just get some high tensile bolts from a fasteners store of the appropriate length. But if dimensions were available that'd be even better, saves me measuring

[Rough_Idle]

I think it depends on the type of towbar. I fitted a genuine one to my TH a few years ago and ended up having to remove the rear bumper. It's not difficult just time consuming. I did read a couple of threads here that it is possible to get away with not removing it but I found it was easier just to remove the bumper.

In terms of electrics I just bought a harness from here https://www.towbarsaustralia.com.au/. It's pretty much plug and play, just goes in line with the rear lighting run in the boot.

[Millenium7]

So I had a look at a towbar for sale privately, it's missing the tongue. It's a Hayman Reese P/N 1519
According to their website this is the correct towbar
Can't call them over the weekend. Anyone have any further info as to whether or not I can get the tongue?

[MadMax]

How much do they want for that?
I paid $110 several years ago for a towbar, complete with tongue, bolts, wiring harness.

Best check availability and price of the tongue, and add that to the cost of the towbar - then decide if you want to buy.

[bb61266]

The wreckers are the best option (so long as they aren't greedy) The one for my Wagon was asking $100 sold to me for $80 after a haggle and included the wiring harness which simply plugs into the existing loom and all the bolts for the holes are already there.

[GQshorty]

I paid $50 for my hayman reese towbar for my verada from the wreckers. Had to remove the rear bar to fit it. I also used flat 7 core trailer wiring so to keep it in the boot when not towing. All the wires to splice into are on the right side tail light harness by memory (correct me if im wrong)

[MadMax]

No splicing needed on the TJ bar I installed. It plugged into the passenger side tail light, with the tail light plug going into the rear of the towbar plug. I didn't remove the towbar or wiring off the original car, so had to experiment with a number of possible setups until I found the right one.

Hence my suggestion to try and buy one off an identical car at the wreckers and remove it yourself.