FE Tow bar/towing capacity

[jwm]

I'm sure I've read this somewhere but couldn't find it when I searched.  I'm sure I read that FE, FC,FB and EK tow bars are a common fit? Similarly, I'm sure I read that the tow bars for sedans, wagons and utes are also the same? Can somebody just confirm this for me?

Can anybody also please help me with what they thing is an appropriate/legal tow weight behind an FE, both braked and unbraked? FE weighs in at 1310kg.

Thanks guys.
jwm

 

[Old_Mt_Isa_Boy]

Harv has previously posted this info. Did my head in with all the measurements but at least it looks like it has some decent info.


http://www.fbekholden.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=11107&hilit=towbar+identify

Regards  Wayne b

[jwm]

Thanks Wayne. In simple terms, no, they are different. And that thread answers my weight question also. Thank you very much.

[Harv]

Did my head in with all the measurements

Me too  . What I thought would be a simple "buy a towbar off eBay and bolt it on" excercise turned into a nightmare.

That towbar info needs a real tidy up. I've been collecting towbar photos and info, and hopefully will get around to a towbar Guide at some stage... maybe work with one of the places currently making towbars for early Holdens.

Need to pull my finger out and finish the crashbox Guide first though  .

Cheers,
Harv

[jwm]

Ok, I've made a few phone calls after reading 'Harv's thread' and Aranda do have tow bars but they are listed for 1959 to 1963 Holden sedans, so that would be the FC to EK models which also fit the FE. The bars are $345.00.
Qld: (07) 32083022
Sydney: (02) 

There is also a guy in Aurburn, NSW called Sal, Fast Fit Tow Bars, who will manufacture specialty /special needs/ one off order tow bars. His phone No. is (02) 97491209 and he quoted $250.00 to $400.00 for a bar for the FE.

Cheers
jwm

[jwm]

Sorry, the Sydney phone No. for Aranda tow Bars is (02) 97270061.

(Doesn't seem to be an edit function on this forum?)

[surferboy]

G'day jwm

This probably isn't much help, I went to the local towbar/roobar manufacturer and they whipped up a heavy duty tow bar for me in one day (It was 10 years ago and I can't remember what it cost) was the easiest, quickest way as it needed to fit my wagon with a modified fuel tank.
As for what weight I can tow with the wagon - The standard response from everybody I asked was "Dunno ? we used to just tow things and you knew it was to heavy when the back of the car fell off !!!"

surferboy

[JB]

I used Aranda tow bars for the panel van and it fitted well, and worked a treat! I would recommend them. Rated towing for the bar was 1ton.

Cheers,
JB

[jwm]

That's the other issue Surfboy. At the moment I am running a 75 litre fuel cell in the boot and the original tank, while still there, is disconnected. I want my boot back and am not sure which way to go. Fit a drop tank, buy the 63 litre stainless after market tank that is available, have a larger tank (same depth as original but wider) manufactured, or stick with the original tank and run a smaller auxiliary tank in the boot. As I understand it, the original tow bars don't give you much flexibility with increasing the size of the petrol tank, so if I buy the stainless tank (63 litres) or have a larger tank manufactured, I would probably have to have a tow bar manufactured.

[Harv]

G'day JWM,

If you are thinking of the stainless tanks made by Marty Dean, then the original tow bars will (probably) fit. I've got one of Marty's tanks in my EK wagon, with an original-type towbar - no issues at all with clearance.



Cheers,
Harv

[weddo]

Rope to hang the washing on Harv ? or just "holden" the lights up !!

regards


Weddo

[Harv]

 

Nope, thats the special NASCO "all my spare parts are in the back, and the tailgate latch is dodgy... please don't let my shit fall out the back of the car trailer at 100km/h" rope  .

Cheers,
Harv

[jwm]

Thanks Harv, that answers another question. Now I just have to justify spending the $850 + $80 shipping for the stainless tank.

jwm

[surferboy]

G'day JWM

As the FE is so highly modified, I wouldn't see a reason for buying an original towbar that may have fitment issues and restrictive weight limitations..
and i would assume it would GO and STOP easily with a reasonable weight hanging off the back
( don't tell us you've got - or are about to buy a vintage caravan to tow behind it  )

Personally I prefer to have profesionals do this stuff so I can relax knowing it's safe, even if costs me a couple of extra $$$

My wagon has a 60ltr tank (helps on the drives across the Nullabor every two years  ) and I tow a steel framed Baravan caravan (Heavy!) I have discs up front of the wagon and electric brakes on the caravan to pull it all up in a hurry. The 202 motor tows OK (except for a compression and pinging under load issue it has  )

surferboy

[Harv]

Load capacity is a good point surferboy. My guess is that the weak spot in the original towbar system is the mounting bolts. They only pass through the rear subframe, which is glorified pressed steel. Some of the original towbars have extra bolts that also mount through the floorpan, which spread the load a bit more. Having said that, this is no different to say a VK Commodore mounting system... and I've towed some damn heavy caravans around Australia with the VK  .

Once I get the EK wagon on the road, the plan is for it to become my (only!) daily driver. I have no trouble towing a box trailer with it (I do that now with my FB), but would also like the ability to tow a car trailer. The EK wagon has an original weight of around 1200kg, so I should be able to tow up to 1800kg legally as my trailer has 4-wheel disk brakes. I'm thinking about extending the wagons (CRS) 3/4 chassis all the way to the back of the car to pick up the towbar, though the wheel arch bends mean I can't do this at home.

Most of the later towbars I have heard about being fitted to early Holdens seem to have a weight rating of 1000kg. This feels like a "nominal" number dreamt up by towbar installers, rather than a well thought through engineered  value (I could be wrong though).

Does anyone have a towbar fitted to an early Holden which has been given a weight rating above 1000kg? Photos would be very cool.

Cheers,
Harv

[jwm]

Thanks surferboy. Nope, not going to buy a 'tear drop' van or any other vintage van, I already have a 17' 6" single axle van in the shed which has electric brakes. It weighs 1100kg unladen, with the 'necessary items' the wife carries with us, it probably goes about 1300kg or more. 
I take your point about the limitations of the older tow bars and would probably look at modifying/strengthening it at a minimum. On the other hand, having one manufactured could work out to be the most viable option.