Sierra towbar question

[bikerdude]

I own a 1990 Zook (wide track model) and i am looking at fitting a towbar to it.

I have located one on the net but the owner has got a 1983 Softop, which is a narrow track? (i think)

My question is this, Is the body/chassis dimensions of the wide track and narrow track alot different? Would the towbar fit mine? if not would it require a great deal of modification?

any ideas/advice is appreciated.


Richo

[timthev8man]

yeah mate it will fit ! its only the spring mounts that are in different positions. good luck with it . i can get you a brand new hayman reece bar for $150 .

[lay80n]

What are you planning to tow wit ha sierra. Slight hi-jack but i would check the weight of your towing load, as the legal limit is 450KG for a sierra.

Layto....

[Gwagensteve]

yeah mate it will fit ! its only the spring mounts that are in different positions. good luck with it . i can get you a brand new hayman reece bar for $150 .

Are you sure? The Hayman reece towbar for the WT bolts to the four bolts at the rear chassis ends. One hole on each side is in the bottom surface of the rail and the other is on the bracket the shackle mount is welded to. On the NT that bracket doesn't exist.


I don't recall how the NT towbars mount but I do know that the chassis ends are quite different.


Ditto on the towing weight - I wouldn't tow anyhting of substance with a sierra, but do know of people who have towed all sorts of stuff everywhere (like across the simpson)

Steve.

[christover1]

That explains why I'm having trouble fitting the tow bar I've had kicking around fer ages. It must be a WT one.

I could probably make it fit?

My 1.o NT LWB had two captive nuts on lower surface of the chasis, on each side.
These have been cut off in the bobbing of said LWB, I was looking for mounting ideas when came across this post.

If anyone needs a wt tow bar, give me pm. Its rusty and the tongue mount is welded on slightly at an angle. But it appears to be all good welds, tho I know nothing of welding.

If I have to fab a tow bar and mounts, I may as well start with new stuff?

My present thoughts are to run a hole saw thru the chassis, thus enabling a new cross member for the tow bar, with some support from original (with some strong tube thru it). With the bob etc, I dont trust just using the end chassis cross member by itself.

Or just drill and weld in crush tubes, to suit what ever tow bar I decide upon.

I'd happily swap for a nt tow bar if applicable

Any ideas appreciated (I getting soft, and feel the need for an ultra light weight camper trailer, and its always good to have a new project to build)

christover

[christover1]

this must be what a wt tow bar looks like?

[Gwagensteve]

Yes, that's a WT one.

The lugs with the holes in them are where the shackle mounts weld on to the WT due to the wider spring spacing of the WT.

Steve.

[christover1]

I may be able to fit it just behind the cross member, on top of chassis.
Haven't had a chance to proper measure yet, but it would be good to have an off road friendly mounting position.
Not wanting to burn any bridges till I'm sure, but some cutting of bar would be needed, thus rendering it useless for anything else.
The ball may finish a bit too close to rear bar, but thats not insurmountable

christover

[christover1]

I bit the bullet and started making the wt swb towbar fit on me nt lwb bobbed zook.
It'll go on.
Ball will be tight up under the rear bar, out of the way.
May not fit a quick release handle, so may stick to screw on type hitch.
Or get a longer tongue one day

[Gwagensteve]

Screw on type hitches are a nightmare, which is why you can't get them any more.

Make it work with a quick release hitch, you will regret not doing it.

Steve.

[christover1]

Screw on type hitches are a nightmare, which is why you can't get them any more.

Make it work with a quick release hitch, you will regret not doing it.

Steve.

I could easily modify my rear lights holder/bar thingy, which would give me room. A different tongue may be needed yet, to get height right to suit trailer...but it will do for testing or buying one.

Would love a treg coupler or similar, but

[mick85]

you guys are dead on about not towing huge weights with the suzuki, mines got the 1.3 and it even struggles sometimes to tow the jet ski up and down the coast, its about 500 kgs with a galv trailer but always gets it there and back, takes 15 mins longer than using a cruiser tho

[christover1]

you guys are dead on about not towing huge weights with the suzuki, mines got the 1.3 and it even struggles sometimes to tow the jet ski up and down the coast, its about 500 kgs with a galv trailer but always gets it there and back, takes 15 mins longer than using a cruiser tho

I'm aiming for 200kg fully loaded. Wont be easy, but is doable.
Like having 2 fatty passengers..which the mighty 1.3 does notice

[Sierraman]

The reason i'm fitting a towbar to the old suzi is because i race mountain bikes and i need some way of transporting them without dismantling them!

I've got a rack that i built, that fits over the towbar tongue and is held with the towball.

I basically just need it for that, i dont really have any intention of towing anything with any real weight.

btw i've changed my name

if anyone has a WT towbar kicking around that they want to get rid of, i'd be quite happy to take it off your hands.... post up here if you do...