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Does any one need/want a tow bar for their LS400?

I would like to suggest a group buy. Watling Engineering can supply a unit for £220 +vat (£258.50). I can not find a MkIII towbar anywhere else.

I need one, but if others do too, then I am happy to ask for a group discount.

Their system is for a detachable bar, so you will not loose the original look of the rear end. The bumper does need to have a small piece cut out of it, but this is not visiable as it is under the car. Their price does not include electrics or a tow ball.

Get these locally yourself or from www.towsure.com at a very good price too.

Fit it yourself or go through a local fitter.

I have the fitting instructions, see here, you might have to download the file to your local PC???:

ftp://upload.ntlworld.com/WatlingLS400.pdf

I will try to find a picture of the unit fitted.

Any one???

Please reply by Friday 9th December (1 week) as that is when I will be ordering mine.

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A long shot...

When I bought my Mk III from Lexus Leicester last year, I asked them to remove the tow-bar.  Could there be a chance it is on a shelf somewhere?

Thanks JellyBean, I phoned them but it is nowhere to be found. The very nice man did say that they are not very popular and offered me one at £1000 and the last customer paid £2500 including fitting electrics vat etc etc. A real steal, but I managed to decline.

So, any one else interested in a Watling unit.

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Hi it's me again Syd

Do you know how this towbar is fitted to the car, (is it fitted to the rear towing eye's)

On the LS430 you need to remove the two rear exhaust boxes,(I have detail drawings of this).

Does any one need/want a tow bar for their LS400?

I would like to suggest a group buy.  Watling Engineering can supply a unit for £220 +vat (£258.50).  I can not find a MkIII towbar anywhere else.

I need one, but if others do too, then I am happy to ask for a group discount.

Their system is for a detachable bar, so you will not loose the original look of the rear end.  The bumper does need to have a small piece cut out of it, but this is not visiable as it is under the car. Their price does not include electrics or a tow ball.

Get these locally yourself or from www.towsure.com at a very good price too.

Fit it yourself or go through a local fitter.

I have the fitting instructions, see here, you might have to download the file to your local PC???:

ftp://upload.ntlworld.com/WatlingLS400.pdf

I will try to find a picture of the unit fitted.

Any one???

Please reply by Friday 9th December (1 week) as that is when I will be ordering mine.

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Thanks for the advice on type approval, safety is important. Being 95 I think I'm ok and I guess the bars are ok more than fine for light stuff. NO caravans for sure.

I'm sort of hoping that the auto box will be fine on it's own. I just plan to tow garden trailer to the dump (1 mile away), Santa's float around town for the Round Table (5 miles crawling on idle in about 1 hour, 10x6 flatbed trailer with sound system and a fat bloke in a red suit) and maybe a motorbike trailer (small trailer, just an 80kg trials bike, for 20 miles). Auto box should be ok, as car will not be loaded with 5 people while towing either.

NO caravans at all!!! Top gear knows what is best for them (sorry no offence to any one).

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My LS has been towing caravans now for over 4 years (up yours Clarkson!) without a trans cooler and is still absolutely fine. They have a built in cooler anyway (small but works) so I would not be too worried about that side.

Just make sure that the trans fluid is kept to the correct level, and both before and after a big towing session (South of France couple of years back with a 1500kg caravan) check its not getting burned - just smell it - if it smells burned then it probably is!!

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Thanks for the advice and reassurance Dave.

Watling wanted £258 just for the bar.

I now have a supplier at £198 incl VAT, single electrics, ball and cover.

see www.towequipe.co.uk , I doubt they will do a Group Buy, but, if you dont ask...... any one interested???

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Thanks for the advice and reassurance Dave.

Watling wanted £258 just for the bar.

I now have a supplier at £198 incl VAT, single electrics, ball and cover.

see www.towequipe.co.uk , I doubt they will do a Group Buy, but, if you dont ask...... any one interested???

I'd be interested in one for a Series 1 (which they also do!).

Cheers

JohnE

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  • 2 weeks later...

i bought a tow bar earlier this year for my 92 ls400 from watling engineering . came with single electrics and tow ball and i fitted it myself . i think it cost me about £260 including delivery . easy job and no problem to fit . the cut in the bumper you can't see at all as it is underneath . i have no additional oil cooler fitted and pull a large folding camper with no problems with the gearbox .

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