Towbar For A Mark 4.

[Wessel]

I have come to the conlusion that if you drive a Lexus, you are not suppose to go camping. I cannot get a towbar for my 2000 ls 400 Lexus or a . They also do not make roof bars for the ls400? Can somebody give me some advice? Wessel

[BHT]

I have come to the conlusion that if you drive a Lexus, you are not suppose to go camping. I cannot get a towbar for my 2000 ls 400 Lexus or a . They also do not make roof bars for the ls400? Can somebody give me some advice? Wessel

Hi Wessel,

Lexus do a towbar for the mark 4 as a friend of mine had one on his car at a price of I think it was £1200 or something silly from new (He didn't buy it, it came with his car and he had the invoice). I'm sure someone on here will be able to advise you on where you can get one. Also there was something about needing an oil fitting when using a towbar (to cool the gearbox down).

[SteveLS400]

I have come to the conlusion that if you drive a Lexus, you are not suppose to go camping. I cannot get a towbar for my 2000 ls 400 Lexus or a . They also do not make roof bars for the ls400? Can somebody give me some advice? Wessel

Hi Wessel

There have been other threads on this subject so please have a search. There are firms who will make a towing bracket for you so it may be worth Googling for them. You will most likely have to follow up with a phone call and a visit.

Towing brackets on the LS400 a rare; I havent seen another on any cars on fleabay. I was considering upgrading to a MKIV and the 2 things that my car has that I really wanted was a towing bracket and parking sensors but zip in a year or so of looking.

If you find a firm to make one and they want a pattern, I will take photos of mine.

[steve2006]

I have seen posts on here suggesting you can buy them but 1 they are expensive and 2 they are not type approved, if I remember correctly the earlier series 3 tow bar will fit with modification and not long ago there was one for sale on eBay.

I had an official Lexus roof rack which I sold a while ago to a guy in Sweden and there was also some roof bars on eBay but for which model year I do not know.

Regarding the post re the transmission cooler I think that is only a requirement for heavy towing so a camping trailer shouldn't be a problem.

[ManicMark]

I have come to the conlusion that if you drive a Lexus, you are not suppose to go camping. I cannot get a towbar for my 2000 ls 400 Lexus or a . They also do not make roof bars for the ls400? Can somebody give me some advice? Wessel

Hi tow equipe will sell you a towbar for about £220, Its the same as on a mark3 allow a day to fit it and you will need a helping hand from time to time but it fits straight on.

As for roof bars go for the inflatable type.(ebay).

Good luck Mark

[hydrostat]

I have come to the conlusion that if you drive a Lexus, you are not suppose to go camping. I cannot get a towbar for my 2000 ls 400 Lexus or a . They also do not make roof bars for the ls400? Can somebody give me some advice? Wessel

Hi

AS already said you can get a tow bar for the ls400 but if it is after 1998 (R reg) it needs to be type approved to pass the MOT. So you are faced with looking for a second hand Lexus bar and they don't come up often.

I fitted the Watling bar as supplied by Towequipe (strangely cheaper from them than direct from Watling) to my 1998 mk4 without too many problems on my own, but the fit is tight and I had to slightly elongate a couple of holes in the bar.

Dave

[ManicMark]

I have come to the conlusion that if you drive a Lexus, you are not suppose to go camping. I cannot get a towbar for my 2000 ls 400 Lexus or a . They also do not make roof bars for the ls400? Can somebody give me some advice? Wessel

Hi

AS already said you can get a tow bar for the ls400 but if it is after 1998 (R reg) it needs to be type approved to pass the MOT. So you are faced with looking for a second hand Lexus bar and they don't come up often.

I fitted the Watling bar as supplied by Towequipe (strangely cheaper from them than direct from Watling) to my 1998 mk4 without too many problems on my own, but the fit is tight and I had to slightly elongate a couple of holes in the bar.

Dave

The tow equipe bar has a removeable tow ball. Very easy to remove for mot time(If the mot station would be bothered to check it).

[hydrostat]

The tow equipe bar has a removeable tow ball. Very easy to remove for mot time(If the mot station would be bothered to check it).

Yes quite correct, I always take mine off as it looks neater anyway and saves the shins, takes about 4 mins with a 17mm spanner to remove the two holding bolts and then I guess it's not a functioning towbar for the MOT.

[SteveLS400]

I always take mine off as it looks neater anyway and saves the shins, takes about 4 mins with a 17mm spanner to remove the two holding bolts and then I guess it's not a functioning towbar for the MOT.

Mine is removable from the bracket but I feel naked without it. Many years ago my then g/f was rammed up the :tsktsk: which completely wrecked the other car, but the towing bracket saved ours and we ran it for a couple more years. It also stops damage from those who are unable to drive; just look at the knocks dished out in carparks! I've seen my car hit 3 or 4 times but I love it when they stick the tow ball

[John Lawley]

sorry to go off topic, is a mk3 towbar easy to fit to a mk3?

Heavy towing is defined as what? My post-1997 licence means i can only tow 1675kg roughly braked towing weight whilst the car says it can handle 2200kg (which i'm not allowed to tow without doing a B+E), so can i tow a 1600kg caravan without the oil cooler if i stick to 70mph max (what is the max speed on German autobhan's? I'm only allowed to do 60mph over here4 anyway). I'm plannnign on refreshing the gearboxes fluid and filter in next couple of months before i get a towbar/caravan anyway.

Also does anyone know the costs for the transmisson cooler and how hard it is to fit?

thanks :)

[SteveLS400]

sorry to go off topic, is a mk3 towbar easy to fit to a mk3?

Heavy towing is defined as what? My post-1997 licence means i can only tow 1675kg roughly braked towing weight whilst the car says it can handle 2200kg (which i'm not allowed to tow without doing a B+E), so can i tow a 1600kg caravan without the oil cooler if i stick to 70mph max (what is the max speed on German autobhan's? I'm only allowed to do 60mph over here4 anyway). I'm plannnign on refreshing the gearboxes fluid and filter in next couple of months before i get a towbar/caravan anyway.

Also does anyone know the costs for the transmisson cooler and how hard it is to fit?

thanks :)

Hi John

As you will see from previous posts on this subject, it is not absolutely necessary to have a cooler and you are pulling well below max weight. Travelling along at 60 or 70 mph is fine BUT the issue is what about stop start traffic in high temps up hill? Breaking down is bad enough but a replacement box is another matter. Thats why I would always recommend fitting a cooler. Cant help with the fitting query, I bought my car because it was already equipped; it took me a long time to find it.

[John Lawley]

how can you tell it's equipped? generally look for a towbar on the back then look around the gearbox?

[SteveLS400]

how can you tell it's equipped? generally look for a towbar on the back then look around the gearbox?

The swan neck I have is permanently on by preference, but without it the only visible sign is the electrics and they are just below the bumper. The only visible sign under the bonnet is the cooler located behind the grill, on the cross member adjacent to the a/c receiver/dryer.