VT Senator with towbar? what are they like?

[HZute-efi-VS5L]

Am looking at a VT Senator. 5L auto sedan. Stock suspension and rims.

Are they any good for towing?

Will it flog my springs out? etc.

Im looking at towing a 1000kg - 1500kg poptop caravan.

Wouldnt be towing one every day but say might tow it 8000km a year out of the 20,000 km a year ill be doing.

any hints and suhgestions would be great!

Cheers!
Jason

[aftahours]

You're on an LS1 forum asking if you should buy a 5L VT...

:hmmm:

[TommyVTss]

You're on an LS1 forum asking if you should buy a 5L VT...

:hmmm:

LS1 and holden forums mate...

[HZute-efi-VS5L]

mate who gives a toss about aussie v8 v's ls1. as said above read the name of the site.

whats would the diference be anyhow the senators came in the 5.7 also so same question aplies if its a ls1.

the aussie v8 will have plenty of go. its more the fact of bolting a towbar to the senator rear bar area. and also the sports spring setup. just wondering if all that is going to handle it or am i going to flog everything out.

cheers
jason

[aftahours]

I stand corrected, and apologies. :)

You can bolt a towbar fine to the senators, (http://images.trademe.co.nz/photoserver/42/46191542_full.jpg)

But I wouldn't do any towing with the stock springs, but you should be able to find a pair of heavy duty towing springs that won't compensate ride height too much.

[HZute-efi-VS5L]

I stand corrected, and apologies. :)

You can bolt a towbar fine to the senators, (http://images.trademe.co.nz/photoserver/42/46191542_full.jpg)

But I wouldn't do any towing with the stock springs, but you should be able to find a pair of heavy duty towing springs that won't compensate ride height too much.

thankyou for that =)

pretty much covers my q's

i think ill have to grab it. like you said new springs well thats no issue.

I was looking at a 5.7 just so you know. but i dont need the extra grunt. its only a car for my missaz. and for the family holidays. so yeh not realy after huge power. more just an enjoyable car to drive.

Do you happen to know or does anyone else know? what brands there are? will the square type with the slip in hitch scrape a crapload?

what sort of load ratings can i get for just a tounge style?

i think ill have to go visit a towbar shop =)


Cheers!
Jason

[aftahours]

Hayman Reese tow bars are the ones with the square removable tongue, and don't normally cost that much extra, and they are worth it, and look better.

You normally get around 2100kg load rating if i remember correctly for a standard hayman reese towbar. (edit: I think 1250s are the standard, and 2100 is the next one up..)

There is a chance you might need a slightly different style of towbar tho, because as you might know, a lot of towbars exit through the rear bar on commodores, so it might pay to ring a few reputable towbar shops and get their opinion and quote.

[HZute-efi-VS5L]

yeh there is a few people that make the HR type of towbars. its jus they where the first i guess so they sort of get the name when people mention them.

I have made heaps of them myself before as im quilified to do so. But i cant be stuffed crawling under a low car to do so. all the ones i have fitted to have been cruizers, patrols etc etc.

Ill do some ringing around once i get the car back here and go from there. because i dont realy want to chop the rear bar. but then again if it waxs done properly it wouldnt look too bad i guess.

[macca33]

Whilst mine is a VX, if you look at the pictures of my car (Link in my signature), you'll see how the Hayman Reese hitch comes up. They are a great system and mine only cost $500 installed - check the HR website for your local sales/fitting agent.

I've still got the original springs and level-ride air shocks on the back and it has towed 1500kg without any problem at all. The level-ride pumps up automatically so the car sits as flat as normal.

Good luck with it,

Macca

[macca_779]

I've towed car trailers with my Senator. They tow really well and because they have self leveling suspension like Macca33 mentioned, they are more than up to the task. Don't listen to people that dont even have a Senator and have no idea on how they handle the task. The only thing that has to be done to fit a tow bar to a HSV is cut a hole in the bar like mine.
http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i39/macca_779/MY%20GEAR/SenatorClean004.jpg

[HZute-efi-VS5L]

cheers guys! they look very nice.

and with the hole in the back bumper you would have no issues at all with it scraping.

cheers again!
Jason