Rav4 Towbar Query...

[Nortonski]

Hi, we're the proud owners of a 5 door Rav4 with chrome kit for about a year now.

I've just sold my merc c class estate that was our general load lugger for hols etc, roof box on top & towbar with bike rack attached on the rear.

Now the question is - can I fit a towbar & keep the chrome step on the rav??? Have any of you folks actually done this & if so do you have any pics???

Worst case scenario is that I bin the step & just fit the towbar, but would prefer to keep it.

[alanbradley]

Hi and welcome...

What "shape" is your RAV? You see, the Mk1 never really seemed to be meant to take a towbar in the first place - once one's fitted and the trailer's hitched up you can't open the back door by any meaningful amount.

My folk's last RAV (a Mk 2 Phase 1) was actually fitted with a towbar but the tow ball hitch got removed - intentionally - just after we got it and I don't think it ever towed anything, but I can say that the whole assembly was a bit lower and it looked as if the door would clear the trailer hitch.

Having said both of those things, my personal preference for towing is to have the ball as close to the rear wheels as possible (force x distance and all that) so I would probbly ditch the step and mount the hitch as far forward as possible...

Hope that's some sort of help!

Alan