Prado tow bars!!! Is there an issue with the factory fitted version

[ywork Member Find all posts View Profile Close ywork]

I have just purchase a new work and play caravan. I went Pro bars a caravan accessories and towing shop to get a load leveling towing kit for my v6 120s Prado.
When the sales man looked at the tow bar on my Prado he said he does not recommend using a load leveler on my tow bar as it’s the older factory fitted tow bar and that he has heard of many issues with them.

Now the issue seems to be with the Prado as the tow bar is only fitted to the chassis with two bolts and not a long bar that's fitted in two places to the chassis.

The first picture is the tow bar, I have fitted this is the one they say will break and have issues with a load leveling kit fitted to the van. Does anyone here have a load leveling kit fitted to their Prado with the standard tow bar? Would like to know if there is an issue with the factory tow bars as I don't want to replace mine if not needed.

[Plums Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Plums]

on my tow bar as it’s the older factory fitted tow bar and that he has heard of many issues with them./

Have you checked with Toyota? My 120 has an outstanding recall on the tow ball that they told me about when inquiring about another expired recall on the sovereign bull bar mounts. I haven't had it done yet but perhaps this is the exact issue they are referring to. Toyota will fix for free :-)

[r4ndll Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close r4ndll]

There was a recall on the tow bar, well more of a tension on the bolts check. http://www.pradopoint.com/showthread...=Towbar+recall

Toyota will tell you not to use a non genuine WDH on it

[Pedro Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Pedro]

There were big problems with genuine towbar and HR WDH
One such incident
http://www.exploroz.com/Forum/Topic/...r_problem.aspx
I am sure there were some reported on this forum too but you may need to search

[gspy4u Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close gspy4u]

yeh a few have broken, mainly because people haven't disconnected them when off road or even when parking or going over big differences in road surfaces. I changed mine out to a HR one. Much much better than original 120 one, has 12 fixing bolts instead of 6 and attached to both sides of the rear chassis as well.

[ywork Member Find all posts View Profile Close ywork]

Thanks for the info, well im off to get a HR tow bar fitted. Cant chance it as I often tow a 22ft boat and now a caravan.

[dagree Member Find all posts View Profile Close dagree]

Had mine checked out as part of the recall. All looked good and bolts supposedly checked for tightness. (Note: The HR hitch was still mounted in the bar when there!)

On pickup I made mention that I use HR WDH Bars and the service guy looks at me and says yeah that's fine. I mentioned to him that I read/heard that Toyota will swap the HR setup with a new Toyota system and he looked at me like "WTF?" He went and spoke to the Service Manager who then got online and on the phone to Toyota HO......

Comes back with a couple of stickers and a piece of paper to staple in the manual saying "Toyota will not warrant the bar if a non-genuine WDH system is used"

Asked to look at their new WDH system that is on offer to swap and could only show me on the computer as none in stock!!!!! Looked at it and not height adjustable....

Said Thanks very much but no thanks.... Went around the corner and booked it in to get the HR Towbar fitted the next day!

PS: Anyone want to buy a second hand Toyota tow bar for a 120?????

[gspy4u Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close gspy4u]

The WDH stresses the material if it's attached when there is too much of an angle between you and your van or whatever, resulting in this

[MDS69 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close MDS69]

If I had my way gain I would go the HR over the factory 120 item. I use a Tregg coupling and the cast alloy tongue does not comfortably accept the receiver so I use a Hilux steel tongue in the cast 120 receiver.