tow bars for Aussie Mustangs?

This topic probably had many of you reaching for the vomit bucket and exploring ways of me having banned from the internet totally, but...

I'd like to get a tow bar for carrying a bike rack, and possibly towing a trailer with my dirt bike on it. The US models have a maximum towing weight of 1,000lbs, while apparently the UK/Eu models say you must never tow anything behind it.

1. Has anyone (who is lucky-enough to have their car already) seen what the Australian manual says about towing ?

2. Has anyone done any research on tow bar suppliers ?

My research so far has given me:
- Hayman Reese / Cequent Australia have no plans to make one
- Towbars Australia have no plans to make one
- best bet seem to be a Curt 114053 1 1/4" hitch (approx. US$200) from the USA plus freight costs

Ian

Not sure why you can't tow anything. My old '91 Celica had a towbar fitted to it. The tongue is gone, but the underside remains. I think it might have saved the back bumper on one occasion, if I recall correctly. Now, this car struggles enough hauling people around let alone trailers ...

My only guess is that they might have deleted some of the rear architecture needed to allow towing anything reasonably weighty.

I have also seen the UK manual where it says towing is a no-no.

Regardless, you should still be banned from the internet .

When looking at the online html manual it says

"Your vehicle is not approved for trailer towing. Never tow a trailer with your vehicle."

I don't think that towing has been included in the type approval and compliance process, that's probably why they say you mustn't tow with it.

That's not to say that you couldn't import the parts, but just be careful you don't have an accident, as insurance would probably wipe their hands quite quickly.

there is a hidden towpack option in the US from one of the aftermarket providers. 2000lbs limit. Fine for me, I only want to tow the jetski.

I think WildB has a good point. Careful with insurance!

I think it's fair to say that the vehicle can tow something, but it's not been approved to do so, probably because Ford Australia didn't think it worth pursuing.

Came up before, got discussed a little before...
http://www.mustang6g.com/forums/showpost.php?p=787174&postcount=110
http://www.mustang6g.com/forums/showthread.php?t=25149&highlight=towing&page=7

Same comments from me there as Wil above. Essentially it's unlikely to have gone through the compliance, so it's not "allowed".

Bike rack (which is what I plan on) is probably a different ball game to pulling a trailer, but even so, refer here:
http://withoutahitch.com.au/trailer/legal-fittings-required-meet-trailer-regulations/
to get _some_ idea about why ordering a tow bar from an overseas after market firm could be a bad idea.

ah, just thought to check if Ford AU had "got with the times" and had manuals available for download - and they have (surprise, surprise!).

The Aus Mustangs are the same as the US - both V8 & EB are permitted to tow trailers with a maximum weight of 1000lb (454kg).

I think I'll be pursing the imported Curtis hitch once I have a car in my hands.

Edit: Looks like there's a new owner's manual with a new section on towing
Yay!

I must confess that I didn't refer to the manual. I was under the impression that it wasn't approved.

Apologies for the bum steer.

It _was_ specifically stated in a previous version of the manual that you should not tow.
It was revised at some point...
Like most other things with this Mustang ;)
At least this one is a positive revision!

Just one further on that, useful piece of
Information from the 'engine breakin' thread. Or was the the ecoboost acceleration problem thread?

User manual also says,
'do not tow during breakin, (around the first 1600 km)'

Well there you go. Problem solved! Didn't think there would be any issue for a light trailer, aside from compliance. Tow away!

I was at a dealer and he was trying to use the fact i could put a tow bar on it to make me more interested....

I laughed at him, the day i see someone towing a trailer to the tip with a mustang, will be the day the mustang legend dies...

You don't buy a mustang to tow crap, thats for the Hilux or the Ranger..

Jack79 said:

I was at a dealer and he was trying to use the fact i could put a tow bar on it to make me more interested....

I laughed at him, the day i see someone towing a trailer to the tip with a mustang, will be the day the mustang legend dies...

You don't buy a mustang to tow crap, thats for the Hilux or the Ranger..

Click to expand...

Gunna ruffle some feathers but.....my Mustang is a daily drive, and often I have the need to tow a trailer. It would be really handy to be able to tow a light trailer, not a boat or something huge, but my bike or other light stuff. If the dealers are saying this is OK then might be worth looking into. At the moment I have to take the other half's car when I need to hook up a trailer, and if that is during the week it means she has to take the stang and park it at her work which scares the crap out of me. ( Not her driving it but the work car park bit)

Not everyone want to have to keep a extra car just to tow something occasionally, sorry to kill the "Mustang Legend" for you.