Can anyone identify this tow bar and what it might fit

[Neil S]

 

[Neil S]

I'm hoping this might fit my pilote a class which I think is a fiat chassis

 

[Blue Knight]

Hi Neil,

Which chassis do you have? If your Pilote is fitted with the Fiat light camper chassis then bear in mind that the actual chassis finishes just a few inches behind the rear wheels. The huge overhang of your van is therefore built on chassis leg extensions only, i.e. it looks like part of the chassis but it's not.

If you have a light chassis then you'll need the very long reinforcement arms which connect under the van.

Also, if you find that you have to fit the long extensions then the total weight of the extensions and the towbar will take a huge chunk out of your payload - and the Pilote on a light chassis already struggles with usable payload so be careful.

All the best,

Andrew

 

[Neil S]

Hi Neil,

Which chassis do you have? If your Pilote is fitted with the Fiat light camper chassis then bear in mind that the actual chassis finishes just a few inches behind the rear wheels. The huge overhang of your van is therefore built on chassis leg extensions only, i.e. it looks like part of the chassis but it's not.

If you have a light chassis then you'll need the very long reinforcement arms which connect under the van.

Also, if you find that you have to fit the long extensions then the total weight of the extensions and the towbar will take a huge chunk out of your payload - and the Pilote on a light chassis already struggles with usable payload so be careful.

All the best,

Andrew

Andrew I’m not sure as I’m waiting on a collection date once DVLA get the vehicle registered and issue a new number
I do know it can be uprated to 3850 which is just a paper exercise so I believe but not sure if it’s a light chassis

 

[Spriddler]

Can you not ask what it fits from the person from whom it came?
Alternatively, do a search for an ALKO towbar for your Pilote and see what is recommended and if it's the same as the one you have.

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[Blue Knight]

Andrew I’m not sure as I’m waiting on a collection date once DVLA get the vehicle registered and issue a new number
I do know it can be uprated to 3850 which is just a paper exercise so I believe but not sure if it’s a light chassis View attachment 498484

The '3,850kg' is the giveaway Neil. In that case you're on the light chassis and if you want a towbar fitting then you'll need to fit the heavy extension arms to the chassis first.

......so the towbar in your pic is fairly useless in its current guise.

 

[Neil S]

The '3,850kg' is the giveaway Neil. In that case you're on the light chassis and if you want a towbar fitting then you'll need to fit the heavy extension arms to the chassis first.

......so the towbar in your pic is fairly useless in its current guise.

Thanks
Looks like I’ll need to source extension arms
Think I’ll try and sell the above tow bar as it might suit someone else’s Motorhome

 

[Neil S]

Can you not ask what it fits from the person from whom it came?
Alternatively, do a search for an ALKO towbar for your Pilote and see what is recommended and if it's the same as the one you have.

Can’t ask the original seller as I bought it five years ago and never kept their details
Pretty sure it was in a Hymer or Burstner coach built but can’t be sure

 

[TheBig1]

Alko towbars are all the same width, it is the brackets/arms that reach back to the chassis mounting points that varies. You can check by measuring the lengths on towbar and van

Just thought, extra wide track axles might make a difference, possibly

 

[Blue Knight]

Thanks
Looks like I’ll need to source extension arms
Think I’ll try and sell the above tow bar as it might suit someone else’s Motorhome

This is the best picture I have of the underside of our previous 2018 Pilote 740GJ.

You can see that the chassis extension legs (held on by 3 big bolts) are aluminium in colour and are on the left and right of the picture.

If fitting a towbar then your new towbar extensions will need to be fitted a good way past the point where the rear of the chassis is mated with the current lightweight legs.

It would be ideal at this point if a Pilote owner came along who can advise on what they did when adding a towbar. Alternatively, why not ring a Pilote dealership for advice.

All the best,

Andrew

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[Neil S]

This is the best picture I have of the underside of our previous 2018 Pilote 740GJ.

You can see that the chassis extension legs (held on by 3 big bolts) are aluminium in colour and are on the left and right of the picture.

If fitting a towbar then your new towbar extensions will need to be fitted a good way past the point where the rear of the chassis is mated with the current lightweight legs.

It would be ideal at this point if a Pilote owner came along who can advise on what they did when adding a towbar. Alternatively, why not ring a Pilote dealership for advice.

All the best,

Andrew

View attachment 498512

Andrew many thanks
At least I know what’s needed

 

[Sasbo]

Your new Polite certainly looks like it the light chassis. My previous G740c was on the heavy chassis and still needed the extended strengthening arms fitted, this is due to the length of the garage overhang from the end of the fiat camper rear chassis.

Type approved tow bars should come with this option.