Steve Minshall 17/03/2018
Fitting a Hayman Reese #2998RW towbar to a Subaru Forester
Fits models: Subaru Forester Oct 2012 onwards
Time for experienced fitter: Approx. 2 hours
Fitting difficulty: 5/10
Today we fitted a Hayman Reese 2998RW towbar to a Subaru Forester. This bar fits models built from 10/2012 and is still current at the time of writing.
The Bar:
For current specs and fitted price please see our Subaru Forester tow bar page.
Rating 1800kg max trailer, 180kg max ball weight.
The Hayman Reese tow bar for this fitting is a Class 4 hitch making it a heavy duty unit with a 50mm square receiver socket for the tow ball mount. The bar replaces the vehicle impact beam and is mostly hidden behind the bumper. This bar is a neat fit with a discreet bumper cut.
The Kit:
Towbar #2998RW, trailer socket #4817
The Hayman Reese kit comes with a vehicle specific wiring loom, tow ball mount, ball and rated shackles. The only additional parts required are a tail piece which attaches a trailer socket to the vehicle specific loom. We would typically install a Hayman Reese #4817 tail, which is a 7-pin flat socket with an appropriate length of cable to complete the hook up.
Fitting:
Physically bolting the bar to the car is relatively straight forward as the tow bar replaces the vehicle's impact beam with some additional reinforcing running down the chassis rails. The bar attaches via the impact beam mounting holes/studs and with bolts fitted through pre-existing holes in the chassis rails. The bumper needs to be removed, the muffler dropped from its rear mountings and the exhaust heat shields removed.
Electrics:
The electrical hook up is a straight forward vehicle specific plug that simply attaches to the hook up provided on the car. The vehicle outlet is usually found in the rear left hand corner of boot.
Bumper cut:
A bumper cut is required for this vehicle. Details are given in the instructions but care does need to be taken because bumper designs can be modified over time and change across the vehicles range.
Additional:
This job could be done by the competent DIY mechanic who takes appropriate caution when removing, refitting and cutting the bumper. Issues to watch for are carefully marking and checking for the bumper cut before actually cutting. Treat the instruction measurements as a guide only and offer the bumper to the vehicle to confirm before cutting. On some vehicles the tow bar can require a bit of 'persuasion' to locate over the mounting studs.
Our current fitted price for this bar is available here or we can supply the bar to customers in Australia for you to install yourself:
Current supply only price for kit including: #2998RW towbar and #4817 tail is $895 including freight. The kit is usually available for dispatch within 1 to 5 days.