Steve Minshall 04/07/2017
Fitting a Hayman Reese #2631RW towbar to a Subaru Liberty wagon
Fits models: Subaru Liberty (Gen5) wagon 09/2009 to 01/2015
Time for experienced fitter: Approx. 3 hours
Fitting difficulty: 6/10
Today we fitted a Hayman Reese towbar to a Subaru Liberty wagon (Exiga model). This bar fits Subaru Liberty wagons built from 09/2009-01/2015. It also fit Subaru Outbacks with the same build dates.
The Bar:
For current specs and fitted price please see our Subaru Liberty 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 #2631RW, trailer socket #4816
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 #4816 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 studs and with bolts fitted through pre-existing holes in the chassis rails. The bumper needs to be removed and the exhaust heat shields removed. The instructions include removal of the muffer but we find that just by dropping the muffler to the floor, as shown in the image below, you have enough access to mount the bar.
Electrics:
The electrical hook up is a straight forward vehicle specific plug that simply attaches to the hook up provided on the car. The only difficulty can be finding the socket on the car to plug into. On the Exiga it is hidden away behind the right hand luggage compartment trim panel. This requires removal of the rear seats anable the panel to be pulled clear enough to find the socket. On the regular Liberty models the socket is behind the left hand panel, near the forward luggage tie down point.
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. The following image shows the cut for most models. The cut is a little more discrete on the Exiga model shown at the top of the page.
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: #2631RW towbar and #4816 tail is $960 including freight. The kit is usually available for dispatch within 1 to 5 days.