BA Falcon with Ford 1600 kg tow bar

That does not sound right . I drive a dreaded Avalon ( cue laughter ) and have all the gear in that baby.

This is a good question and well worth posting!! I suspect what Ford are saying is that the bar is not strong enough (as mounted to the vehicle) to withstand the torsional forces applied by the weight distribution bars. If the bar is mounted on a single plain then forces applied to the tow bar by the weight distribution hitch could have a similar effect as trying to wriggle the bar on its mountings.

Having investigated this issue for 250kg bars on my Commodore I talked directly with Hayman Reece and fitted a heavier bar with appropriate mounting points. I no longer run the risk of finding the bar detached from the vehicle!! If you are in Melb you could also discuss with some of the major caravan repairers/fitters such as Hardings in Bayswater.

Hey Darc, have an au11 falcon sedan and have towed our boat with it approx 730 kg , and some gear in the car , this does push the rear down a fair bi , I don't like the chances of you pulling your van and being happy .I would put the heavier bar on it , I have seen them they look like a traditional hayman reece bar with the removable receiver.
Regards
Fatboy

Hi Fatboy, Just went down to local dealer for a quote on upgrade to Ford 2300k bar. Cost $1200 odd but they didn't tell me if this was a totally new setup or just a new fitting. Ford web site lists the heavy duty bar as an assessory for much the same price so suspect they will remove the old one and totally replace apart from wiring. Tends to make selling the van an even more enticing prospect but the gear stick won't go with that!!

If your towbar is rated at 1600kg IT should be the square hitch receiver type. To rate this bar to 2300 kg you have to add the weight distribution kit. If your present bar has a bolt on tongue it would only be rated to around 1200 kg. Have a look at the Hayman Reese website, their pricing is a lot lower than Fords. Barry.