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Trailer hitch

Posted: Thu May 02, 2013 11:09 am
by storm9c1
A friend of mine ordered the AU trailer hitch for his GTO. And it bolts to pre-existing studs under the rear bumper fascia. I noticed the Caprice has a similar design and I imagine it will also have the same studs for a hitch. Has anybody investigated this and/or know which hitch I can order? G8? GTO? I could always try his hitch and see if it fits...

I know the owners manual explicitly mentions that the car is not designed to tow a trailer. That's BS since the AU versions have the option. And the PPV is plenty heavy, powerful, and has good brakes. I think GM just wants you to spend more money on a truck or SUV. Can't have people towing trailers with their sedans, that would be too reminiscent of the 1960s. Can't have that. Gotta use a truck. And/or they don't want the liability.

I am only interested in towing small utility trailers or an aluminum boat. Nothing big or heavy. Right now I tow with my '95 Caprice, but I'm starting to get less confident about taking that car on long trips and would rather use the PPV.

Re: Trailer hitch

Posted: Thu May 02, 2013 9:07 pm
by Crazy Paul
No not (VT-VZ) Holden Monaro [GTO] or Holden VE [G8].
The closest thing to fitting is the WM Holden Caprice towbar which is sometimes listed as VE Long Wheelbase.
The problem with Holden VE (short wheelbase) towbars onto Pontiac G8 (also short wheelbase) was that the Pontiac had a thicker rear crash bar and a thicker rear fascia to cover it, to comply with some obscure USA only crash spec that the Holden didn't have to pass for ADR crash tests. Because the G8 butt was a few inches "fatter" than the Holden VE butt it meant that the 2.5" square outlet tube didn't protrude rearward enough for the pin to go thru. Changing to a GXP rear diffuser on a G8 gave just enough room for the pin to sneak in.
Now if the rear crash bar and rear fascia on a PPV is also fatter than a Holden WM Caprice, then the same issue will exist but there'll be no "get out of jail free card" alternative diffuser available.

Here's the problem that exists with VE towbar onto G8....unsure if WM to PPV will have the same issue.
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Holden VE Butt
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Holden VE towbar, no protrusion problem on a VE.
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Pontiac G8 Butt
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Pontiac G8 with the same Holden VE towbar fitted, protrusion problem...pin is a tight fit even with GXP diffuser "cure".
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Re: Trailer hitch

Posted: Thu May 02, 2013 9:15 pm
by bkwagonss
Nooo, no trailer hitch on this beautiful car!!
Just kidding.

I was actually just talking about it to a friend the other day.
I used to pull a pop-up trailer with my 94 Caprice wagon.
It hardly even knew it was back there.
I was wondering if a hidden hitch behind the licence plate could be built.
We were thinking of buying a golf cart to take to certain events or a bike rack.
I recently saw a vintage Airstream being pulled by a pickup.
But wouldn't it look cool behind a Caprice.

Re: Trailer hitch

Posted: Thu May 02, 2013 9:27 pm
by Crazy Paul
Here's the issue with Holden short wheelbase VE towbar onto a G8.
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Holden VE towbar, Pontiac G8 with normal G8 rear diffuser (doesn't work)
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Holden VE towbar, Pontiac G8 with upgrade to G8-GXP rear diffuser (only just works)
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Re: Trailer hitch

Posted: Fri May 03, 2013 5:08 am
by Navy Lifer
Tom, I know that Steve Eckart, in Austin, was interested in doing a hitch install, but I don't know if he ever did. He's the only one I'm aware of that had any intent to do so.

You can see his e-mail address in previous e-mails I've sent to the group - he has not joined NCF.

Re: Trailer hitch

Posted: Fri May 03, 2013 3:43 pm
by storm9c1
Thanks for the info Crazy Paul! Hopefully others will find this useful as well.

Am I going nuts or does the hitch (a smaller class 2) for the 2004 GTO just bolt to a few studs? I don't remember tow bar like that on his car. But I could be forgetting. I know there was a plastic flap on the fascia that could be opened for access. No cutting or modifying the bumper at all. And he didn't have any problems with fitment like the G8 you described.

Re: Trailer hitch

Posted: Wed May 22, 2013 1:05 am
by 95_9C1

Re: Trailer hitch

Posted: Wed May 22, 2013 11:52 am
by storm9c1
95_9C1 wrote:Have you seen one of these:

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Holden-State ... 0667577890
Will that work on a PPV or is there going to be a similar issue with the bumper?

I see the cutout in the lower fascia.

Re: Trailer hitch

Posted: Wed May 22, 2013 5:00 pm
by 95_9C1
I don't see why it shouldn't work.

As far as the bumper, all the pictures I have looked at of the PPV and the overseas Holden WM show no difference in bumper, unlike the G8. Since our cars weren't meant for the public, they may not have received the same scrutiny as did the Commodore.

It would be nice to know for sure, though ...

Re: Trailer hitch

Posted: Thu May 23, 2013 6:34 pm
by elc32955
Better get a shipped weight and cost first if you're going to get one of those from Australia, might be more of a purchase then you bargained for. Wonder if there'd be any over-length charges on a piece like that as well....

But it looks like it might fit. Trailer light wiring is the next thing that comes to mind....