Anyone have experience with the Jaguar OEM-listed towing equipment for the S-Type?
Part No. XR848322 tow bar ("hitch" in American English), rated at 4180 lb.
Part No. XR852858 tow bar electric harness (7 pin) for above part no.
These part numbers are from Jaguar's own accessories catalog - unclear which S-Type model years these application fit?

 

Personally, I would never tow anything with my Jaguar.

 

I'm interested in the OEM towing gear as well. I have a very small utility trailer that I wouldn't mind dragging behind me on certain excursions... It only weighs a few hundred pounds empty, maybe 1000 loaded. Power to tow isn't a problem

 

Just FYI, I ended up finding the answers to my own question: the fitting instructions for the Jaguar-supplied tow bar for the S-Type:
http://www.fittinginstructions.co.uk...new/408700.pdf

The 24 pages of instructions look a bit intimidating, but it does appear to be a well engineered system. The same tow bar fits pre- and post-facelift 2004.5 models, with slightly different paths through the instructions depending on the model year. And the tow limit is 4,180 lbs. So our S-Types are not namby-pamby, wall-flower, delicate damsels in distress: they will tow up to two tons (assuming the rest of the car is in tip-top shape).

 

Regardless of what Jaguar's tow specs say, I think you're playing Russian Roulette with your ZF 6HP26 if you decide to tow any substantial weight with your S-Type....

 

I think people doing heavy towing usually fit an extra or larger oil cooler / trans oil cooler.

 

Just wondering - in the contemporaneous Range Rover 4.2, was not the same ZF 6HP26 transmission being used (albeit in a 4 wheel drive application), with a tow rating on the RR upwards of 7,000 lb? Did that application have a failure history? I was thinking that Jaguar's lesser tow limit was based more on the body load bearing capabilities rather than a transmission weakness.

Also, was the same ZF 6HP26 transmission used on the 4.2 S-Type and the STR? (A 33% greater potential torque loading in the latter?)

 

Yes you are correct but ZF has different torque ratings for those applications even though the transmission is basically the same.

The STR has a published torque rating for the ZF of 444 N-M.

I have also seen where Jaguar says to not tow anything?

I did install a hitch on my 2003 Lincoln LS and it was one piece hitch and much simpler to install compared to the factory instructions posted above.

I wonder if the hitch will swap between the LS and the S Type?
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Here's mine - fitted long ago but seemingly never actually used. The installation is nice and neat.

 

Ahh - so that's what the tow bar cut-outs look like in real life for the post-facelift cars. Tough to tell from the Jaguar provided drawings in the 24 pages of instructions for tow bar installation. There seems to be some sort of cultural disconnect. On this side of the pond, apparently some Jaguar dealers (and others) say no, no, no, you must not tow with your S-Type lest things turn into fractured peanut brittle. On your side of the pond, Jaguar issues tomes of tow bar installation instructions covering the entire 1999-2007 span of S-Types, and even Rimmers carries the Jaguar-certified S-Type tow bar assemblies and electrical hook-ups. But even here, I find that I can order from Jaguar Merriam in Kansas, Part No. XR852858 (the electrics) for $153, and Part No. XR848322 (the tow bar) for $892. Whom to believe?

As for myself, I'm mostly hesitating because of the cutting and drilling laid out in Jaguar's installation instructions. I was pulling on this thread with the thought that the 4.2 S-Type might make a wicked tow vehicle for a lightweight trailer for a (modern) Morgan Three Wheeler. That image causes a mental frisson. But....

 

It's a shame you're not UK based as I'd rather be without the tow bar. It is subtle enough that it rarely catches my eye though.

 

Hello Timmyboy - If you are interested in getting rid of your towbar we may be able to reach an accommodation as I would like to fit one to my s type. Are you anywhere near Aldershot/Guildford?

Cheers

Simon

 

Hi Simon - it was probably too flippant a statement to be practical really, with hindsight
The tow bar bothers me so little that it would need to be a zero cost (to me) and risk solution to change, so we'd need a suitably qualified garage to do the work and I'd need the black section of my bumper replacing (assuming it is separate from the colour coded section) with an item in at least as good a condition as mine. I'd also need to double check that mine hasn't been cut to fit the back boxes on (which I will do at the weekend). I'm based in Bristol BS39.

 

Hi Timmyboy

Thanks for the reply. It looks like you had better stick to your towbar, you never know, you might find a use for it. The rear bumper cover is in one piece as far as Jaguar are concerned, although from a cursory examination of mine it looks as though it is constructed from two pieces (the coloured and non coloured). While one may be able to separate these, I don't know how much success one would have in joining them, so it looks like a whole new bumper cover should you ever go down that route. Zero cost it would not be.

Cheers

Simon

 

I'm surprised to read the above. Looking at the Jaguar published fitting instructions (in the link way above), there are two distinct paths to follow through the instructions. The pre-facelift instruction path shows the entire rear bumper cover being removed; however, the facelift-on instructions show only the black lower piece being removed. To me it looks like between a pair of facelift-on cars, the two lower sections alone could be swapped to restore one car to the uncut state, while the other car can skip the steps requiring the part to be cut for tow bar access since that would already have been done. Unless I am misunderstanding Jaguar's drawings....

 

Speaking of tow bars and caravan plugs...............

I got this when I worked at the Jag dealer. It was ordered and then the customer did not want it. Jaguar did NOT want it returned so it was to be thrown in the trash.

I thought it was interesting so I removed it from the trash.

I don't remember what it fits so I thought I would ask here.

It has 13 connections in the plastic housing. I held the spring loaded cover open with a screw to show the connector.

bob gauff

 

It's a Euro spec trailer/caravan socket.

 

Does anyone need the Jaguar connector I have?????

It's available for the cost of shipping as I don't have a use for it.
It's NOT standard here in the U.S.

bob gauff

 

I have spent the last two days about 4 hours trying to find a trailer set-up for my 2005 Jaguar S-Type. I guess Curt made one for 2000 - 2004. Not sure what the difference between 2004 and 2005 would have been. If I could find one, I would buy it and try and make it work. I haven't been able to find anything from anybody. The Jaguar one that you mentioned is unavailable, even in England. Anything you might suggest or say would be welcome.