Towbar
towbat or tow bar
A tow bat is much better :)
I fitted mine a while ago, from memory you need to remove the rear bumper, then it is just a straight easy bolt on in existing holes. No drilling, no welding....
In UK you have different towbar but the fitting should be similar. You must use high tensile bolt.
Happy io
Bat out of hell
Oh no, not BAT pleeeeeze.
Thanks for the link Robin (again!
). I notice a bit more supporting metalwork under that rear bumper than my Suzukis ever had!! Looks like a simple job eh Claude.........oh wait I don't do simple.
I'll come back to this - eventually.
Da BAt Man - hate it hate it. 
rear bar
my rear bar bolts onto the bolts that hold the rear tow hitch and corresponding ones on the opposide side.
also "hang" off the rear tie downs with U bolts.
you may need to drill the chassis holes out as some of mine were only partially opened from factory - these holes were also used to mount the rear sway bar on the autobahn models.
LWB and SWB bars are non-interchangeable without destroying rear bumper / muffler
reason towbars
both towbars attach at the same point - the two bolt holes in the rear chasis where the tow hook bolts in.
the LWB and SWB are different lengths between where these holes are and the rear of the vehicle - I have a SWB and other LWB io's have different towbars, same design and brackets but longer between the mount and the hitch.
1.25" receiver hitch
https://www.warn.com/atv/mounting-sytems/shackle_bracket.shtml
been looking for a towbar anchor for recovery to suit the little SWB towbars - this one is only 4000lbs (1.8T) so it is probably no better or worse than my existing rear tow point. probably use them in tandem with a balance strap. 6000lbs would be spot on but unless I make it myself it's not going to happen.
Strength
https://www.warn.com/atv/mounting-sytems/shackle_bracket.shtml
been looking for a towbar anchor for recovery to suit the little SWB towbars - this one is only 4000lbs (1.8T) so it is probably no better or worse than my existing rear tow point. probably use them in tandem with a balance strap. 6000lbs would be spot on but unless I make it myself it's not going to happen.
I only hope my chassis is strong enough to take a towbar but I only intend to pull a small trailer so it won't be a problem. Big jobs get pulled by my 'real' Pajero. I shall be putting the iO on the road on Dec 1st for its test runs for a month or so.
It's not all about power & strength
it's a shame as the SWB has the same chassis sections, same rear suspension and same power plant so by rights it should be capable of towing the same amount of load as a LWB :(
Power & strength are only two of the issues to be considered - stability and control, including braking, are critical, and that is where I believe the SWB vehicles will fall down - I've never driven an SWB iO, but the LWB ones leave quite a bit to be desired, and based on my experience with Suzukis, the SWB is going to be less stable.
Short v long
it's a shame as the SWB has the same chassis sections, same rear suspension and same power plant so by rights it should be capable of towing the same amount of load as a LWB :(
Power & strength are only two of the issues to be considered - stability and control, including braking, are critical, and that is where I believe the SWB vehicles will fall down - I've never driven an SWB iO, but the LWB ones leave quite a bit to be desired, and based on my experience with Suzukis, the SWB is going to be less stable.
I've towed with SWB a fair bit and can't say it has been detrimental. I suppose we adapt our style to the feel of the tug.
SWB stability
Yeah the stock SWB are typical of a SWB 4wd, I mean they are almost as wide as they are long. Not fantastic - I actually prefer when it's towing something heavy as otherwise the rear end is a bit wobbly (lift kit fixed that)
Brakes have been OK - mine are "sinking" after about 5 secs as the vaccume in the booster leaks or is bypassed resulting in the pedal dropping about 0.5" probably an old age thing - still stops well given that the rear drumb linings are very critically low.
My front calipers are getting a bit sticky so either i've flushed some crap back into the ABS module (unlikely) or they need a rebuild. - Will be putting the twin-spot front calipers on instead though so likely my io ones will just go in a box on the shelf to be thrown away in a few years time.
Syndicate
getting my spelling right
I hate typing on laptops and tablets, the typos are everywhere. In case people missed it, towbar fitting is what I am interested in.
Work in progress on my just acquired
delapidated 2003 Vivo 11Junior in need of TLCDo it right, use Hammerite.
Why simpify when it is simpler to complicate.