[ChrisJ]

Chaps, really joined the forum with this specific question in mind. I am after a simple fixed bar for my 2013 SE Nav manual. It's just to pull my ATV trailer so not bothered about one made from titanium alloy or anything. Just a simple bar. I'll fit it myself, I'm handy on the spanners. I have found the plug socket for the wiring (simple lights, 7 pin only) but where I am struggling is in deciding which to buy. I don't even need the ball as I have a bucket of those in the workshop.

Most of the adverts are really generic and poorly described. I can sort the bar probably just based on the cheapest, but the wiring kits have me confused. Can anyone give me a definitive link please to one that perhaps they have bought, that does just plug in and work? I have read most of the posts on here and on other inferior forums (

) but I just can't find the answer in simple English.

Many thanks in advance.

Chris

 

[chrispl44]

if I was you id look at towsure web site and then ring them they are great guy I got my last towbar from them they talked me thought any
thing I needed hope this helps














antara diamond 2.2 auto luv it

 

[ChrisJ]

Used Towsure before. They are pretty dependable. I go to the one in Sheffield. I can be in there fore hours and I don't even have a caravan.

But I'd really like a plug in kit that some has, so I know exactly that I am getting the right thing and don't have to start splicing in with those dreadful Scotch-locks like we used to.

Chris

 

[Baza55]

I wrought mine from pf jones and it came with dedicated wiring and detachable tow ball £250 all in and took me about 20 minutes to fit.

 

[Baza55]

Bought ,darn iPad!

 

[ChrisJ]

Awesome, thanks Baza. I bought my last one from them. I do rather seem to have bought a lot of towbars. Possibly more than I have had cars, which seems a little strange.

I'm onto it. Tomorrow.

CJ

 

[ChrisJ]

Ordered from PF Jones. Dedicated harness and basic bar. £162 delivered. That'll do for me.

Should be fitted by Monday evening.

CJ

 

[Thegasman]

Hi Bazza just about to buy a wittier detachable flange ball type where does the wiring plug in,and are all the holes per drilled?

 

[Dave47]

Hi The gasman,Mine is a vx installed towbar, last time I looked there are 6 bolts I think, into pre tapped holes. The harness, 13pin in my case plugs into a socket again if I remember correctly on the drivers side under the boot floor. This socket does not carry the wiring for pins 10 & 11 the battery charging/fridge, these have to be done separately.

 

[ChrisJ]

All modern cars have pre designated bolt holes now. Have done for quite a few years. Gone are the days of making up bits of angle iron in the shed.

The electrics are outside underneath. If you lie on your back, look above the exhaust there is a cable bundle and blanked plastic plug on the driver's side chassis leg. Easy to spot. I'm only doing 7 pin wiring so I don't have to run anything else this time.

 

[ChrisJ]

Well that couldn't have been much easier. It was up and on in about 30 mins. It then took me about another 30 mins to toque all the bolts 0 including ten mins to go off and convert Nm into ft lbs. The biggest faff was assembling the 7 pin socket. Why that didn't come assembled I don't know, but you have to snap the middle section into the outer housing and I wanted to make sure it was the right way up. The other stupid fault was that the bracket for the plug wasn't slit to let the cable through. The wiring loom plug on one end and the 7 pin socket on the other were too big to pass through the bracket. I could have put it on ramps which would have been easier, but elected to do in flat on the drive. There are a couple of fiddly bits but if you have an international spanner rating of 5.6 minimum then this is very very easy.

If your name is Norman and you collect pencils from around the World, then I'd leave it. The bolt torque at 111Nm is pretty hefty, so if you are a bit of a lightweight you may actually struggle to apply the necessary force. But if like me, you are no stranger to the hot pie section, you'll be fine.

Wiring plugged in perfectly and everything worked straight off including the friendly little trailer light on the dash.

Basic towbar, plug in wiring, next working day delivery, less than an hour to fit. £162.

Oh, the towball was missing from the box, so I took one from my collection - PF Jones are sending me one though.

Sorted.

 

[Grumps]

Good info their Chris thanks for sharing.

I'm not sure if it was on here or somewhere else but someone posted that its easier to drop the back box to fit a tow bar but none of the instructions from various bar manufacturers don't mention it..

 

[ChrisJ]

Not having the back box there would have made it child's play that is true, but removing the rear box would definitely have been an additional step with its own issues, by which time, you could have fitted the bar. The key is to make sure you fit the driver's side (tail pipe) first. I got a but turned around under there and like a wally, fitted the passenger side first which makes it a teeny bit harder. Maybe cost me a couple of minutes.

But if you are half capable and especially if you have a mate handy, it really is a very easy job and not one I'd wanting to be spending £300 + on or whatever. OK if you have fancy wiring going on, I don't know the routing for that (fridge and charging etc) but these tow bar fitting places must be laughing. Plug in wiring and ready made bolt holes, with the bars at trade????? I could do that job. It's practically a drive in service.