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        General >> Give/Need advice to/from others >> fitting a tow bar
        
(Message started by: big_neil on Feb 27^th, 2007, 5:00pm)

Title: fitting a tow bar
Post by big_neil on Feb 27^th, 2007, 5:00pm

any advice on tow bar fitting would be appreciated, some say the bumper needs cut , others say it doesn,t, does it depend on the make of bar?(ultima saloon dec 98). i realise that the bumper will have to be removed to aid fitment, can i foresee any probs,,,,,,,,thanks,,,neil

Title: Re: fitting a tow bar
Post by barrie on Feb 27^th, 2007, 5:22pm

What do you want to tow Neil? Because you might have to do the springs and shocks and maybe oil cooler, As the saloon is already low. The estates have self levelling suspension and remain at the same height

Cheers Barrie

Title: Re: fitting a tow bar
Post by wudz on Feb 27^th, 2007, 6:53pm

Hi,
I fitted one a couple of years ago, the biggest problem were the 4 torx bolts.I ended up asking the lads at the National Tyres center to zip then loose when I had an oil change.
The bumper did not need cutting, but perhaps differing manufactures may require this. Also the Estate tow bar is different from the Saloon.
I sat an extra cooler just below the original, used a Scorpio breakers unit.
Suspension has been no problem, mine is not self leveling as some are.
Mine is a petrol auto 2ltr estate and towed some 4.5k no problems and lots of that in hilly Cornwall, just use sports mode as it holds the revs longer.
Towing a ton no problem and expect around 20 to 22 to the gallon.

Cheers
John

Title: Re: fitting a tow bar
Post by cossie_al on Feb 27^th, 2007, 7:00pm

Hi Neil,
I have a 95 saloon with a witter tow bar fitted and the bumper did have to be cut.
However, the bumper and tow bar were replaced by a ford dealer under insurance.
Apparently, witter tow bars are ford recomended and therefore that is all the dealership would fit.
The guy at the dealers did say that there tow bars are available where by you dont have to cut the bumper. But they would not fit them >:(
Hope thats some help.

Title: Re: fitting a tow bar
Post by scorpio_man on Feb 27^th, 2007, 7:40pm

hi neil

i seem to remember that car after '98, all tow bars had to be type stamped or something.

baz know more about this.

hth

Title: Re: fitting a tow bar
Post by big_neil on Feb 27^th, 2007, 7:42pm

just to tow my small trailer to the skip with rubbish, just got rid of my granada Hreg and left the tow bar on it as i thought it was a different bar to the scorpio but looking in the witter catalogue it is the same no.(d**n it), does my car not have an oil cooler?the granada was an auto 2 ltr and pulled the trailer with ease even with a ton of chippings in it so i think the the 2.9 should handle it OK, many thanks for the info guys.

Title: Re: fitting a tow bar
Post by big_neil on Feb 27^th, 2007, 8:04pm

just found the article""fitting a tow bar""on this web site with helpful pics as well, one day i,ll learn to look before asking!,,,dooooh.

Title: Re: fitting a tow bar
Post by barrie on Feb 27^th, 2007, 8:12pm

Should be ok for light towing, but if you are going to be towing a ton I would put an additional oil cooler on just to be safe, remember its a 24v

Title: Re: fitting a tow bar
Post by Spannerdemon on Feb 27^th, 2007, 10:11pm

I've got a Towsure bar on my 1996 2.9 12v. Didn't need the bumper cutting, and pulls our 17 foot caravan without too many problems. Took me about 2 hrs to fit, and about another 2 to do the electrics most of which was spent identifying the correct cables in the boot loom with a multi-tester.

The Torx bolts (if you DO have to remove the bumper), are a pain in the rear, and my advice would be to drill them out and fit some proper bolts. Once the heads have rusted, they are almost impossible to remove. ;)

I think someone has recently posted the correct wire colours for a towbar, or am I mistaken?
Would be a handy thing to have on the main site index. ;)

Title: Re: fitting a tow bar
Post by cossie_al on Feb 27^th, 2007, 10:28pm

I am willing to spend a while with the multi meter finding wire colours etc on my 1995 24v if its any use ;)

Title: Re: fitting a tow bar
Post by Spannerdemon on Feb 28^th, 2007, 7:32am

My original post might help a bit. All still working anyway. ;D

See HERE (http://www.fordscorpio.co.uk/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=Advice;action=display;num=1144925425;start=0#0)

Title: Re: fitting a tow bar
Post by macroy on Feb 28^th, 2007, 12:15pm

Does this help?

! SHOULD YOU EVER NEED TO WIRE UP A CAR TRAILER SOCKET !

These are the connections for the " BLACK " 7 pin Socket.
AT THE BACK OF THE " BLACK " SOCKET EACH CONNECTION PIN IS NUMBERED FROM 1 TO 7.
TO WIRE THIS EXTEND WIRES FROM EACH OF THE CARS CORRESPONDING LIGHTS,
USE SNAP CONNECTORS TO MAKE THE JOINTS, AND THE SAME COLOURED WIRE ,
THEN CONNECT INTO THE CORRESPONDING TERMINAL AT THE BACK OF THE SOCKET.
NOTE : " THE TRAILER LIGHTS PLUG USESES THE SAME COLOUR CODE AND NUMBERING."
PIN No WIRE COLOUR TO TRAILER LIGHT
1 YELLOW TO LEFT TURN INDICATOR
2 BLUE TO FOG LIGHTS
3 WHITE TO EARTH
4 GREEN TO RIGHT TURN INDICATOR
5 BROWN TO RIGHT TAIL LIGHT
6 RED TO STOP LIGHTS
7 BLACK TO LEFT TAIL LIGHT

Title: Re: fitting a tow bar
Post by Spannerdemon on Feb 28^th, 2007, 1:12pm

Yes it helps except that Ford, in their wisdom, have different colours !!

Like Pin 4 (The Green Wire for the RH indicator) goes to a blue and Red wire!

That's why I had such fun matching all the lights.

Green to green for example would have been much more helpful, but with the electrics on the Scorpio, I suspect they've used every colour under the rainbow! ;D

Title: Re: fitting a tow bar
Post by big_neil on Feb 28^th, 2007, 3:24pm

many thanks guys ,i,ve got the code numbers for the trailer socket and i, ll use my meter on the car wiring, i,ve never trusted scotchloks and when i,m sure i,ve got the correct colours i,ll probably solder them.When i built my kit car i wired it from scratch and never used a crimp or scotchlok any where ,i soldered everything, been no trouble for twenty years now!

Title: Re: fitting a tow bar
Post by petehull on Feb 28^th, 2007, 3:44pm

I fitted my towshure bar from the 2lt scorp with no problems, bumper didn't need cutting however I did have to drop the diff in order to get the four bolts in on the 2.3.
All the info is available on the caravan club site for anyone to view, including wiring up the sockets, recommended nose wheights and other info to do with towing caravans. I have been a member for the past ten years and have towed as far as Rostock in Germany as well as all over this country and Ireland. First off with a 2lt Granny then a 2lt Scorp and now the 2.3 manual gas car, never had any problems towing 18ft Bailey caravan etc....

hth

Pete