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        General >> Give/Need advice to/from others >> Towbar
        
(Message started by: PJDavis on Jan 29^th, 2012, 6:23pm)

Title: Towbar
Post by PJDavis on Jan 29^th, 2012, 6:23pm

Well I'm going to fit a towbar to mine I reckon. I can get a new one for just under £100. But I have a few questions if anyone knows the answers that would be great.

It seems that all the new ones I see, you have to cut a wee section out of the rear valance, is that right?

The fitments by most of the manufacturers state that it's the same towbar as the granada, so says 'Granada Scorpio 1992 to 1998. Saloon and Estate' Is that right, are they the same?

It also tells you to remove the rear bumper, is that right and how easy is it to take off?

Can I just 'Properly' hitch into the electrics, (I only intend to put a 7 pin ordinary plug on, it's just for a light trailer) or will I need to fiddle about with a relay and such-like?

Any advice welcome. I'm going to build my own trailer soon.

Peter

Title: Re: Towbar
Post by Jeff on Jan 29^th, 2012, 9:19pm

I had one fitted and if you watch all the posts on here you might recall my grumbles relating to how the bloke messed up my bumper, breaking the tabs that secure it on each wing (side). However, it was not necessary to modify the bumper and the hitch seemed to fit acceptably under there, including the electrics. It may be that other makes are different (I think mine is a Witter, arguably the leading manufacturer), so check out the details before you buy. The worst bit was the fitting of the brackets around the diff, I think they have to bolt onto the floor close to it, and this joker I used didn't have a 3/8 drive socket set and couldn't get in there, so left those bits for me to fit.
The bumper has to come off as the main member of the tow bar assembly is a heavy beam that bolts up across the the rear of the 'chassis', but is not visible once the bumper goes back on, or not as was the case with my 'expert'.
Very useful thing, a tow bar.
If you have trouble reversing with a small trailer, because you can't see the thing, open the boot lid and drop the rear seats. Simples! Happy dumping...

Title: Re: Towbar
Post by lesterlad aka Rodders on Jan 30^th, 2012, 12:19am

Regarding the electrics, I believe that an audible sounder has to be fitted to alert you to the operation of the indicators when a trailer is connected.

I have fitted tow bars to previous cars but never bothered with the sounder (my current Scorpio has one)

With the new rules of the MOT including tow bars and associated electrics I'm sure the sounder is now a must have.

Title: Re: Towbar
Post by lleewar on Jan 30^th, 2012, 10:16am

Peter, I have a spare tow bar taken from a scorpio. It's bolted to the subframe, 4or 6 bolts and has, if I remember rightly, double electrics but have to dig out and confirm. Lee

Title: Re: Towbar
Post by gozz on Jan 30^th, 2012, 10:31am

PJD.
I have had several breakers with towbars,one or two of which people on here have reused,none of the cars had any cutouts at all,the bumpers being slightly above or just touching the bar.As Jeff said,the top side edges of the bumper have small slots that lock into a 'toothed' strip,they are frail and easily cracked,it may be best to pull the bumper straight backwards rather than sideways.There are two big quarter turn plastic retainers near to the front similar to the Granada,and four torx headed bolts holding the two brackets to the floor,these can be seized and need grinding off,you can replace them with hexagon heads if necessary,it's worth spending a little time and heat on them,might be favourite for you to loosen them if you are farming the job out,even remove the bumper yourself to avoid butchery ::) I have a vague recollection that there could be a slight difference in the front bracket because the early diff had a single bolt backplate,yours will have the twin bolt backplate,but in the main the fittings are the same.As Rodders says,you can bet your life the buzzer or a lamp will become law if it's not already.Some of these cars have an unseen rot problem in the rear crossmember,but no doubt yours is OK.
GOZZ.

Title: Re: Towbar
Post by PJDavis on Jan 30^th, 2012, 1:29pm

Thanks for the replies guys. I'll be going for a new towbar I reckon, The one I'm after is the full kit with basic electrics and the bar powder-coated for about £98 delivered. I'll just have to find some way of fitting a buzzer if it's not in the kit. Presumably I can get a buzzer kit or some such if it is or will become mandatory.

Peter

Title: Re: Towbar
Post by Simmo on Jan 30^th, 2012, 3:51pm

If you have a look on the 'Witter' site, Here (http://www.witter-towbars.co.uk/towbars/faq3.php) under the 13 pin fitting it has an entry about indicator warning. Seems you simply have to know if they are working by visual or audible...just as you do with the car. ;)

You could choose to read This (http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1989/1796/schedule/7/made) and check out para 11 ???

Title: Re: Towbar
Post by PJDavis on Jan 31^st, 2012, 11:51am

Aye, when reading that legislation bit, I noticed it says that a 'tell-Tale' can be the indicators flashing at a different speed than normal when the trailer is connected. Well, on my mates Jag, he doesn't have an audible, but when the trailer is connected the indicators flash quite a bit slower, so apparently this is the required 'Tell-Tale' !

Title: Re: Towbar
Post by Simmo on Jan 31^st, 2012, 12:35pm

.........or he hasn't got the required size flasher unit !. I thought they were 'uprated' for towing due to the increase in power required but maybe that's 'old hat' now??. ???

Title: Re: Towbar
Post by lesterlad aka Rodders on Jan 31^st, 2012, 1:16pm

on 01/31/12 at 11:51:21, PJDavis wrote:

Aye, when reading that legislation bit, I noticed it says that a 'tell-Tale' can be the indicators flashing at a different speed than normal when the trailer is connected. Well, on my mates Jag, he doesn't have an audible, but when the trailer is connected the indicators flash quite a bit slower, so apparently this is the required 'Tell-Tale' !

The indicators should flash at the normal rate when a trailer is connected.

'Tell-Tale' is either an additional light fitted into or near the dash (usually seen on factory fitted tow bars at manufacture) or an audible unit fitted to the indicator circuit of the tow bar inside the boot.

I must admit though my audible is difficult to hear even in an estate, so could be even harder to hear in a saloon.

Title: Re: Towbar
Post by Tompion on Jan 31^st, 2012, 2:16pm

The scorpio does have the trailer direction indicator light in the dash, but whether you can get it working without the proper fitting kit I don’t know.

The wiring diagram is from here:
http://www.fordscorpio.co.uk/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=admin;action=display;num=1268901956

There is a page on fitting a towbar here:
http://www.fordscorpio.co.uk/towbar.htm

Title: Re: Towbar
Post by PJDavis on Jan 31^st, 2012, 4:02pm

That's a great link Tomp. Thanks very much. :D

Title: Re: Towbar
Post by Tompion on Jan 31^st, 2012, 5:39pm

I looked at an old instrument cluster & the trailer warning light is a direct connection from the connector pin (no electronic gizmos). The wiring diagram just shows it connected to the flasher. Possibly the flasher has something built in for a trailer.

I had a look at the rear light connections there’s a wire each side next to the earths that doesn’t connect to anything.

The passenger side one got some sort of pulsing reading with the hazards flashing.

When I put it in reverse I had a 9 volt reading on the spare wire of the driver’s side – possibly a fault with mine maybe it should be 12 volts?

So it looks as though the wires may be there (although the fog light doesn’t appear to be accounted for), but you may need extra parts to use them.

There were a couple of Granada wiring kits on Ebay at the time of the mailing list post but whether they’re adaptable is a different matter.

Title: Re: Towbar
Post by PJDavis on Jan 31^st, 2012, 6:02pm

I went to My mate at the local friendly Ford dealer, and he couldn't find anything pertinent for getting that warning light working. I'll maybe have to find a kit of some sort, I can't believe that all those retro fitted towbars are going to be failed at MOT time, so someone will need to come up with a kit. On a better note, I went out once I'd got home and tried those Torx bumper mountings, after a good bit of pressure and struggling they all came loose, so I WD40 them and screwed them back in, I'm very happy about that! :D

Title: Re: Towbar
Post by gozz on Jan 31^st, 2012, 8:38pm

PJD.
Those wee buzzers are under £3 from 'Towsure' or 'Just Tow'.They supply all the other electrical gear if needed.Well done with the bolts
8)
GOZZ.

Title: Re: Towbar
Post by Mike H on Feb 1^st, 2012, 1:55pm

on 01/31/12 at 18:02:58, PJDavis wrote:

On a better note, I went out once I'd got home and tried those Torx bumper mountings, after a good bit of pressure and struggling they all came loose, so I WD40 them and screwed them back in, I'm very happy about that! :D

I should say so! ;D