Avant Tow bar help

[sh4d0w]

Hello all!

We bought a trailer tent last year and finally planning on using it over the Aug bank hol, only i have no tow bar! so i need to retro fit one.

I have been calling around to be very shocked at such price differences between installers.

I want a detachable bar so its not always there making my sensors moan at me & i am pretty sure i want to go with dedicated wiring as the car has the tow features but... is that really needed?

Next - should i bother fitting this myself? or just pay someone else to do it, my knowledge is average, my ability is great and i have the tools, its just if its a mare of a job i cant be bothered! lol.

Thanks all.

Also what brand of bar?
Westfalia - TowSure - Brink etc

[KevTrem]

i have fitted the Westfalia detachable bar with their electrics to 2 of my cars and they are great. I ordered through PF Jones who deliver quickly, although for you collection is an option.

Time for install,
Mechanically its about 1.5hours, yours will be towbar prepared so electrics are pretty much plug and play, it will need coding though, electrics should take about 30mins keeping things neat and tidy. If fitting yourself watch out for the hidden plug that needs connection above the drivers rear wheel arch.

Only basic tools are needed, T25torx for bumper removal, 10mm socket, 16/17mm socket, Stanley blade, cup of coffee.

The instructions supplied are good, you will have to google how to remove the rear bumper, but put simply remove torx bolts on inner arch, look for hidden one at top of bumper on inner arch, remove torx from spare wheel well, remove metal trim, remove rear lights and the torx bolts under them, remove 2 long plastic pins, then pull the bumper backwards. It unclips, then unplug parking sensors. That's the hard bit about the job.

About the towbar

Well it takes me all of about 15seconds to open my boot lid, go in left pocket in boot, remove bag with towball in it, fit and remove key.
Removal takes about same time. Its simple, easy and you don't get wet knees if its raining.
Electrics swing down and tuck away when not used.

When detached you cant see that you have a towbar fitted, it all is hidden and tucks away.

I have fitted these towbars to my C7 Avant approx. 3 years and now to my Allroad last weekend. I use it for bike rack and also for towing a caravan. With genuine electrics you also get an extra light on dash for indicators instead of buzzer and you also get told if your trailer has a faulty bulb.

[SMILEMAN]

I went for Westfalia, had someone come round to do it, it's definitely not rocket science and all within the scope of a competent do it yourselfer. I watched them do it, it's just having the confidence to do it!!.
Attaching the wiring harness also looks not too bad, but then they done the recoding with a dedicated Westfalia box of tricks.
That is definitely not within my scope!
Cost was £700, but very pleased and everything works as it should.
Not cheap, but cheaper than Audi!

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[JonathanK]

Just out of interest, doesn’t the factory fit towbar kit come with a larger radiator and uprated electric fan?


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[KevTrem]

Just out of interest, doesn’t the factory fit towbar kit come with a larger radiator and uprated electric fan?


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I believe that the cars that are towbar prepared come with the larger capacity radiator etc anyways, plus I think that extra kit is only required for the hotter climates, not the UK.

[sh4d0w]

Is it blatently obvious to see if i have tow prep? i cant see the red plugs in the inspection hatch.

[KevTrem]

What year is your car?
Mine is a January 2015 model but built November 2014. On my Avant it was obvious until I knew what I was looking for

[bluezie]

I recently fitted a removable Westfalier tow bar to our A6.
The fitting of the bar was easy once I'd consulted Elsawin to find out how to dismantle the boot trim without destroying it!
The main problem was electrical. (And I am a professional electrician!) The PF Jones instructions are pictograms, which are abso-bloody-lutely-useless . It took several hours to decode them, and then I phoned them to get someone to go over every step with me. luckily I'd eventually worked it out, but was very unsure that I had. To be fair, they were very good over the phone, and really knew their stuff about the basic fitting and wiring, but had no idea about ECU coding.
The next problem was ECU coding. The instructions only include how to tell the CAN gateway that the trailer module has been fitted, which allows basic function of the lighting board. BUT there are several other modules that need recoding to get things working correctly, eg engine, gearbox, ABS, parking sensors, powered tailgate etc etc…
I found these recoding details through a post to Ross-tech (VCDS) forum. P F Jones have a dedicated system that recodes all modules automatically.

So the bottom line is, unless you have access to a factory manual, VCDS, and all the car's module coding, its a lot easier to let PF Jones do the whole fitting process.

[Odee]

I don't know about the larger radiators etc, but I retro fitted a Westfalia detachable bar to my 2012 C7 in 2014. It has since towed a 1500kg caravan to Croatia 3 times and the very south of Italy and in some high temperatures, 35C plus. I have not once seen the water temp gauge above 90C.

John.

[Harvy23]

How did you get on with this as I am planning to fit (or have fitted) a Towbar to my 2014 BiTDi. From looking at information on this forum it seems that unless I have VCDS its easier to have someone else fit it for me. Some prices are extortionate! Best price I have found so far is just over £600 fitted at my house. I have fitted Towbars to my previous cars but they just used universal electric kits. As per usual DIY jobs on newer cars need coding that costs lots of money!