Tow Bar Wiring

[davej]

2001 2.5tdiA6 Avant quattro
Just fitted a new bosal tow bar. Anyone found a ignition on, 12V feed to power the bypass board ? I looked at the 12V aux socket but the wiring out the back of it travels in a hard conduit I think. Seems alot of trouble to route power all the way from the batttery as the instructions say.
Thanks.
Dave

[bora(ing) nick]

I had to hard wire my bosal towbar all the way back to the battery. Secured it using cable ties.

A friend of mine got his 12v feed form the side lights (on his focus) so it'd only ever work if the sidelights were switched on. (increased visability makes sense if your towing)

Nick

[Niall76]

I can't help, sorry. But I am interested in where you got the towbar and how you fitted it, how much it cost etc?

Thanks

[davej]

I ordered the bar from The leisure shack. They are on the bay of if you google you will find them. It was just under £130 delivered for the swan neck type. I picked that one as I have park sensors and the necky bit comes off with two bolts and the proper detachable bar a fair bit more to buy. Turns out the park sensors work fine with the bar on and nothing attached anyway.
Fits a treat. Plastic bumper and ally one have to come off for minor cut outs (templates provided) Very accurate neat fit . If I thought someone was going to ask about a bit of a dull job I would have taken pics.
I'll get the camera out when I do the cam belt which is the next job.
Dave

[Niall76]

Thanks Dave, I really didn't want to cut the bumper - how does it look? I've seen Golfs with a cut out and it looks crap!

How long did it take you to fit? Did it come with the electrics too?

I too am about to change the timing belt, it's not too bad though, just takes time more than anything.

[davej]

Hi, The bumper cut is nothing really. You would have to look hard to find it were the bumper not there. 20mm x 60mm it is. I'll post some pics at the weekend for how it looks.
Took me a whole morning but I ***** around looking for little jobs to make the time outside last longer, wifey would say. Bit of Jizer here bit of hammerite and waxoil there. I did need to replace both the bumper guides £6.28 plus vat from the ******* as the fixings to bumper had broken off some time in the past. Some sealing rubber washers were missing from the 3 bumper fixings on the out side of the light cluster. I ordered these and they came in as metal ones so the jobs still not finished. Still no electrics wired in yet. It's just the power to the relay board I need to plumb in. Pondering running twin core to the engine bay but seems a bit of a faff.
Looked at the Autodata run through on the cam belt change and it looks like a good weekend to me although they state 4.5 hrs ! I reckon I'll spend that on cleaning all the bits you would never get to on any other day with bumper off and up in the air. Another good reason for DIY
Any tips on the belt change would be welcome.
Sorry forgot to mention, as I already had the electrics so that price is for swan neck bar only.

[DIGIT55]

Hi
I had mine done at at towbar place in stoke.the electric comes from the back of the 12volt point in the back.it works by switching at 13 volts saves running a cable from the ignition.think you can buy them from towsure called a self switching dule split relay.at £11.25
hope this helps

[davej]

Thanks for that Digit, Sounds just what I need.
Dave

[wacky77]

hi there, I'm about to fit a detachable westfalia tow bar to my 99a6 avant, this car has no bulb faliure warning lights on the dash so is there any need to fit a bypass relay?

[ini]

I discovered that my towbar had been fitted by monkeys, and had been wired into the rear light cluters.

My rear bumper also has an 'alternative' mounting system.